OUTLINE OF BOHAIRIC COPTIC MORPHOLOGY

Lance Eccles

PHONOLOGICAL RULE AFFECTING THE ENTIRE GRAMMAR p t k become F v x

When the consonants p t k occur (i) before one of the historically voiced consonants b l i m n ou r OR (ii) immediately before a stressed vowel (but not if that vowel is word-intial) they become F v x respectively.

PRONOUN PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES

Pronoun prefixes The 1 sing., 1 plur. and 3 plur. forms vary in the two columns. person 1 sing 2 sing masc 3 sing masc 3 sing fem 1 plur 2 plur 3 plur If conjugation prefix precedes i k (x) f s n (te)ten ou If no conjugation prefix precedes T k (x) f s ten teten se

Pronoun suffixes The preceding verb or preposition takes its pronominal form, except before the long 2pl. form. 1 sing 2 sing masc 3 sing masc 3 sing fem 1 plur 2 plur (short) 2 plur (long) 3 plur i t k f s n ten vynou ou after a vowel after a consonant (but zero after t)

preceding verb in construct form tou after a vowel

Second person singular The second person singular feminine prefixes and suffixes are rarer and less regular in form. They are given later.

Bohairic 1

VERB CONJUGATIONS The converters

Prefixes placed before conjugation prefixes, personal prefixes or noun subject. Converter Form Function preterite Shifts tense back one degree na into past. ne before perfect a, mJpe ne before ouon there is nare before noun or 2pl circumstantial Subordinates verb (or e verbless clause) to another ere before noun or 2pl verb. focalisation Focuses on some element in a before present and future the clause. but are before noun Only used with present, future, et before perfect a perfect, aorist. e before aorist qa relative Which, who, that. Relates et ete when immediately followed clause to antecedent.
by pronoun prefixes k, f, s, n, ten or noun ete before negative

Double conversion
Relative and preterite converters can combine as ena or enare: pimyq enafnyou the crowd that was coming.

Bohairic 2

Durative Conjugations (present and future)

Present I am hearing Future na I shall hear

Tswtem kswtem fswtem sswtem Frwmi swtem

tenswtem tetenswtem seswtem

Tnaswtem xnaswtem fnaswtem snaswtem Frwmi naswtem

tennaswtem tetennaswtem senaswtem

Circumstantial present e me hearing

eiswtem enswtem ekswtem eretenswtem efswtem euswtem esswtem ere Frwmi swtem

Circumstantial future ena me about to hear

einaswtem ennaswtem exnaswtem eretennaswtem efnaswtem eunaswtem esnaswtem ere Frwmi naswtem

Focalised present a* It is that I am hearing

aiswtem answtem akswtem aretenswtem afswtem auswtem asswtem are Frwmi swtem

Focalised future ana It is that I will hear

ainaswtem annaswtem axnaswtem aretennaswtem afnaswtem aunaswtem asnaswtem are Frwmi naswtem

* Most forms of the focalised present resemble the perfect.

Present with preterite conversion na I was hearing

naiswtem nanswtem nakswtem naretenswtem nafswtem nauswtem nasswtem nare Frwmi swtem

Future with preterite conversion nana I would have heard

nainaswtem nannaswtem naxnaswtem naretennaswtem nafnaswtem naunaswtem nasnaswtem nare Frwmi naswtem

Bohairic 3

Non-durative Conjugations
Perfect a* I saw Negative perfect mJpe* I did not hear

aiswtem akswtem afswtem asswtem a Frwmi swtem

answtem atetenswtem auswtem

mJpiswtem mJpenswtem mJpekswtem mJpetenswtem mJpefswtem mJpouswtem mJpesswtem mJpe Frwmi swtem

* Preterite conversion (I had seen): neaiswtem, nea prwme swtem etc. ** Preterite conversion (I had not seen): nemJpiswtem etc.

Focalised perfect eta* It was that I heard

etaiswtem etanswtem etakswtem etaretenswtem etafswtem etauswtem etasswtem eta Frwmi swtem

Circumstantial perfect ea me having heard

eaiswtem eakswtem eafswtem easswtem ea Frwmi swtem

eanswtem eatetenswtem eauswtem

* The forms of the focalised perfect resemble those of the relative perfect ("which I heard").

Aorist qa I am accustomed to hear

qaiswtem qanswtem qakswtem qaretenswtem qafswtem qauswtem qasswtem qare Frwmi swtem * Do not confuse with negative perfect mJpe.

Negative aorist mJpa* I am not accustomed to hear

mJpaiswtem mJpanswtem mJpakswtem mJparetenswtem mJpafswtem mJpauswtem mJpasswtem mJpare Frwmi swtem

Optative ee I will hear, thou shalt hear

eieswtem eneswtem ekeswtem ereteneswtem efeswtem eueswtem eseswtem ere Frwmi swtem

Negative optative Mne I will not hear, thou shalt not hear

Mnaswtem Mnenswtem Mnekswtem Mnetenswtem Mnefswtem Mnouswtem Mnesswtem Mne Frwmi swtem

Conditional aqan If/ when I hear

aiqanswtem anqanswtem akqanswtem aretenqanswtem afqanswtem auqanswtem asqanswtem areqan Frwmi swtem

Negative conditional aqtem If I do not hear

aiqtemswtem akqtemswtem afqtemswtem asqtemswtem areqtem Frwmi

anqtemswtem aretenqtemswtem auqtemswtem

swtem

Bohairic 4

Temporal (eta) When I heard

There is no form equivalent to the Sahidic Ntere. The focalised perfect can be emplyed with this function.

Until qate* Until I hear

qaTswtem qatenswtem qatekswtem qatetenswtem qatefswtem qatouswtem qatesswtem qate Frwmi swtem

* Identical in form to the focalised perfect above and to the relative perfect.

Not yet mJpat I have not yet heard

mJpaTswtem mJpatenswtem mJpatekswtem mJpatetenswtem mJpatefswtem mJpatouswtem mJpatesswtem mJpate Frwmi swtem * vre can take various prefixes: fvrefswtem he causes him to hear afvrefswtem he caused him to hear menensavrefswtem after he heard evrefswtem to cause him to hear

Causative vre* cause me to hear

vriswtem vrenswtem vrekswtem vretenswtem vrefswtem vrouswtem vresswtem vre Frwmi swtem

Conjunctive Mte and I hear

Mtaswtem Mtekswtem Mtefswtem Mtesswtem Mte Frwmi swtem

Mtenswtem Mtetenswtem Mseswtem

Jussive mare Let me hear

mariswtem marenswtem marekswtem* maretenswtem* marefswtem marouswtem maresswtem mare Frwmi swtem

Negative jussive mJpenvre Let me not hear

mJpenvriswtem mJpenvrenswtem mJpenvrekswtem mJpenvretenswtem mJpenvrefswtem mJpenvrouswtem mJpenvresswtem mJpenvre Frwmi swtem

*The 2nd person forms may not actually occur.

Bohairic 5

FORMS OF THE VERB

A Coptic verb can have as many as four forms, each with a different function.

1. Absolute

The default form found in dictionaries. Some common patterns (C = consonant). (i) CwC hwp hide If the first consonant is m or n, w becomes ou: mour bind. (ii) CwCC kwlj bend If the first consonant is m or n, w becomes ou: noutf loosen. (iii) to Verbs that begin with t and end with o usually have a causative meaning: tako destroy i (iv) C oC 2C 1eC 2 Two-syllable reduplicated verbs stressed on the first syllable: CotCet examine (v) C1C 2oC 3C 2eC 3 Same pattern as (iv), but with an extra consonant at the beginning: qvorter disturb (vi) CCoC These verbs have an adjectival meaning: hloj become sweet Besides these, there are various other patterns.

2. Construct

This is the unstressed form used when a noun object follows immediately. The stress shift from the verb to the noun, and the vowel of the verb is reduced in quality. Only transitive verbs have a construct form. Patterns corresponding to the absolute patterns above. (i) CeC hep hide (ii) CeCC kelj bend (iii) te take destroy (iv) C1eC 2C 1eC 2 CetCet examine 1 2 (v) C C eC 3C 2eC 3 qverter disturb (vi) Verbs following this pattern are intransitive.

Bohairic 6

3. Pronominal

This is the form taken when a pronoun object suffix is attached. Only transitive verbs have a pronominal form. Patterns corresponding to the absolute patterns above. (i) CoC hop hide If the second consonant is h C q, o changes to a: kah make level (absolute form kwh) (ii) CoCC kolj bend If the second consonant is h C (and sometimes q), o changes to a: ouah put (absolute form ouwh) (iii) to tako destroy 1 (iv) C eC 2C 1wC 2 CetCwt examine The stress moves to the second syllable. 1 2 (v) C C eC 3C 2wC 3 qtervwr disturb The stress moves to the second syllable, affecting the distribution of t and v in this verb. vi) Verbs following this pattern are intransitive.

4. Qualitative

The qualitative expresses a state resulting from the verbal process. Semantically it resembles a participle in a European language. Patterns corresponding to the absolute patterns above. (i) CyC hyp hidden (ii) CoCC kolj bent (iii) tyout takyout destroyed 1 (iv) C eC 2C 1wC 2 CetCwt examined The stress moves to the second syllable. (v) C1C 2eC 3C 2wC 3 qtervwr disturbed The stress moves to the second syllable, affecting the distribution of t and v in this verb. vi) CoC C holj sweet

Bohairic 7

SOME SUFFIX VERBS

pejyi pejak pejaf pejas pejan pejwten pejwou peje Frwmi I said etc.

the man said mJmontyi mJmontak mJmontaf mJmontas mJmontan mJmontwten mJmontwou mJmonte Frwmi I dont have etc.

I have ouontyi etc. ouontak ouontaf ouontas ouontan ouontwten ouontwou ouonte Frwmi the man has
OTHER EXAMPLES

the man doesnt have

nesws nese Tshimi Tshimi evnesws

she is beautiful the woman is beautiful the woman who is beautiful (= the beautiful woman)

nanef nanes nane Frwmi

he is good she is good The man is good the man who is good (= the good man)

Frwmi evnanef pimyq evnaqwf naqe nennobi the crowd that is numerous (= the big crowd) our sins are numerous

Bohairic 8

NEGATION OF COPTIC VERBS

In most conjugations, the verb is negated by placing an not after the verb. Optionally M may be placed before the verb: fnanau erof (M) fnanau erof an He will see him. He will not see him.

However, certain verbal prefixes have special negative forms: Optative ee efeouomf He shall eat it. Perfect a afouomf He ate it. Aorist qa qafi He is accustomed to come. Imperative swtem Listen! Jussive mare marefswtem Let him hear. (May he hear.) Conditional aqan afqani If/when he comes Conjunctive Mte fnahei Mteftwoun He will fall and rise. Infinitive e eswtem To hear. Mne Mnefouom.f He shall not eat it. mJpe mJpefouomf He didnt eat it. mJpa mJpafi He doesnt come. mJper mJperswtem Dont listen! mJpenvre mJpenvrefswtem Let him not hear. (May he not hear.)
vre = cause, let

aqtem afqtemi If he doesnt come Mteqtem fnahei Mtefqtemtwoun He will fall and not rise. eqtem eqtemswtem Not to hear.

Bohairic 9

PRONOUNS
anok Mvok Mvof Mvos pa ta na pek tek nek pef tef nef pes tes nes Fwi vwi noui Fwk vwk nouk Fwf vwf nouf Fws vws nous hw hwk hwf hws neneryou neteneryou noueryou pe te ne I thou he she my thy his her mine thine his hers Emphatic myself thyself himself herself anon Mvwten Mvwou pen ten nen peten teten neten pou tou nou we ye they

our your their

Fwn vwn noun Fwten vwten nouten Fwou vwou nouou pronouns hwn hwten hwou

ours yours theirs

ourselves yourselves themselves

Reciprocal pronouns (-eryou) one another [of ourselves] one another [of yourselves] one another [of themselves] Nexus pronoun [equivalent of copula: is/are/was/were]

DEMONSTRATIVES
p- (F-) piFai pai Fy p-etemJmau Fat- (v-) Tvai tai vy t-etemJmau vani(sometimes nen-)

the + NOUN
(short forms)

the

nai nai ny n-etemJmau na-

this/these one/s this/these + NOUN that/those one/s that/those + NOUN the one/s belonging to + NOUN*

*Sometimes also "the one possessing".

Bohairic 10

SOME COMMON COPTIC PREPOSITIONS

Before a noun Before a pronoun suffix (3 sing masc illustrated) mJmof
(mJmw before 2pl, 3pl)

Meaning

M M

(object marker) to, for (dative marker)

naf

(ny before 1s, nw before 2pl, 3pl)

Dont confuse these prepositions with the genitive marker M (of).

e qa nem Cen ejen hijen evbe oube atcne ha Msa

erof
(erw before 2pl, 3pl)

to towards, as far as with in upon upon, over because of against without under after

qarof nemaf

(qarw before 2pl, 3pl) (nemy before 1s, nemw before 2pl, 3pl)

MCytf ejwf

(2pl Cen vynou) (2pl ejen vynou)

hijwf

(2pl hijen vynou)

evbytf oubyf

(2pl evbe vynou) (2pl oube vynou)

atcnouf harof Mswf

(2pl atcne vynou) (harw before 2pl, 3pl)

Bohairic 11

NUMERALS
units (19) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 masc. ouai snau qomt ftwou Tou soou qaqf qmyn Pit fem. oui snouT qomT

qaqfi qmyni PiT

tens (1090) masc. 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 myt jwt mab, map hme taiou, teoui se qfe, qbe Camne pisteoui fem. myT jwT maabe construct (unit following) met-

hundreds (100900) 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 qe qyi qomt Mqe ftwou Mqe Tou Mqe soou Mqe qaqf Mqe qmyn Mqe Pit Mqe

thousands (100010 000) 1000 2000 3000 10 000 qo qo snau qomt Mqo vba

Ordinals: prefix mah-

Bohairic 12

COPTIC/GREEK LETTERS AS NUMERALS

These are used much more in Bohairic than in Sahidic. a= b= g= d= e= S= z= y= v= i= k= l= m= n= K= o= p= f= aV bV gV dV eV "V zV hV qV iV kV lV mV nV xV oV pV V 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 ouai snau qomt ftwou Tou soou qaqf qmyn Pit myt jwt mab hme taiou se qfe Camne pisteoui r= s= t= u= F+ x= P+ w= R= rV sV tV uV fV cV yV wV V 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 qe qyi qomt Mqe ftwou Mqe Tou Mqe soou Mqe qaqf Mqe qmyn Mqe Pit Mqe

Bohairic 13

THE COPTIC CONDITIONAL (IF)

The sentence contains two halves: the protasis (the if clause), and the apodosis (the then clause). The Real Conditional (it could happen) aqan or areqan PROTASIS eqwp areqan pekson er nobi If your brother sins APODOSIS ari epitiman naf. forgive him.

The protasis may optionally be preceded by eqwp (if), as here. The protasis may also be introduced by isje (if), or by kan (even if).

The Unreal Conditional (it wont/didnt happen)

Protasis: Apodosis:

ena (circumstantial + preterite converter)

enare with noun subject

nana (preterite converter + future)

nare na with noun subject

enaretenswoun mJmoi If you knew [or had known] me

naretennasouen pakeiwt. you would know [or would have known] my father also.

Bohairic 14

RELATIVES et (ev), ete Durative conjugations

Relative present conjugation Antecedent is doing the action in the relative clause. No pronoun prefix after et. The man who is eating it Frwmi evouwm mJmof nirwmi evouwm mJmof The men who are eating it

Antecedent is having the action done to it in the relative clause. The loaf that I eat pwik eTouwm mJmof pwik etekouwm mJmof pwik etefouwm mJmof pwik etesouwm mJmof pwik etenouwm mJmof pwik etetenouwm mJmof pwik etououwm mJmof The loaf that you eat The loaf that he eats The loaf that she eats The loaf that we eat The loaf that you eat The loaf that they eat

pwik ete Frwmi ouwm mJmof

The loaf that the man eats

Relative future conjugation Antecedent is doing the action in the relative clause. No pronoun prefix after et. The man who will eat it Frwmi evnaouwm mJmof nirwme evnaouwm mJmof The men who will eat it

Antecedent is having the action done to it in the relative clause. The loaf that I shall eat pwik eTnaouwm mJmof pwik eteknaouwm mJmof pwik etefnaouwm mJmof pwik etesnaouwm mJmof pwik etennaouwm mJmof pwik etetennaouwm mJmof pwik etounaouwm mJmof The loaf that you will eat The loaf that he will eat The loaf that she will eat The loaf that we shall eat The loaf that you will eat The loaf that they will eat

pwik ete Frwmi naouwm mJmof

The loaf that the man will eat

Bohairic 15

Non-durative
Relative perfect conjugation Antecedent is doing the action in the relative clause. Pronoun prefix required
after eta.

Frwmi etafouomf nirwmi etauouomf

The man who ate it The men who ate it

Antecedent is having the action done to it in the relative clause. The loaf that I ate pwik etaiouomf pwik etakouomf pwik etafouomf pwik etasouomf pwik etanouomf pwik etaretenouomf pwik etauouomf pwik eta Frwmi ouomf
pmoui etouwm mJ Frwmi.
The lion that is eating the man. The lion that will eat the man. The lion that ate the man.

The loaf that you ate The loaf that he ate The loaf that she ate The loaf that we ate The loaf that you ate The loaf that they ate The loaf that the man ate

More examples of relatives

pmoui evnaouwm mJ Frwmi. pmoui etafouem Frwmi. Fai pe Frwmi ete pmoui naouwm mJmof.
This is the man whom the lion will eat (him). This is the man whom the lion ate (him). This is the worm that ate the seed. This is the worm that ate it.

Fai pe Frwmi eta pmoui ouomf. Fai pe pfent etafouem pejroj. Fai pe pfent etafouomf. Fai pe Frwmi etafouem pwik.
This is the man who ate the bread.

Fai pe Frwmi ete mJpefouem pwik.

This is the man who did not eat the bread.

Fai pe Frwmi evnanouj mJ pejroj.

This is the man who who will cast the seed. Mary is the woman who sees the Lord. Mary is the woman who sees him.

mariham te Tshime evnau epcois. mariham te Tshimi evnau erof. mariham te Tshimi ete M snau epcois an.
Mary is the woman who does not see the Lord. Mary is the woman who does not see him.

mariham te Tshimi ete M snau erof an.

Bohairic 16

ADJECTIVES
Coptic has only a couple of dozen native adjectives, but a very large number of adjectives borrowed from Greek. They usually follow the noun they qualify and are linked to it with M. The most common native adjectives are: kouji menrit noj sabe qorp hyki Cello jwri small beloved big wise first poor old strong my beloved son a poor man a big fish

paqyre mJ menrit ourwmi M hyki ounoj M tebt

Adjectives borrowed from Greek take their Greek masculine form (usually ending in os) when qualifying a person, and the Greek neuter form (usually ending in on) when qualifying a thing.

Bohairic 17

SECOND SINGULAR FEMININE FORMS

PRONOUNS Mvo pe, te, ne Fw, vw, nou hwi

thou thy thine thyself

OBJECT OF VERB/PREPOSITION thee i after consonant [zero] after vowel IN VERB PARADIGMS (swtem as example)
Present Preterite + pres. Focalised pres. Future Preterite + fut. Focalised fut. Optative Neg. Optative Perfect Neg. perfect Focalised perf. teswtem nareswtem areswtem teraswtem narenaswtem arenaswtem ereswtem Mneswtem areswtem mJpeswtem etareswtem Aorist Neg. aorist Conditional Neg. conditional Until Not yet Causative Jussive Neg. jussive Conjunctive qareswtem mJpareswtem areqanswtem areqtemswtem qanteswtem mJpateswtem vreswtem mareswtem* mJpenvreswtem Mteswtem

* This form may not actually occur.

Bohairic 18