Modern Coptic: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "== 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. 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 === {|...")
 
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* 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.
== 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
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |
!Singular
!Plural
|-
! colspan="2" |1st
|anak
|anan
|-
! rowspan="2" |2nd
!M
|entak
| rowspan="2" |entooten
|-
!F
|ento
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd
!M
|entof
| rowspan="2" |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
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |
!Singular
!Plural
|-
! colspan="2" |1st
| -i/j*
| -n
|-
! rowspan="2" |2nd
!M
| -k
| rowspan="2" | -ten
|-
!F
| -(e)
|-
! rowspan="2" |3rd
!M
| -f
| rowspan="2" | -u/w*
|-
!F
| -s
|}
=== 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 pronominal suffixes to mark possession
Some of them also have a special "construct form", only used when compounding
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Undefinite
| colspan="2" | -
|-
!Definite
|p/t(e)-*
|n(e)-*
|-
!Indefinite
|u/w-
|hen-
|}
* p(e)- is used for masculine nouns while t(e)- is used for femenine ones
* An epinthetic e is inserted when before a consonant that isn't h, when prefixed with consonants, h elides
=== Verbs ===
<nowiki>*</nowiki>-i and -u sometimes replace the vowel they suffix on instead of making a diphthong with it

Revision as of 22:29, 3 July 2024

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.

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 (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, respectivelly
  • ʔ isn't phonemic and can only occur before a vowel, or to separate them
  • β is most often realized as [v]
  • 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

Vowels

Front Back
High i (y) u
Mid e ə o
Low a
  • y only occurs in Greek and French borrowings.
  • The sequences /əl/, /ər/, /əm/ and /ən/ are pronounced [l̩], [r̩], [m̩] and [n̩].
  • 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.

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* -n
2nd M -k -ten
F -(e)
3rd M -f -u/w*
F -s

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 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 femenine ones
  • An epinthetic e is inserted when before a consonant that isn't h, when prefixed with consonants, h elides

Verbs

*-i and -u sometimes replace the vowel they suffix on instead of making a diphthong with it