Tarkmanchats — is a holiday of translators in Armenia (08/10)

Professional holiday of translators and a day dedicated to the Armenian alphabet, — Tarkmanchats, celebrated in Armenia annually on the second Saturday of October, — is a tribute to the Armenian people of Armenian writing and culture.

This day is dedicated to the wonderful figures of the discovery of Armenian writing and art. The Armenian Apostolic Church, based on the devoted feelings of the people, has included honored figures of spiritual and cultural education among a number of church fathers and celebrates their day twice a year.

At the end of June or beginning of July, the festival of Mesrop Mashtots and Saak Partev is celebrated in Oshakan. October marks the day of Mesrop Mashtots and the translators trained by him.

Mesrop Mashtots (c. 361/362 — 440) — monk, linguist, creator of the Armenian alphabet and founder of Armenian writing, first translator, first teacher and founder of the Armenian school.

It is generally accepted that the Armenian alphabet was created in 405 AD by priest Mesrop Mashtots from Greek and Semitic script (some scholars believe that Mesrop Mashtots only ordered and popularized the older Armenian alphabet). In 1921 and 1940, the alphabet changed somewhat (with the 1940 reform almost completely abolishing the innovations of 1921).

The Armenian alphabet originally consisted of 36 letters — 7 of which were vowel sounds and 29 letters — were consonants. Two more letters were added in the 12th century. Linguists call the Armenian alphabet one of the three most perfect in the world.

It is believed that (as in the case of the Cyrillic alphabet) the backbone of the Mashtotsev alphabet was used in Armenia long before the «inventor» (as a variant of Old Semitic writing). There is also a hypothesis that it was abolished with the adoption of Christianity, and Mashtots was the initiator of its restoration and nationalization.

2103