# վտաւան
## Old Armenian
### Alternative forms

* վտեւան (vtewan), վտավան (vtavan), վտեվան (vtevan), վտաւանդ (vtawand)

### Etymology

From Parthian 𐭅𐭕𐭀𐭅𐭍𐭉 (wtʾwny, “distance of a bowshot”), ultimately probably from the preverb *wi- + *tau- (“to throw, spread, sow”), whence Ossetian ӕф-таун (æf-tawn, “to throw on; to increase; to take out, away, to pull out”).

### Noun

վտաւան • (vtawan)
* bowshot (distance that the arrow can travel)
    Synonym: նետընկէց (netənkēcʻ)
** 5th century, with changes and additions in later centuries, Baroyaxōs [Physiologus] Earliest recension (TR).5.2–3:Յորժամ տեսանէ զնաւս առագաստեալս, նմանի նոցա․ ամբառնայ զթեւս ի նմանութիւն առագաստաց եւ հակառակի ընդ նաւսն․ եւ երթա վտաւանս երեսուն կամ քառասուն․ իբրեւ վաստակի, խոնարհեցուցանէ զթեւսն եւ յինքն ամբփոփէ յաշխատութենէ։Yoržam tesanē znaws aṙagasteals, nmani nocʻa; ambaṙnay ztʻews i nmanutʻiwn aṙagastacʻ ew hakaṙaki ənd nawsn; ew ertʻa vtawans eresun kam kʻaṙasun; ibrew vastaki, xonarhecʻucʻanē ztʻewsn ew yinkʻn ambpʻopʻē yašxatutʻenē.Translation by Gohar MuradyanWhen it [the "saw-fish"] sees ships driven by sails, it imitates them: it raises its wings like sails and competes with the ships. After racing 30 or 40 stadia, growing tired, it brings the wings down and folds them to itself because of fatigue.

#### Usage notes

In the Physiologus, translates Ancient Greek στάδιον (stádion).

#### Descendants

* → Armenian: վտավան (vtavan) (learned)
* → Old Georgian: უტევანი (uṭevani)

### References

* ↑ Muradyan, Gohar (2005) Physiologus: The Greek and Armenian Versions with a Study of Translation Technique (Hebrew University Armenian Studies; 6)‎, Leuven – Paris – Dudley: Peeters, pages 93—94, 144

### Further reading

* Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1979) “վտաւան”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume IV, Yerevan: University Press, page 352a
* Awetikʻean, G., Siwrmēlean, X., Awgerean, M. (1836–1837) “վտաւան”, in Nor baṙgirkʻ haykazean lezui [New Dictionary of the Armenian Language] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy
* Awgerean, Yarutʻiwn (1821) Bacʻatrutʻiwn čʻapʻucʻ ew kšṙocʻ naxneacʻ [Explanation of the Measures and Weights of the Ancients] (in Old Armenian), Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy, page 170
* Cheung, Johnny (2007) Etymological Dictionary of the Iranian Verb (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 2), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 385–386, without listing our words
* Gippert, Jost (1992) “Mitteliranische Lehnwörter im Altgeorgischen”, in Walter Slaje, Christian Zinko, editors, Akten des Melzer-Symposiums 1991 : veranstaltet aus Anlaß der Hundertjahrfeier indo-iranistischer Forschung in Graz (13.–14. November 1991) (Arbeiten aus der Abteilung Vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft Graz; 4)‎ (in German), Graz: Leykam, page 123
* Gippert, Jost (1993) Iranica Armeno-Iberica: Studien zu den iranischen Lehnwörtern im Armenischen und Georgischen (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Philosophisch-historische Klasse. Sitzungsberichte; 606. Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Iranistik; 26)‎ (in German), volume I, Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, pages 273–279
* Petrosean, Matatʻeay (1879) “վտաւան”, in Nor Baṙagirkʻ Hay-Angliarēn [New Dictionary Armenian–English], Venice: S. Lazarus Armenian Academy