Modern Armenian ( hy, աշխարհաբար, ''ashkharhabar'' or ''ašxarhabar'', literally the "secular/lay language") is the modern vernacular (vulgar) form of the

Armenian language Armenian ( classical: , reformed: , , ) is an Indo-European language and an independent branch of that family of languages. It is the official language of Armenia. Historically spoken in the Armenian Highlands, today Armenian is widely spoken t ...

. Although it first appeared in the 14th century, it was not until the 18-19th centuries that it became the dominant form of written Armenian, as opposed to

Classical Armenian Classical Armenian (, in Eastern Armenian pronunciation: Grabar, Western Armenian: Krapar; meaning "literary anguage; also Old Armenian or Liturgical Armenian) is the oldest attested form of the Armenian language. It was first written down at ...

(''grabar'' or the "language of the book"). It has two standardized forms:

Western Armenian Western Armenian ( Classical spelling: , ) is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Eastern Armenian. It is based mainly on the Istanbul Armenian dialect, as opposed to Eastern Armenian, which is mainly based ...

and

Eastern Armenian Eastern Armenian ( ''arevelahayeren'') is one of the two standardized forms of Modern Armenian, the other being Western Armenian. The two standards form a pluricentric language. Eastern Armenian is spoken in Armenia, Artsakh, Russia, as we ...

, mostly spoken—in the 19th century—in the Ottoman and Russian empires, respectively. The first novel written in Modern Armenian is

Khachatur Abovian Khachatur Abovian ( hy, Խաչատուր Աբովյան, Khach’atur Abovyan; (disappeared)) was an Armenian writer and national public figure of the early 19th century who mysteriously vanished in 1848 and was eventually presumed dead. He was ...

's ''

Wounds of Armenia ''Wounds of Armenia'' ( hy, Վերք Հայաստանի ''Verk Hayastani'') is an 1841 historical novel by Khachatur Abovian. Written in the Araratian (Yerevan) dialect, ''Wounds of Armenia'' is considered Abovian's ''chef d'œuvre''. It is Abov ...

'', first published posthumously in 1858. Besides Abovian, other prominent advocates of the use of Modern Armenian were

Mikayel Nalbandian Mikayel Nalbandian ( hy, Միքայել Նալբանդյան; ) was a Russian-Armenian writer, poet, political theorist and activist. Nalbandian was born in Nakhichevan-on-Don, an Armenian town in southern Russia, and traveled extensively, al ...

and

Raphael Patkanian Raphael Patkanian ( hy, Ռափայել Պատկանյան, also known as Kamar Katiba; 20 November 1830 – 3 September 1892) was one of the most popular Armenian poets.The Survey - Page 259 by Survey Associates Biography Patkanian was born i ...

. Pataknian's father, Gabriel, published ''Ararat'', the first Modern Armenian periodical in the Russian-controlled Caucasus.

References

{{reflist Armenian language