ՆԵՐՍԵՍ ՇՆՈՐՀԱԼՈՒ ԱՅԲԲԵՆԱԿԱՊ ԲԱՆԱՍՏԵՂԾՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐԻ ՏԱՌԱՑՈՒՅՑ ԲԱՌԵՐԻ ՀԱՄԵՄԱՏԱԿԱՆ ՎԵՐԼՈՒԾՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ / COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LETTER INDICATING WORDS OF NERSES SHNORALI’S ALPHABETIC ACROSTICS

Abstract

Alphabetic poems occupy an important place in Nerses Shnorali’s huge literary heritage. The goal of the comparative analysis of the lexicon of alphabetic works of this type, in particular, that of the first words of each line, is not merely lexicological. This comparison is remarkable from another point of view as well: it can give a certain idea of Shnorali’s creative laboratory, as well as the approaches, preferences of the author, his experience and taste, manifested in the choice of words, etc. The comparative analysis of alphabetic words is an additional means of establishing or denying the authorship of a particular work. For a number of poems, the author of which is considered to be Shnorali, it is noted that they were preserved in some manuscripts without the name of the author, but they are in line with Nerses Shnorali’s works and may belong to his pen. Only in later manuscripts there are also alphabetic acrostic attributed to Shnorali, but this attribution seems unreliable. These acrostics are sometimes not included in Shnorali’s literary heritage, since reliable facts are needed to indicate their authorship. Among Shnorali's works, scholars included several alphabetic acrostics, in some cases with a certain degree of uncertainty, with reservations, and in other cases with greater confidence. A study of the first words of each line of alphabetic acrostics revealed that the works under study belong to the pen of Nerses Shnorali, and their inclusion in the literary heritage of the blessed Catholicos is fully justified.