Modern Coptic: Difference between revisions

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== Introduction ==
== Introduction ==
Modern Coptic (natively, '''''ⲙⲧ̀ⲣⲙ̀ⲛ̀ⲕⲏⲙⲉ ⲃⲣ̀ⲣⲉ Metremmenkeeme Verre''''' ''[mətrm̩mn̩ˈkeːmə ˈvr̩rə]'') is a revitalized vernacular version of Coptic, made to be a lingua franca for all varieties.
Modern Coptic (natively, '''''ⲙⲧ̀ⲣⲙⲙⲛⲕⲏⲙⲉ ⲃⲣ̀ⲣⲉ Metremmenkeeme Verre''''' ''[mətrm̩mn̩ˈkeːmə ˈvr̩rə]'') is a revitalized vernacular version of Coptic, made to be a lingua franca for all varieties.


The language is written formally using the Coptic alphabet, however, since modern times a phonetic transliteration into the Latin Alphabet is preferred by the younger generations
The language is written formally using the Coptic alphabet, however, since modern times a phonetic transliteration into the Latin Alphabet is preferred by the younger generations
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* x and c are minimal phonemes, while included in the standard and writing, they are free to merge with h and tʃ, respectivelly
* x and c are minimal phonemes, while included in the standard and writing, they are free to merge with h and tʃ, respectively
* ʔ isn't phonemic and can only occur before a vowel, or to separate them
* ʔ isn't phonemic and can only occur before a vowel, or to separate them
* β is most often realized as [v]
* β is most often realized as [v], and c can range between actual [c] and [kʲ]
* the sequence /kj/ never occurs and colloquially changes to /c/ whenever it appears
* the sequence /kj/ never occurs and colloquially changes to /c/ whenever it appears
* n assimilates to the place of articulation of the next sound, becoming /m/, [ɲ] or [ŋ] depending on the sound
* n assimilates to the place of articulation of the next sound, becoming /m/, [ɲ] or [ŋ] depending on the sound
* r is pronounced [ɾ] between vowels


=== Vowels ===
=== Vowels ===
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* y only occurs in Greek and French borrowings.
* y only occurs in Greek and French borrowings and unrounds to /i/ freely.
* The sequences /əl/, /ər/, /əm/ and /ən/ are pronounced [l̩], [r̩], [m̩] and [n̩].
* The sequences /əl/, /ər/, /əm/ and /ən/ are pronounced [l̩], [r̩], [m̩] and [n̩].
* /a/, /i/, /y/ and /u/ are allophonically long when stressed.
* Stress isn't phonemic, but normally occurs in either one of the long vowels (eː and oː) or the (3rd to) last vowel.
* Stress isn't phonemic, but normally occurs in either one of the long vowels (eː and oː) or the (3rd to) last vowel.
* ə normally doesn't bear the stress unless it is the only vowel in a word.
* ə normally doesn't bear the stress unless it is the only vowel in a word.
* Greek borrowings normally bear the stress 2nd to last instead.
* Greek borrowings normally bear the stress 2nd to last instead.
== Orthography ==
Modern Coptic uses mostly the Latin Alphabet, although for formal and religious texts the Coptic Alphabet is preferred
{| class="wikitable"
!Latin
!Coptic
!Sound
! colspan="2" |Example
|-
|m
|ⲙ
|m
|ⲙⲟⲩⲉ
|mue
|-
|n
|ⲛ
|n
|ⲗⲉ̀ϭⲟⲛ
|lékjon
|-
|l
|ⲗ
|l
|ⲗⲁⲃⲟⲧⲉ
|lavote
|-
|r
|ⲣ
|r
|ⲣⲣⲟ
|erro
|-
|f
|ϥ
|f
|ϥⲉⲛⲧ
|fént
|-
|s
|ⲥ
|s
|ⲥⲱⲃⲉ
|soove
|-
|x
|ϣ
|ʃ
|ϣⲁϣϥ
|xaxf
|-
|kh
|ϧ
|x
|ⲥⲁϧ
|sakh
|-
|h
|ϩ
|h
|ϩⲗⲗⲟ
|hello
|-
|p
|ⲡ
|p
|ⲡⲣⲱ
|proo
|-
|t
|ⲧ
|t
|ⲧⲟ
|to
|-
|c
|ϫ
|tʃ
|ϫⲓ
|ci
|-
|kj
|ϭ
|c
|ϭⲱⲃⲉ
|kjoove
|-
|k
|ⲕ
|k
|ⲕⲁϣ
|kax
|-
|v
|ⲃ
|β
|ⲃⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ
|venipe
|-
| rowspan="2" |w
|ⲟⲩ
| rowspan="2" |w
|ⲟⲩⲣ̀ⲧ
|wert
|-
|ⲩ
|ⲥⲛⲁⲩ
|snaw
|-
|j
|ⲓ
|j
|ⲓⲱ
|joo
|-
|ps
|ⲯ
|ps
|psit
|ⲯⲓⲧ
|-
|ks
|ⲝ
|ks
|aksios
|ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ
|}
{| class="wikitable"
!Latin
!Coptic
!Sound
! colspan="2" |Example
|-
|a
|ⲁ
|a
|ⲁϥ
|af
|-
|eC
|⳿
|əC
|ⲧ̀ⲃϥ̀
|etvef
|-
|e
| rowspan="2" |ⲉ
|ə
|ⲥⲁϫⲉ
|sace
|-
| rowspan="2" |é
| rowspan="2" |e
|ϣⲉⲙϣⲉ
|xémxe
|-
|ⲉ̀
|ⲧⲉϣⲉ̀
|texé
|-
|ee
|ⲏ
|eː
|ⲏⲓ
|eej
|-
|i
|ⲓ
|i
|ⲓⲣⲉ
|ire
|-
|y
|ⲩ
|y
|ⲡⲩⲥⲓⲥ
|pysis
|-
|o
|ⲟ
|o
|ⲟⲓⲕ
|ojk
|-
|oo
|ⲱ
|oː
|ⲱⲛϧ
|oonkh
|-
|u
|ⲟⲩ
|u
|ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ
|unu
|}
* /əl/, /ər/, /əm/ and /ən/ should be written ⲙ̀,  ⲛ̀, ⲗ̀ and ⲣ̀  but the accent is removed before another consonant and only used when disambiguating
* əw and əj can't occur, they are normally ew and ej
* ow is written ⲟⲟⲩ (ϩⲟⲟⲩ how) and éj is written ⲉⲉⲓ (ⲥⲉϣⲉⲉⲓ sexéj)


== Morphology ==
== Morphology ==
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|-
|-
! colspan="2" |1st
! colspan="2" |1st
| -i/j*
| -i/j* (-t)
| -n
| -n
|-
|-
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!M
!M
| -f
| -f
| rowspan="2" | -u/w*
| rowspan="2" | -u/w* (-se)
|-
|-
!F
!F
| -s
| -s
|}
* -t and -se are used for verbal and prepositional objects, in other cases, -i/j and -u/w are used
* -(e) is more often a null suffix, only actual -e in verbal object suffixes
==== Reflexive pronoun ====
Normally the word hoo is supleted with pronoun suffixes, but since it has an irregular way of suffixing, it's considered its own kind of pronoun
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |
!Singular
!Plural
|-
! colspan="2" |1st
|hoo
|hoon
|-
! rowspan="2" |2nd
!M
|hook
| rowspan="2" |hoot
|-
!F
|hoote
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd
!M
|hoof
| rowspan="2" |hoow
|-
!F
|hoos
|}
|}


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Nouns inflect for definiteness (undefinite, definite and indefinite) and sometimes number (singular and plural).
Nouns inflect for definiteness (undefinite, definite and indefinite) and sometimes number (singular and plural).


They can also be preceded by possession prefixes, and a couple of them (although nowadays archaic) can take pronominal suffixes to mark possession
They can also be preceded by possession prefixes, and a couple of them (although nowadays archaic) can take the pronominal suffixes to mark possession


Some of them also have a special "construct form", only used when compounding
Some of them also have a special "construct form", only used when compounding
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|}
|}


* p(e)- is used for masculine nouns while t(e)- is used for femenine ones
* p(e)- is used for masculine nouns while t(e)- is used for feminine ones
* An epinthetic e is inserted when before a consonant that isn't h, when prefixed with consonants, h elides
* An epenthetic e is inserted when before a consonant that isn't h, when prefixed with consonants, h elides
The possessive prefixes are used in place of the definite article: they consist of the definite stem (p- for masculine, t- for feminine, n- for plural) + "é" + pronominal suffix, except in the case of the 1st person singular (pa-, ta-, na-) and the 3rd person plural (pu-, tu-, nu-).
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" |
!Masculine
!Femenine
!Plural
|-
! rowspan="5" |Singular
! colspan="2" |1st
|pa-
|ta-
|na-
|-
! rowspan="2" |2nd
!M
|pék-
|ték-
|nék-
|-
!F
|pé-
|té-
|né-
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd
!M
|péf-
|téf-
|néf-
|-
!F
|pés-
|tés-
|nés-
|-
! rowspan="3" |Plural
! colspan="2" |1st
|pén-
|tén-
|nén-
|-
! colspan="2" |2nd
|péten-
|téten-
|néten-
|-
! colspan="2" |3rd
|pu-
|tu-
|nu-
|}


=== Verbs ===
=== Verbs ===
<nowiki>*</nowiki>-i and -u sometimes replace the vowel they suffix on instead of making a diphthong with it

Latest revision as of 07:20, 6 July 2024

Introduction

Modern Coptic (natively, ⲙⲧ̀ⲣⲙⲙⲛⲕⲏⲙⲉ ⲃⲣ̀ⲣⲉ Metremmenkeeme Verre [mətrm̩mn̩ˈkeːmə ˈvr̩rə]) is a revitalized vernacular version of Coptic, made to be a lingua franca for all varieties.

The language is written formally using the Coptic alphabet, however, since modern times a phonetic transliteration into the Latin Alphabet is preferred by the younger generations

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Post-Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n
Fricative f s ʃ (x) h
Plosive p t tʃ (c) k (ʔ)
Approximant β l j w
r
  • x and c are minimal phonemes, while included in the standard and writing, they are free to merge with h and tʃ, respectively
  • ʔ isn't phonemic and can only occur before a vowel, or to separate them
  • β is most often realized as [v], and c can range between actual [c] and [kʲ]
  • the sequence /kj/ never occurs and colloquially changes to /c/ whenever it appears
  • n assimilates to the place of articulation of the next sound, becoming /m/, [ɲ] or [ŋ] depending on the sound
  • r is pronounced [ɾ] between vowels

Vowels

Front Back
High i (y) u
Mid e eː ə o oː
Low a
  • y only occurs in Greek and French borrowings and unrounds to /i/ freely.
  • The sequences /əl/, /ər/, /əm/ and /ən/ are pronounced [l̩], [r̩], [m̩] and [n̩].
  • /a/, /i/, /y/ and /u/ are allophonically long when stressed.
  • Stress isn't phonemic, but normally occurs in either one of the long vowels (eː and oː) or the (3rd to) last vowel.
  • ə normally doesn't bear the stress unless it is the only vowel in a word.
  • Greek borrowings normally bear the stress 2nd to last instead.

Orthography

Modern Coptic uses mostly the Latin Alphabet, although for formal and religious texts the Coptic Alphabet is preferred

Latin Coptic Sound Example
m ⲙ m ⲙⲟⲩⲉ mue
n ⲛ n ⲗⲉ̀ϭⲟⲛ lékjon
l ⲗ l ⲗⲁⲃⲟⲧⲉ lavote
r ⲣ r ⲣⲣⲟ erro
f ϥ f ϥⲉⲛⲧ fént
s ⲥ s ⲥⲱⲃⲉ soove
x ϣ ʃ ϣⲁϣϥ xaxf
kh ϧ x ⲥⲁϧ sakh
h ϩ h ϩⲗⲗⲟ hello
p ⲡ p ⲡⲣⲱ proo
t ⲧ t ⲧⲟ to
c ϫ tʃ ϫⲓ ci
kj ϭ c ϭⲱⲃⲉ kjoove
k ⲕ k ⲕⲁϣ kax
v ⲃ β ⲃⲉⲛⲓⲡⲉ venipe
w ⲟⲩ w ⲟⲩⲣ̀ⲧ wert
ⲩ ⲥⲛⲁⲩ snaw
j ⲓ j ⲓⲱ joo
ps ⲯ ps psit ⲯⲓⲧ
ks ⲝ ks aksios ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ
Latin Coptic Sound Example
a ⲁ a ⲁϥ af
eC ⳿ əC ⲧ̀ⲃϥ̀ etvef
e ⲉ ə ⲥⲁϫⲉ sace
é e ϣⲉⲙϣⲉ xémxe
ⲉ̀ ⲧⲉϣⲉ̀ texé
ee ⲏ eː ⲏⲓ eej
i ⲓ i ⲓⲣⲉ ire
y ⲩ y ⲡⲩⲥⲓⲥ pysis
o ⲟ o ⲟⲓⲕ ojk
oo ⲱ oː ⲱⲛϧ oonkh
u ⲟⲩ u ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ unu
  • /əl/, /ər/, /əm/ and /ən/ should be written ⲙ̀, ⲛ̀, ⲗ̀ and ⲣ̀ but the accent is removed before another consonant and only used when disambiguating
  • əw and əj can't occur, they are normally ew and ej
  • ow is written ⲟⲟⲩ (ϩⲟⲟⲩ how) and éj is written ⲉⲉⲓ (ⲥⲉϣⲉⲉⲓ sexéj)

Morphology

Pronouns

(Modern) Coptic distinguishes between 3 persons, 2 numbers and in the 2nd person and 3rd person singular distinguish masculine and feminine forms

Independent Pronouns

They are not used much, but are used for emphasis

Singular Plural
1st anak anan
2nd M entak entooten
F ento
3rd M entof entaw
F entos

Pronoun suffixes

Used on verbs and prepositions to mark the object and auxiliary and main verbs use similar affixes to mark the subject

Singular Plural
1st -i/j* (-t) -n
2nd M -k -ten
F -(e)
3rd M -f -u/w* (-se)
F -s
  • -t and -se are used for verbal and prepositional objects, in other cases, -i/j and -u/w are used
  • -(e) is more often a null suffix, only actual -e in verbal object suffixes

Reflexive pronoun

Normally the word hoo is supleted with pronoun suffixes, but since it has an irregular way of suffixing, it's considered its own kind of pronoun

Singular Plural
1st hoo hoon
2nd M hook hoot
F hoote
3rd M hoof hoow
F hoos

Nouns

Nouns inflect for definiteness (undefinite, definite and indefinite) and sometimes number (singular and plural).

They can also be preceded by possession prefixes, and a couple of them (although nowadays archaic) can take the pronominal suffixes to mark possession

Some of them also have a special "construct form", only used when compounding

Singular Plural
Undefinite -
Definite p/t(e)-* n(e)-*
Indefinite u/w- hen-
  • p(e)- is used for masculine nouns while t(e)- is used for feminine ones
  • An epenthetic e is inserted when before a consonant that isn't h, when prefixed with consonants, h elides

The possessive prefixes are used in place of the definite article: they consist of the definite stem (p- for masculine, t- for feminine, n- for plural) + "é" + pronominal suffix, except in the case of the 1st person singular (pa-, ta-, na-) and the 3rd person plural (pu-, tu-, nu-).

Masculine Femenine Plural
Singular 1st pa- ta- na-
2nd M pék- ték- nék-
F pé- té- né-
3rd M péf- téf- néf-
F pés- tés- nés-
Plural 1st pén- tén- nén-
2nd péten- téten- néten-
3rd pu- tu- nu-

Verbs

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