Lesson 26

26.1 Compound verbs⬆

Coptic vocabulary is particularly rich in compound verbs. Most compound verbs consist of a simple infinitive in the prenominal form plus a nominal element, usually without an article, e.g. ϯ-ⲉⲟⲟⲩ to praise, ϫⲓ-ⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲙⲁ to be baptized. Meanings are for the most part predictable from those of the components.

The verbs most frequently occurring in compounds are ϯ- to give, ϫⲓ- to take, ϥⲓ- to raise, carry, ϭⲛ̅- to find, ⲕⲁ- to put, and ⲣ̅- to do, make. Some examples:

• ϯ-ⲕⲁⲣⲡⲟⲥ to produce fruit.
• ϯ-ⲙⲉⲧⲁⲛⲟⲓⲁ to repent; to humble or abase one's self.
• ϯ-ⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲁ⸗ to praise.
• ϯ-ⲥⲃⲱ ⲛⲁ⸗ to teach someone (something: ⲉ).
• ϫⲓ-ⲥⲃⲱ to receive instruction, be taught (something: ⲉ).
• ϭⲛ̅-ⲙ̅ⲧⲟⲛ to find rest.
• ϭⲛ̅-ϩⲱⲃ ⲙⲛ̅ to have dealings with.
• ϭⲙ̅-ϭⲟⲙ (ϭⲛ̅-ϭⲟⲙ) to have power, prevail (over); to be able (to do: ⲉ + Inf.).
• ϥⲓ-ⲣⲟⲟⲩϣ to take heed, be concerned (for, about: ⲉ, ⲛⲁ⸗, ⲉⲧⲃⲉ, ϩⲁ).

Compounds with ⲣ̅- are the most frequent of all and fall into two groups. In the first group ⲣ̅- has its basic meaning "to do, make, perform":

• ⲣ̅-ⲛⲟⲃⲉ to sin (against: ⲉ).
• ⲣ̅-ⲟⲩ to do what?
• ⲣ̅-ⲡⲁⲓ to do this, thus.

ⲣ̅-X ⲛ̅ ⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ (X is a number) has two meanings: (1) to reach the age of X; (2) to pass X years.

In the second group of ⲣ̅- compounds ⲣ̅- has the meaning "to become", e.g. ⲣ̅-ⲣ̅ⲣⲟ to become king (over: ⲉϫⲛ̅). The second element may be virtually any noun or adjective in the language, so that a complete catalogue is impossible. Qualitatives are uniformly ⲟ ⲛ̅, as in ⲟ ⲛ̅ ⲣ̅ⲣⲟ to be king. Further examples:

• ⲣ̅-ϩⲗ̅ⲗⲟ to grow old; ⲟ ⲛ̅ ϩⲗ̅ⲗⲟ to be old.
• ⲣ̅-ϩⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ to become governor; ⲟ ⲛ̅ ϩⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ to be governor.
• ⲣ̅-ϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ to become lord, master (over: ⲉ, ⲉϫⲛ̅); ⲟ ⲛ̅ ϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ to be lord, master.

The distinction between these two groups is often blurred, however, with qualitatives of the ⲟ ⲛ̅ type being extended to the first group as well, e.g. ⲣ̅-ϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ to marvel, become amazed (at: ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗, ⲉ, ⲉⲧⲃⲉ, ⲉϫⲛ̅), to admire; Q ⲟ ⲛ̅ ϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ to be amazed.

Less frequently the nominal element of a compound verb has the definite article:

• ⲣ̅-ⲡⲱⲃϣ̅ to forget (ⲛ̅).
• ⲣ̅-ⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ to remember (ⲛ̅).
• ϯ-ⲑⲉ ⲛⲁ⸗ to provide the means to someone (so that: ⲉ, ⲉⲧⲣⲉ).

In the case of ⲣ̅-ⲡⲱⲃϣ̅, ⲣ̅-ⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ, and many others of this type a pronominal object is expressed by a possessive prefix on the noun: ⲣ̅-ⲡⲉϥⲱⲃϣ̅ to forget him, ⲣ̅-ⲡⲉϥⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ to remember him.

Because compound verbs employ the prenominal form of the infinitive, the question arises concerning their occurrence in the Bipartite Conjugation, where the prenominal form is usually prohibited. In general, compound verbs are an exception to Jernstedt's Rule and may be used freely as they stand in the Bipartite Conjugation. Two types of compounds, however, do tend to follow Jernstedt's Rule:

1. the type ⲣ̅-ⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ, with the definite article on the noun. In the Bipartite Conjugation the full form of the infinitive is used. Contrast

   ⲁⲓⲣ̅-ⲡⲉϥⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ.

   I remembered him.

   ϯⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙ̅ ⲡⲉϥⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ.

   I remember him.

2. many compounds whose nominal element is a part of the body. Contrast

   ⲁⲓϯ-ⲧⲟⲟⲧⲥ̅.

   I helped her.

   ϯϯ ⲛ̅ ⲧⲟⲟⲧⲥ̅.

   I am helping her.

26.2 The element ϣ-, ⲉϣ-, originally a full verb "to know, know how to", may be prefixed to any infinitive to express "can, be able". E.g.

It occurs redundantly and optionally in the compounds of ϭⲟⲙ: ⲟⲩⲛ̅-(ϣ)ϭⲟⲙ, ⲙⲛ̅-(ϣ)ϭⲟⲙ, ϭⲙ̅-(ϣ)ϭⲟⲙ.

26.3 Infinitives of the type ⲧⲁⲕⲟ. There is a fairly large group of verbs whose infinitives begin with ⲧ- and end in -ⲟ, e.g. ⲧⲁⲕⲟ ⲧⲁⲕⲉ- ⲧⲁⲕⲟ⸗ Q ⲧⲁⲕⲏⲩ to destroy. At an older stage of Egyptian these verbs were compound causatives with a form of ϯ (to give) plus a verbal form inflected by suffixation. Thus, the original construction involved two verbs (e.g. I caused that he pay a fine) which coalesced into a single verb with two objects (I caused him to pay a fine). Traces of the older construction survive in Sahidic, e.g. Luke 3:14 ⲙ̅ⲡⲣ̅ⲧⲧⲉ-ⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲟⲥⲉ Do not make anyone pay a fine (i.e. suffer a loss). ⲧⲧⲟ ⲧⲧⲉ- is the causative of ϯ itself. The lack of an object marker on the second object is characteristic of the construction, but the absence of an article in this particular example stems from its association with the compound verb ϯ-ⲟⲥⲉ to pay a fine, suffer a loss. In general, however, there is no need to take the older construction into account in Coptic, since most of these verbs are simply transitive. Some examples:

• ⲧⲁⲙⲟ ⲧⲁⲙⲉ- ⲧⲁⲙⲟ⸗ vb. tr. to tell, inform (ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗; of, about: ⲉ, ⲉⲧⲃⲉ; that: ϫⲉ); causative of ⲉⲓⲙⲉ.
• ⲧⲁⲗⲟ ⲧⲁⲗⲉ- ⲧⲁⲗⲟ⸗ Q ⲧⲁⲗⲏⲩ (± ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ) vb. tr. to cause to go up, cause to board, cause to mount; to raise up, offer up, send up (ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗); caus. of ⲁⲗⲉ.
• ⲧⲁⲛϩⲟ ⲧⲁⲛϩⲉ- ⲧⲁⲛϩⲟ⸗ Q ⲧⲁⲛϩⲏⲩ vb. tr. to bring (back) to life, let live, keep alive (ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗); caus. of ⲱⲛϩ̅.

ⲧ + ϣ results in initial ϫ:

• ϫⲡⲟ ϫⲡⲉ- ϫⲡⲟ⸗ vb. tr. to give birth to (ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗); to acquire, obtain, get (ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗; often with reflex. dative ⲛⲁ⸗ for one's self); caus. of ϣⲱⲡⲉ.
• ϫⲡⲓⲟ ϫⲡⲓⲉ- ϫⲡⲓⲟ⸗ Q ϫⲡⲓⲏⲧ vb. tr. to put to shame, to blame, scold, reproach (ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗; for: ⲉⲧⲃⲉ, ⲉϫⲛ̅, ϩⲁ); caus. of ϣⲓⲡⲉ.

Sometimes the initial ⲧ- is lost, as in

• ⲕⲧⲟ ⲕⲧⲉ- ⲕⲧⲟ⸗ Q ⲕⲧⲏⲩ vb. tr. to turn; this verb has become completely synonymous with its base ⲕⲱⲧⲉ.

A few verbs have retained a final -ⲥ or -ⲟⲩ (a frozen subject suffix):

• ϫⲟⲟⲩ ϫⲉⲩ- ϫⲟⲟⲩ⸗ vb. tr. to send (ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗; to: ⲉⲣⲁⲧ⸗, ⲛⲁ⸗, ⲉϫⲛ̅, ϣⲁ); + ⲉⲃⲟⲗ away, out, off; + ϩⲁⲑⲏ ahead.
• ⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲟⲩ to send (already introduced). Originally ϫⲟⲟⲩ meant "to cause to go" (caus. of ϣⲉ to go) and ⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲟⲟⲩ meant "to cause to bring" (caus. of ⲉⲓⲛⲉ).
• ⲧⲟⲩⲛⲟⲥ ⲧⲟⲩⲛⲉⲥ- ⲧⲟⲩⲛⲟⲥ⸗ vb. tr. to awaken, arouse, raise up (ⲙ̅ⲙⲟ⸗); caus. of ⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ (probably).

The Imperative of these verbs may optionally have a prefixed ⲙⲁ-: ⲙⲁⲧⲁⲙⲟ, ⲙⲁⲧⲁⲗⲟ, etc. Cf. §17.1.