Vsauce with a handy tool which tells you how to say hello in Coptic (ⲧⲁⲓⲉ̀ⲙⲟⲩϯ actually means vb. to greet or n. greeting) and other dead languages

NEW: Egypt By Three (1953) – Coptic church in film Discover the 1953 film "Egypt by Three," an American movie shot in the Church of St. Mercurius (ʾAbū Sayfayn) in Old Cairo.

📖😍🐍 I am absolutely thrilled to announce that my edited volume "The Nile Delta: Histories from Antiquity to the Modern Period" is now available in paperback AND at a 20% discount on CUP's website! 🎊

We are looking for a one-year full-time Research Associate to work on Coptic manuscripts in Manchester as part of a wonderful project that connects mss with local communities. Requires strong skills in Coptic, English, & Arabic. Deadline 31/10. Please share! www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...

NEW: Read in Coptic: The Tower of Babel Read the story of The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), which might be titled ⲡⲓⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲃⲁⲃⲩⲗⲟⲛ, in Coptic with translation, grammatical notes and discussion.

Nubian-Coptic ostracan Nubian Coptic ⲁⲡⲉⲛⲧⲓ ⲃⲩⲛⲉ "date" /apenti/ ⲉⲣⲡⲉⲕⲉ ⲏⲣⲡ "wine" /erpeke/ ⲁⲥⲕⲟⲩ ⲡⲟⲉⲓⲕ "bread" /asku/ ⲉ̄ⲧⲧⲱ ⲙⲟⲟⲩ "water" /ettō/ * Database of Medieval Nubian Texts (DBMNT) Text 1148 www.dbmnt.uw.edu.pl/texts/1148/

The Coptist: Digitised Bibliography of Crum’s “List of Abbreviations” A new resource for users of Crum’s A Coptic Dictionary - a digitised compendium of the works listed in his “List of Abbreviations” with links to digitised versions of the editions Crum consulted. www.coptist.com/2025/07/30/d...

The Coptist: How to talk about age in Coptic Do you know how to ask “How old are you?” and respond with “I am X years old” in natural, idiomatic Coptic? In this post, we’ll find out with the help of examples from literature. We’ll also talk about the grammar behind these expressions.

There it is, finally - #12, in which I discuss how one reconstructs the pronunciations of dead languages! www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnDM...

This Coptic word Sah. ⲧⲛ︤ϩ︥ and Boh. ⲧⲉⲛϩ 'wing (of flying creature)' has a nice doublet in Sah. ϫⲛⲁϩ and Boh. ϭⲛⲁϩ 'forearm' with preserved affricate (or palatal).

ⲧⲣⲟⲫⲁⲩⲉ: a rare example of a Greek-origin word (sg. ⲧⲣⲟⲫⲏ < τροφή) in Coptic taking the Egyptian morphological plural ending (-ⲁⲩⲉ) in the plural; cf. Sah. sg. ⲯⲩⲭⲏ (< ψυχή) and pl. ⲯⲩⲭⲟⲟⲩⲉ.

Body-related vocab in Coptic (Sah) from a body-focused section of the Apocryphon of John (NH II 15,5-11), for the lexically curious:

The list of instructors for the advanced course is bananas. Powerhouse! www.copticsummerschool.org/coptic-advan...

NEW from The Coptic: Calming the Storm is a well-known story recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In Coptic, it is called ⲡⲓϫⲓⲛⲉⲣⲉ̀ⲡⲓⲧⲓⲙⲁⲛ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲑⲏⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲙⲫⲓⲟⲙ “The Rebuking of the Winds and the Sea”. Here is the Bohairic text from Matthew 8:23-27 with translation and notes.

Does anyone know what the (presumably Greek) character at the bottom right corner of this leaf is? Or read the back-to-front Arabic label just above it?

Acts 13:4–12 tells the story of the Holy Spirit calling Barnabas and Saul (also known as Paul) from Antioch to embark on a mission to Cyprus. There, they encounter a magician named Bar-Jesus—also called Elymas—who opposes their work. Let’s read the story in Coptic…

In Coptic, ⲟⲩⲓⲥⲓ /ˈwi.si/ (Bohairic) is a likely cognate of this Semitic word, representing the infinitive 'to saw' < Egyptian wsj. Interestingly, the corresponding noun is ⲃⲁϣⲟⲩⲣ /βaˈʃur/ (Boh.), likely borrowed back into Egyptian from a Semitic source (cf. Arabic مِنْشَار minšār, Hebrew מַשּׂוֹר maśśōr).

German Sack, French sac, Italian sacco 'sack, bag' are borrowed from Ancient Greek σάκκος via Latin saccus. Greek σάκκος is itself a Semitic loanword, cf. Akkadian saqqu 'sack(cloth)', Hebrew שַׂק śaq 'sack(cloth)'. 📷: Rafal Rosol (2013) Frühe semitische Lehnwörter im Griechischen.

how to say "angry laughter" in Coptic, from Manich. Hom. (ed. Pedersen) 46.10-11 😤 😆 ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲁⲡⲣ̅ⲣⲟ ⲓ̈ⲁⲣϩϥ ⲁⲡϥϩⲟ ⲛⲟⲩⲧϥ ϩⲛ̅ ⲟⲩⲥⲱⲃⲉ ⲛ̅ⲃⲗⲕⲉ right when the king noticed him, his face relaxed into an angry laugh

The panels started life as pieces of imported limewood - the best timber for the job as it's easy to split into thin panels, quite flexible, and generally isn't susceptible to insect attack. Other woods were used, with sycomore fig (a native wood), oak, cedar of Lebanon, and fir all providing... 1/

NEW from The Coptist: Why Is Coptic Christmas Celebrated on 7 January? This article explores the history behind the celebration of the Nativity in the early Church, why it is celebrated on 7 January in the Coptic Church and the effect of the leap year on its date.

Is there a known Amazigh etymon for the ethnonym Pyd "Libya(n)" first attested in Egyptian sources from the 22nd Dynasty (Coptic: ⲡⲁⲓⲁⲧ/ⲫⲁⲓⲁⲧ)? The same word is attested in Old Persian Putāya, and Hebrew Pūṭ. The TLA suggest a connection with Egyptian root √pḏ "to stretch" tla.digital/lemma/881117

Northern dialects show regressive assimilation by palalatalisation, e.g. Bohairic ϣⲁϣⲓ† [ˈʃa.ʃɪ] vs Sahidic ⲥⲁϣⲉ† [ˈsa.ʃə] < sḫw

We are proud to announce our latest release of richly annotated textual data! Our corpora now have over 2 million words, annotated for part of speech, syntax, entitites, and much much more +

The #Demotic Palaeographical Database Project (DPDP) led by Prof. Dr. Joachim F. Quack is such an incredible resource. It offers so many avenues for research. 129.206.5.162/beta/palaeog...

I've always found this glyph of a pelican (I think) very amusing in Westendorf's Koptisches Handwörterbuch (2ed, 1977, p. 370). I assume it had to be designed specially by the printer hence its peculiar appearance. It looks like it is meant to represent hieroglyph G207, shown here from the TLA

For those who didn't know me from twitter, hello! I originally joined as a way to promote my blog, Papyrus Stories. Here's a brief list of some posts, showing the range of contributions. 1. All time most viewed post (ca. 27k views): Spell to attract a woman. papyrus-stories.com/2020/02/14/s...

Reminds me of Coptic ϭⲁ(ⲁ)ϭⲉ & vars. (Sah.) 'kind of loaf, cake' < Demotic kꜥkꜥ(.t)/gꜥgꜥ(.t) 'bread, cake' but no earlier (but cf. ꜥkk 'bread' from 18th dyn.); often claimed to be the source of Egy. Arabic كيكة. However, given this Akkadian word, may ultimately be a Semitic loan @moudhy.bsky.social

ⲁ̀ⲡⲁⲣⲭⲏ < ἀπαρχή ‘first-fruits’ #Coptic

I wonder if there is also a parallel with the beginning of Onchsheshonqy, in which the protagonist writes his instruction on ostraca...

Cf. #Nobiin ⲥⲟⲡⲉⲉ (sobē); #Andaandi / #Matokki ⲥⲁⲡⲉⲉ (sabē); #OldNubian: ⲥⲁⲩⲁ̄ⲧⲁⲛ = 'wall' #OldNubian ⲇⲓⳟⲁⲣⲟⲗⲅⲟⲩⲛⲁ ⲥⲁⲩⲁ̄ⲧⲁⲛⲁⲗⲱ (πολεμουμένων τεῖχος) Source: Stauros-Text (St): 1983e, ’Griffith’s Stauros-Text’

NEW on The #Coptist blog: 'A note by Champollion in Coptic' Read the note written in #Coptic in Champollion's own hand over 200 years ago.

A scribal note in the upper margin of #Bohairic MS Vat. copt. 59 163v in a very cursive hand, very similar to Greek cursive (save the #Coptic letter ϯ): + φϯ ναι νηι αμην + + ⲫϯ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ + "God have mercy on me, amen" digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Vat...

In a colophon from a #Coptic manuscript copied at Touton (ancient Tebtunis) in a world chronology is a rare reference to the #Abbasids as "the Black Ones": ... ϫⲓⲛⲡⲉⲭ︦ⲥ︦ ϣⲁⲧⲉⲛⲉⲕⲁⲙⲁⲩⲉⲓ ⲉⲓ ⲉ̇ⲕⲏⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲛⲉⲧⲫⲟⲣⲉⲓ ⲛ̇ⲛⲉⲕⲁⲙⲏⲛⲉ ⲯ̅ⲙ̅ⲏ̅ ⲛ̇ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉⲛⲉ ⲕⲩⲕⲗⲟⲥ ⲙ̅ⲑ̅ ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲓ̅ⲅ̅... ϫⲓⲛⲁⲇⲁⲙ ϣⲁⲛⲉⲕⲁⲙⲁⲩⲉⲓ ⲕⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲩ̅ⲓ̅ⲋ̅ ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲏ̅...

#Coptic proverb Apa Anoub (ⲁ̀ⲡⲁ ⲁ̀ⲛⲟⲩⲃ) says to Armenius the governor of Alexandria in defiance: ϣⲁⲣⲉⲟⲩⲥⲁϫⲓ ⲣⲁϣⲟⲩⲥⲁⲃⲉ ⲡⲓⲥⲟϫⲇⲉ ⲛ̀ⲑⲟϥ ϣⲁⲕϯⲥⲃⲱ ⲛⲁϥ ⲉⲕⲧⲟⲙⲃⲉⲗϫ ⲉ̀ⲃⲉⲗϫ "A word suffices for a wise man but the fool, for his part, you teach him by joining potsherd to potsherd." - The Martyrdom of Apa Anoub

#Coptic wotd Bohairic forms: Sg. ⲥⲟⲃⲧ /sɔβt/ [sɔbt] Pl. ⲥⲉⲃⲑⲁⲓⲟⲩ /sɛβˈta.ju/ [səbˈtʰa.jʊ] = wall or fence around a town < sbtï (wall, fortification); Demotic sbt (wall) > as element in placenames: ψωβθις, ψεβτ- in Greek and صفط in Arabic

[ponx ʊ.t͡ʃɪnˈko.tɪ.pə ʃɐʊ̯ˈhɛi̯ n̩.t͡ʃə.nɪʃˈʃen] Uncertain what the exact qualities of the diphthongs are and whether ϣϣⲏⲛ should be interpreted as /ʃ̩ˈʃen/ or /ʃːen/. #Coptic IPA

ⲁ̀ⲛⲟⲩⲡ /aˈnup/

Has anyone looked into the high frequency of vowels surfacing as ⲟⲩ in #Coptic in originally Semitic loans into Egyptian? ⲟⲩ is uncommon in autochthonous vocabulary (where not following ⲙ/ⲛ); though there are exceptions like ϧⲟⲩⲛ 'inward' and ⲣⲟⲩϩⲓ 'evening'.

ⲡⲱⲛϧ ⲟⲩϫⲓⲛⲕⲱϯ‿ⲡⲉ ϣⲁⲩϩⲉⲓ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ‿ⲛⲓϣϣⲏⲛ ϧⲉⲛ‿ϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ #Coptic

A #Coptic scribal note at the end of the #Bohairic Life of Abba John Khame (MS Vat. copt. LX f. 125r): ⲟⲩⲛⲁⲓ ⲙ̇ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲥϧⲁⲓ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ ⲟⲩϩⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲙ̇ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲱϣ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ ⲟⲩⲕⲁϯ ⲙ̇ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲥⲱⲧⲉⲙ ⲁⲙⲏⲛ "Mercy to he who writes, amen; Peace to he who reads, amen; Understanding to he who hears, amen." digi.vatlib.it/view/MSS_Vat...

Bit of an update/introduction: I recently relocated to Vienna from Leuven to start a 5-year team project on the followers of the apostles as literary characters, and I’m pretty thrilled to announce that it is all now in full swing! Check out the website: genaut.univie.ac.at/

#Bohairic answer: ⲡⲓⲱⲥϧ-ⲙⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲓϣϯ-ⲡⲉ ⲛⲓⲉⲣⲅⲁⲧⲏⲥ-ⲇⲉ ϩⲁⲛⲕⲟⲩϫⲓ-ⲛⲉ

#Coptic wotd B. ⲗⲟⲩⲕⲟϫⲓ; S. ϩⲟⲗⲟⲕⲟⲧⲧⲓⲛⲟⲥ; F. ⲗⲉⲕⲱⲧⲥⲓ (& many vars.) n. f. < Gk. ὁλοκόττινος (lit. "entirely cooked/purified"), the name for the gold solidus of the Late Roman Empire, first minted c. 300 AD. Known later in Arabic as the ﺩﻳﻨﺎﺭ ذهب "gold dinar," starting with the Umayyads. 1/5

Bohairic #Coptic wotd ⲛⲁϣⲡⲏⲣⲓ n. masc. "scarecrow" or more precisely "scare-quail" The word consists of ⲛⲁϣⲡ-, the participle of vb. ⲛⲟⲩϣⲡ 'to blow (of wind)'; 'to agitate, frighten, overawe,' and ⲡⲏⲣⲓ n. masc. 'quail' with one of the ⲡs dropped (so for *ⲛⲁϣⲡⲡⲏⲣⲓ lit. "quail frightener"). 1/2

Dayr Anbā Maqār is one of the oldest active Coptic monasteries in Egypt, founded in the 4th century CE. HMML is digitizing its manuscript collection, which bears witness to a vibrant, cosmopolitan Copto-Arabic culture that flourished from the Middle Ages to the modern era: hmml.org/stories/wher...

Bohairic #Coptic grammar: nominal sentence 1st person: * ⲁ̀ⲛⲟⲕ-ⲟⲩⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ "I am (an) Egyptian" * ⲁ̀ⲛⲟⲛ-ϩⲁⲛⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ "We are Egyptian(s)" 2nd person: * ⲛ̀ⲑⲟⲕ-ⲟⲩⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ "You [s.m.] are (an) Egyptian" * ⲛ̀ⲑⲟ-ⲟⲩⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ "You [s.f.] are (an) Egyptian" * ⲛ̀ⲑⲱⲧⲉⲛ-ϩⲁⲛⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ "You [p.] are Egyptian(s)" 1/2

Bohairic #Coptic wotd ⲧⲁⲓⲟ̀ (ⲧⲁⲓⲉ̀-/ⲧⲁⲓⲟ̀⸗) vb. to honour, pay respect to, adorn ⲧⲁⲓⲏ̀ⲟⲩⲧ stative vb. to be honoured, excellent, precious ⲧⲁⲓⲟ̀ n. m. honour, praise; gift Derivatives: ⲧⲁⲓⲉ̀-ⲙⲟⲩϯ ⲉ̀-/ⲉ̀ⲣⲟ⸗ vb. to greet (deferentially); n. greeting ⲙⲁⲓ-ⲧⲁⲓⲟ̀ n./adj. ambitious (honour-loving) 1/2

ⲁ̀ⲛⲟⲕ‿ⲟⲩⲃⲉⲣⲓ ⲙ̀ⲡⲁⲓⲙⲁ #Coptic