Lesson 8

8.1 Directional adverbs⬆

Coptic possesses a set of directional adverbs which correspond very closely to English adverbs of the type "up, down, in, out, over, along, etc." As with their English counterparts, the directional meanings found with verbs of motion are for all practical purposes the basic meanings (e.g. to go up, to sink down, to run in), but extended uses are equally common (e.g. to shut up, to quiet down, to think over). The Coptic directional adverbs consist formally of the preposition ⲉ plus a noun, with or without the definite article. Most of the nouns in question are seldom met outside of these particular expressions and will be considered in more detail in a later lesson. Because these adverbs are so frequent, we shall follow the practice of other editors and write them as single units. The following eight are the most important:

ⲉⲃⲟⲗ out, away
ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ in
ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ up, down
ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ down
ⲉⲑⲏ forward, ahead
ⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ back, rearward
ⲉⲧⲡⲉ upward
ⲉⲡϣⲱⲓ upward

The adverbs may be used alone, as in

ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ. He went away.
ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ. He came in.
ⲁϥⲡⲱⲧ ⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ. He ran back.

But they very frequently combine with a simple preposition to form a compound prepositional phrase. Among the most frequent of these are

ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉ out to, away to
ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ̅ out of, out from in, away from; (rarely) out into
ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗ same as preceding
ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓ away from on, out from on, away from at
ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ (1) away from (a person); (2) through, out through (a place); (3) through the agency of (a person or thing)
ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉ to, into, toward
ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉ up to, down to
ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲛ̅ up onto, down upon
ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉ down to, down into, down onto, down on
ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉϫⲛ̅ down onto, down on
ⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲉ back to
ⲉⲑⲏ ⲉ ahead to, forward to

The meaning of most such compounds when used with verbs of motion is generally self-evident, but caution is in order when dealing with their use with other verbs. The dictionary should always be consulted to check on idiomatic and unpredictable meanings.

8.2 Clausal coordination with or without ⲁⲩⲱ⬆

Clauses containing a First Perfect may be coordinated with the conjunction ⲁⲩⲱ (and) or follow one another with no conjunction (termed "asyndeton"):

ⲁϥϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲣⲓⲙⲉ.
ⲁϥϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ, ⲁϥⲣⲓⲙⲉ.
He sat down and wept.

8.3 Many infinitives are used as masculine singular nouns. This usage will be noted without further comment in the lesson vocabularies from now on ("as n.m.:"). For the infinitives in Vocabulary 7 note the nouns ⲡⲉ.ϣⲗⲏⲗ prayer, ⲡ.ⲡⲱⲧ flight, and ⲡ.ⲣⲓⲙⲉ weeping.

Vocabulary 8⬆

Greek noun:

Note: Only the less predictable combinations of verb and prepositional phrase will be given in the lesson vocabularies. Other combinations in the exercises should be self-evident from the meanings of the individual words involved.

Exercises⬆

    1. ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ ⲛⲉⲕϣⲗⲏⲗ through your (ms. sg.) prayers
    2. ⲟⲩⲃⲉ ⲛⲉⲛⲥⲛⲏⲩ against our brothers
    3. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ ⲧⲉⲓϩⲓⲏ out through this road
    4. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉ ⲡⲉⲓⲉⲣⲟ away to the river
    5. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ̅ ⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ out of the city
    6. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓ ⲧⲉⲧⲣⲁⲡⲉⲍⲁ away from the table
    7. ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲉϥϩⲱⲃ about his task
    8. ⲟⲩⲃⲉ ⲛⲉⲧⲛ̅ϣⲁϫⲉ against your (pl.) words
    9. ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ ⲛⲉϥϣⲁϫⲉ through his words
    10. ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉ ⲣⲁⲕⲟⲧⲉ into Alexandria
    11. ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉ ⲡⲃⲏⲙⲁ up to the platform
    12. ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙ̅ ⲡⲧⲟⲟⲩ up onto the mountain
    13. ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉ ⲧⲁⲣⲓ into my cell
    14. ϩⲁ ⲛⲉⲓϩⲃⲏⲩⲉ under these tasks / because of these things
    15. ϣⲁ ⲛⲉϥⲙⲁⲑⲏⲧⲏⲥ to his disciples
    16. ϩⲓⲣⲛ̅ ⲧⲉϥⲣⲓ at the entrance of his cell
    17. ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲟⲩⲣⲓⲙⲉ about your (fm. sg.) weeping
    18. ϩⲙ̅ ⲡⲉϥⲡⲱⲧ in his flight
    19. ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉ ⲑⲁⲗⲁⲥⲥⲁ down to the sea
    20. ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉ ⲡⲙⲟⲟⲩ down to the water
    21. ⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲉ ⲡⲉⲩϯⲙⲉ back to their village
    22. ⲉⲑⲏ ⲉ ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲟⲩ ahead to the mountains
    23. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓ ⲡⲃⲏⲙⲁ away from the platform
    24. ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙ̅ ⲡⲉϩⲧⲟ up onto the horse
    25. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ̅ ⲡⲣⲟ ⲙ̅ ⲡⲏⲓ out through the door of the house
    26. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ ⲡⲉⲓⲙⲁ away from here
    27. ⲟⲩⲃⲉ ⲡⲣⲁⲛ ⲙ̅ ⲡⲣ̅ⲣⲟ against the name of the king
    28. ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲙ̅ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ through the agency of the Lord
    29. ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲛ̅ⲡⲱⲧ about your (pl.) flight
    1. ⲁⲩⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ, ⲁⲩⲡⲱⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ. They got up and ran away.
    2. ⲁⲛⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ, ⲁⲛϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ. We came in and sat down.
    3. ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲉ ⲡⲉϥϯⲙⲉ. He went back to his village.
    4. ⲁϥϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥϣⲁϫⲉ ⲙⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲣⲱⲙⲉ. He sat down and spoke with the men.
    5. ⲁⲓⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓ ⲧⲉⲧⲣⲁⲡⲉⲍⲁ. I got up from the table.
    6. ⲁⲛⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉ ⲣⲁⲕⲟⲧⲉ. We walked in to Alexandria.
    7. ⲡⲕⲉⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲁϥⲁⲗⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙ̅ ⲡⲉⲓⲱ. The other man got up onto the donkey.
    8. ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲁⲣⲡⲱⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ ⲡⲟⲩⲏⲓ? Why have you (feminine sing.) run out of your house?
    9. ⲁ-ⲡϩⲗ̅ⲗⲟ ⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉ ⲧⲉϥⲣⲓ. The monk went into his cell.
    10. ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲁⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛ̅ⲥⲁ ⲡⲉⲛϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ? Why have you (pl.) spoken against our Lord?
    11. ⲁⲓϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲁϩⲧⲙ̅ ⲡⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ. I sat down beside my father.
    12. ⲁⲩϣⲁϫⲉ ϩⲁ ⲡⲉⲩⲏⲣⲡ̅. They spoke about their wine.
    13. ⲟⲩⲛ̅-ϩⲉⲛⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ̅ ϩⲉⲛϩⲧⲱⲱⲣ ⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ. There are some donkeys and some horses there.
    14. ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓ ⲡⲃⲏⲙⲁ. He came down from the platform.
    15. ⲁⲩⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛ̅ϭⲓ ⲛ̅ⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙ̅ ⲡⲣ̅ⲣⲟ. The men rose up against the king.
    16. ⲁⲓϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲃⲉ. I talked about my sins.
    17. ⲁ-ⲛⲉϩⲓⲟⲙⲉ ⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉ ⲡⲉⲕⲣⲟ. The women walked down to the shore.
    18. ⲁⲛⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉ ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲙⲉ. We went up / down to our villages.
    19. ⲁⲥⲡⲱⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧ ⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ. She fled from those men.
    20. ⲁⲛⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲛ̅ⲛⲁϩⲣⲙ̅ ⲡⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕⲟⲡⲟⲥ. We went into the presence of the bishop.
    21. ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲁⲕⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲡⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲉ ⲧⲁⲅⲟⲣⲁ? Why did you (ms. sg.) go back to the marketplace?
    22. ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ̅ ⲡⲉⲓⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ. He went out of this world.
    23. ⲁⲥϣⲁϫⲉ ⲙⲛ̅ ⲧⲉⲥⲙⲁⲁⲩ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛⲉⲥϣⲏⲣⲉ. She spoke with her mother about her children.
    24. ⲁⲩⲁⲗⲉ ⲛ̅ϭⲓ ⲛ̅ⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲛ̅ ⲛⲉⲩϩⲧⲱⲱⲣ. The men mounted their horses.
    25. ⲁⲩϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉ ⲡⲟⲉⲓⲕ ⲙⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲧⲃ̅ⲧ. They spoke about the bread and the (pl.) fish.
    26. ⲁⲩϣⲁϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲃⲉ ⲛⲉϥⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ. They spoke against his commandments.
    27. ⲁϥⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓ ⲡⲉⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ. He arose from the throne.
    28. ⲁⲛⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲉⲑⲏ ϩⲙ̅ ⲡⲕⲁⲕⲉ. We walked ahead in the darkness.
    29. ⲁϥⲁⲗⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉ ⲡⲃⲏⲙⲁ. He went up to the platform.
    30. ⲁϥϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛⲉϩⲃⲏⲩⲉ ⲙ̅ ⲡⲙⲟⲛⲁⲭⲟⲥ. He spoke about the monk's affairs.