# ու
## Armenian
### Pronunciation

* (Eastern Armenian) IPA: /u/, [u]
* (Western Armenian) IPA: /u/, [u]
* Audio (Eastern Armenian):(file)

### Etymology 1

From the Old Armenian digraph ու (u) representing [u], composed of ո (o) + ւ (w). Some have contended that Old Armenian ու (u) was a diphthong, but this is incorrect: representing the monophthong [u] with a digraph is modelled on Ancient Greek ου (ou) pronounced as [u]. Compare likewise the digraphs Aghwan 𐕒𐕡 (u), Old Georgian ႭჃ (u), Old Church Slavonic оу (u).

#### Letter

ու lowercase (uppercase ՈՒ, title-case Ու)
* The 34th letter of Armenian alphabet according to Reformed Orthography. Represents close back rounded vowel: [u]. Transliterated as u (sometimes as ow).

##### Usage notes

* Considered a separate letter after the spelling reform of the Armenian language of 1922–1924. The Traditional Armenian orthography treats ու as a simple digraph of ո (o) + ւ (w) and not as a separate letter.
* When used in sentence case, such as Ուրարտու (Urartu), the capital form of the letter is Ու. However, in all caps text it is ՈՒ, e.g. ՈՒՇԱԴՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ (UŠADRUTʻYUN).

#### See also

* (The Armenian script): Աա Բբ Գգ Դդ Եե Զզ Էէ Ըը Թթ Ժժ Իի Լլ Խխ Ծծ Կկ Հհ Ձձ Ղղ Ճճ Մմ Յյ Նն Շշ Ոո Չչ Պպ Ջջ Ռռ Սս Վվ Տտ Րր Ցց Ււ Փփ Քք Օօ Ֆֆ
* (Letter combinations): ու և ﬔ ﬕ ﬓ ﬗ ﬖ
* (Dialectological): ՠ / ա̈ ա̊ ա̄ ը̂ է̀ էօ / օ̈ էօ̀ / օ̈̀ իւ / ո̈ւ գ$^յ$ կ$^յ$ ք$^յ$ հ$^յ$ բՙ դՙ գՙ ձՙ ջՙ ղՙ ֈ ʔ
* (Punctuation):  ՙ  ՚ ՛ ՜ ՝ ՞ ՟ ․ ։ ֊
* (Symbols): ֏ ֎ ֍

#### References

* ↑ Gočanean, Pōġos (2011) Dasakan grabari gorcnakan kʻerakanutʻiwn [Practical Grammar of Classical Old Armenian]‎ (in Armenian), Vienna and Yerevan: Mekhitarist Press, page 8, footnote 1

### Etymology 2

Inherited from Old Armenian ու (u).

#### Conjunction

ու • (u)
* and
    Synonym: և (ew)
    ես ու դու ― es u du ― me and you

##### Usage notes

Generally used to link two things in close relation, such as in English you and I or in the sense of combining two clauses of close relation while deemphasizing their relationship. In English, this would generally be done by combining predicates, as in I went to the store and bought ice cream. It is never used as a conjunction in the fashion of և (ew), which is used as a coordinating conjunction between two independent clauses, as in I went to the store, and I bought ice cream.

#### References

* Dum-Tragut, Jasmine (2009) Armenian: Modern Eastern Armenian (London Oriental and African Language Library; 14), Amsterdam, Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, § 1.1.1, page 13
* Fortson, Benjamin W. (2010) Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction, second edition, Oxford: Blackwell, page 385

## Old Armenian
### Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *h₁opi, a variant of *h₁epi, whence came և (ew).

### Conjunction

ու • (u)
* and

#### Usage notes

Uncommon in Old Armenian outside compounds.

#### Derived terms

* այրուձի (ayruji)
* եօթնուտասն (eōtʻnutasn)
* եօթնուտասներորդ (eōtʻnutasnerord)
* զինչուզինչ (zinčʻuzinčʻ)
* իբրու (ibru)
* իննուտասն (innutasn)
* հարցուփորձ (harcʻupʻorj)
* մարթուպատշաճ (martʻupatšač)
* ութուտասաներորդ (utʻutasanerord)
* ութուտասն (utʻutasn)
* պարտուպատշաճ (partupatšač)
* քարուկիր (kʻarukir)

#### Descendants

* Armenian: ու (u)

### References

* ↑ Hübschmann, Heinrich (1901) “Karst, J.: Historische Grammatik des Kilikisch-Armenischen”, in Indogermanische Forschungen. Anzeiger für indogermanische Sprach- und Altertumskunde. Beiblatt zu den Indogermanischen Forschungen (in German), volume 12, page 51, footnote 1

### Further reading

* Ačaṙean, Hračʻeay (1977) “ու”, in Hayerēn armatakan baṙaran [Armenian Etymological Dictionary] (in Armenian), 2nd edition, a reprint of the original 1926–1935 seven-volume edition, volume III, Yerevan: University Press, pages 589–590

## Ottoman Turkish
### Letter

ու • (u)
* A digraph used in the Armeno-Turkish script. Represents close back rounded vowel: [u]. Transliterated as u.

### See also

* (The Armeno-Turkish script): Աա Գգ Եե Զզ Էէ Ըը Թթ Ժժ Իի Լլ Խխ Կկ Հհ Ղղ Ճճ Մմ Յյ Նն Շշ Չչ Պպ Սս Վվ Տտ Րր Փփ Քք Օօ Ֆֆ ’
* (Primarily in Armenian words): Բբ Դդ Ծծ Ձձ Ջջ Ոո Ռռ Ցց Ււ
* (Letter combinations): էօ իւ ու նկ նղ
* (Punctuation): ՛ ՜ ՝ ՞ ․ ։ ֊