A pronominal object of a
preposition is expressed by means of a suffixed form of the pronoun.
The preposition itself assumes a prepronominal form which must be
learned with each preposition. For example, the preposition
ⲉ becomes ⲉⲣⲟ⸗ before
pronominal suffixes. The mark ⸗ is a
convention used in Coptic grammars to indicate any form to which a
pronominal suffix is to be added. The prepronominal forms of the
prepositions introduced thus far are as follows:
ⲛ̅
ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗
ϩⲛ̅
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ⸗
ϩⲁ
ϩⲁⲣⲟ⸗
ϩⲓ
ϩⲓⲱ(ⲱ)⸗
ⲙⲛ̅
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲁ⸗
ϣⲁ
ϣⲁⲣⲟ⸗
ⲉ
ⲉⲣⲟ⸗
ϩⲓϫⲛ̅
ϩⲓϫⲱ⸗
ⲉϫⲛ̅
ⲉϫⲱ⸗
ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅
ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧ⸗
ⲛ̅ⲥⲁ
ⲛ̅ⲥⲱ⸗
ϩⲓⲣⲛ̅
ϩⲓⲣⲱ⸗
ⲉⲣⲛ̅
ⲉⲣⲱ⸗
ⲛⲁϩⲣⲛ̅
ⲛⲁϩⲣⲁ⸗
ϩⲁϩⲧⲛ̅
ϩⲁϩⲧⲏ⸗
ⲟⲩⲃⲉ
ⲟⲩⲃⲏ⸗
ⲉⲧⲃⲉ
ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧ⸗
Because the variety exhibited by the prepronominal forms is at first
puzzling, the following comments may be of some help:
In ⲉⲣⲟ⸗ and
ϩⲁⲣⲟ⸗ the final syllable
-ⲣⲟ⸗ is an original part of the
preposition; it was lost in the normal prenominal form.
ϣⲁⲣⲟ⸗ is on analogy with these.
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ⸗ and ϩⲓⲱ⸗ were
originally compounds: ⲛ̅ ϩⲏⲧ⸗ in the belly
(of), ϩⲓ ⲱ(ⲱ)⸗
on the back (of). The prenominal form
ϩⲛ̅ was originally a noun meaning "interior"
(cf. the ϩⲟⲩⲛ of
ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ); ϩⲓ was a
simple preposition.
ϩⲓϫⲱ⸗ and ⲉϫⲱ⸗ are
ϩⲓ and ⲉ with the
noun ϫⲱ⸗ (head, top); the noun is reduced
to -ϫ- in ϩⲓϫⲛ̅ and
ⲉϫⲛ̅, which also contain the genitival
ⲛ̅.
ϩⲓⲣⲱ⸗ and ⲉⲣⲱ⸗ are
ϩⲓ and ⲉ with the
noun ⲣⲱ⸗ mouth, door; the latter is reduced
to ⲣ in ϩⲓⲣⲛ̅ and
ⲉⲣⲛ̅, with genitival
ⲛ̅.
ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧ⸗ is ϩⲓ plus
the noun ⲧⲟⲟⲧ⸗ (hand); the latter is
reduced to -ⲧ- in
ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅, with genitival
ⲛ̅.
ⲛⲁϩⲣⲁ⸗ contains the noun
ϩⲣⲁ⸗ (face). The initial element is
obscure. ⲛⲁϩⲣⲛ̅ also contains the genitival
ⲛ̅.
ϩⲁϩⲧⲏ⸗ consists of
ϩⲁ plus the noun
ϩⲧⲏ⸗ (heart, breast), reduced to
-ϩⲧ- with the genitival
ⲛ̅ in ϩⲁϩⲧⲛ̅.
The nouns contained in these expressions will be dealt with in a
later lesson.
Typical inflections of these prepositions are as follows:
ⲉⲣⲟⲓ
to me
ⲉⲣⲟⲕ
to you (m.s.)
ⲉⲣⲟ
to you (f.s.)
ⲉⲣⲟϥ
to him
ⲉⲣⲟⲥ
to her
ⲉⲣⲟⲛ
to us
ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ̅
to you (pl.)
ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ
to them
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲓ
with me
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲕ
etc.
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲉ
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲁϥ
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲥ
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲛ
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲏⲧⲛ̅
ⲛⲙ̅ⲙⲁⲩ
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ
in me
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲕ̅
etc.
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲉ
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧϥ̅
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲥ̅
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲛ̅
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ-ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅
ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧⲟⲩ
ⲟⲩⲃⲏⲓ
against me
ⲟⲩⲃⲏⲕ
etc.
[ⲟⲩⲃⲏⲧⲉ]
ⲟⲩⲃⲏϥ
ⲟⲩⲃⲏⲥ
ⲟⲩⲃⲏⲛ
ⲟⲩⲃⲉ-ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅
ⲟⲩⲃⲏⲩ
ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧ
because of me
ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧⲕ̅
etc.
ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧⲉ
ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧϥ̅
ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧⲥ̅
ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧⲛ̅
ⲉⲧⲃⲉ-ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅
ⲉⲧⲃⲏⲏⲧⲟⲩ
The prepronominal form of ϩⲓ appears as both
ϩⲓⲱ⸗ and ϩⲓⲱⲱ⸗;
typical forms are
ϩⲓⲱⲱⲧ
on me
ϩⲓⲱⲱⲕ, ϩⲓⲱⲕ
etc.
ϩⲓⲱⲱⲧⲉ
ϩⲓⲱⲱϥ, ϩⲓⲱϥ
ϩⲓⲱⲱⲥ, ϩⲓⲱⲥ
ϩⲓⲱⲱⲛ, ϩⲓⲱⲛ
ϩⲓ-ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅
ϩⲓⲱⲟⲩ
The following details on the forms of suffixed pronouns in general
should be noted for future reference:
The 1st pers. sing. suffix appears as
ⲓ after a single vowel, as zero (nothing)
after -ⲧ⸗, and as
ⲧ elsewhere.
The suffix of the 2nd pers. fem. sing. appears as zero after a
single vowel other than -ⲁ⸗, as
-ⲉ in place of a single
-ⲁ⸗, as -ⲉ after
-ⲧ⸗, and as
-ⲧⲉ elsewhere.
The suffix of the 2nd pers. pl. appears as
-ⲧⲛ̅ after single
-ⲟ⸗, -ⲁ⸗,
-ⲱ⸗, with the change of
-ⲟ⸗ to -ⲱ⸗ and
-ⲁ⸗ to -ⲏ⸗. After
-ⲧ⸗ one uses -ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅.
Elsewhere -ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅ is usually added to the
prenominal form of the preposition or other form in question, as
in ϩⲁϩⲧⲛ̅-ⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ̅.
ϣⲱⲡⲉ to come into being; to take place,
happen; ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗ to befall, happen to
(someone). ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ it happened that (followed
directly by the principal verb, as in
ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ϣⲁⲣⲟⲛ it happened that he came to
us).
ⲙⲟⲩ to die (of, from:
ⲉⲧⲃⲉ, ϩⲁ); as n.m.:
death, manner of death.
ϩⲉ to fall; ϩⲉ ⲉ to
fall to, upon, into; to find, chance upon;
ϩⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ to perish, be lost, fall away.
ⲛ̅ⲕⲟⲧⲕ̅ to lie down, sleep; often a euphemism
for dying.
ϩⲱⲛ to draw near, to approach (someone or
something: ⲉ,
ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉ).
ϩⲓⲥⲉ to grow weary, exhausted; to be
troubled, afflicted. As n.m. labor, toil; weariness, affliction.
ϩⲕⲟ to grow hungry; as n.m.: hunger, famine.
ⲡ.ⲕⲁϩ earth, ground.
ⲡ.ϣⲁ festival, feast day.
ⲡⲉ.ϩⲟⲟⲩ day;
ⲙ̅ ⲡⲟⲟⲩ (adv.) today (note loss of
ϩ); ϣⲁ ⲡⲟⲟⲩ up until
today, until now.
ⲡⲉ.ϭⲗⲟϭ bed.
ⲙⲛ̅ⲛ̅ⲥⲁ (ⲙⲛ̅ⲛ̅ⲥⲱ⸗) (prep.)
after (of time); ⲙⲛ̅ⲛ̅ⲥⲱⲥ (adv.) afterward.
Greek words:
ⲇⲉ (δέ) postpositive
conjunction: but, however. Frequently marks the introduction of a
new subject or topic and has no translation value.