29.1 The Conditional and conditional clauses.⬆
| ⲉⲓϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ |
if I hear |
| ⲉⲕϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ |
if you hear |
| ⲉⲣⲉϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ |
etc. |
| ⲉϥϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ |
|
| ⲉⲥϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ |
|
| ⲉⲛϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ |
|
| ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ |
|
| ⲉⲩϣⲁⲛⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅ |
|
Negation is with -ⲧⲙ̅-:
ⲉϥϣⲁⲛⲧⲙ̅ⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅,
ⲉⲣϣⲁⲛⲧⲙ̅-ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅.
ϣⲁⲛ may be omitted in the negative:
ⲉϥⲧⲙ̅ⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅,
ⲉⲣⲉⲧⲙ̅-ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲥⲱⲧⲙ̅. The Conditional occurs only
in the protasis of conditional sentences. Only the Infinitive may
occur in the verbal slot.
Conditional sentences in Coptic fall formally into two clearly
defined groups: (1) real, and (2) contrary-to-fact. The protasis of
real conditional sentences in present time has a variety of forms:
-
a clause with the Conditional:
| ⲉⲕϣⲁⲛⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ |
| if you believe this |
-
ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ (if) or
ⲉϣϫⲉ (if) followed by the First Present,
the Circumstantial, the Conditional, or any type of nonverbal
predication:
|
ⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ/ⲉϣϫⲉ
|
ⲕⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ |
| " |
ⲉⲕⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ |
| " |
ⲉⲕϣⲁⲛⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ |
| if you believe this |
| " |
ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉϥⲉⲓⲱⲧ |
| if you are his father |
| " |
ⲟⲩⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲕ ⲡϩⲁⲧ |
| if you have the money |
| " |
ⲛ̅ϯⲙ̅ⲡϣⲁ ⲁⲛ |
| if I am not worthy |
-
the Circumstantial alone often serves as protasis:
| ⲉⲛⲙ̅ ⲡⲉⲓⲙⲁ, ... |
| since we are here, ... |
The apodosis of such conditions may be any variety of verbal clause
appropriate for the required sense (e.g. Fut. I, II, III; Habitual;
Imperative). The apodosis may optionally be introduced with
ⲉⲓⲉ (ⲉⲉⲓⲉ). For
examples, see the exercises.
The protasis of contrary-to-fact conditions is in fact an Imperfect
circumstantial clause, or, in the case of nonverbal clauses, a
circumstantial of the clause with the imperfect converter:
| ⲉ-ⲛⲉϥⲟ ⲛ̅ ⲣ̅ⲣⲟ |
if he were king |
| ⲉ-ⲛⲉ-ⲛ̅ⲧⲟϥ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲣ̅ⲣⲟ |
if he were the king |
| ⲉ-ⲛⲉ-ⲟⲩⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲛ ⲟⲩⲣ̅ⲣⲟ |
if we had a king |
| ⲉ-ⲛⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛ̅ⲙ̅ ⲡⲉⲓⲙⲁ |
if you were here |
In past time ⲉ-ⲛⲉ- is followed by the
affirmative Second Perfect or negative First Perfect:
| ⲉ-ⲛⲉ-ⲛⲧⲁⲕϯ-ⲡϩⲁⲧ ⲛⲁⲓ |
| if you had given me the money |
| ⲉ-ⲛⲉ-ⲙⲡⲉⲕϫⲓ-ⲡϩⲁⲧ |
| if you had not taken the money |
If the clause is nonverbal, ⲉ-ⲛⲉ- alone is
used. Thus, ⲉ-ⲛⲉⲕⲙ̅ ⲡⲉⲓⲙⲁ means both "if you
were here" and "if you had been here".
The conditional prefix ⲉ-ⲛⲉ- is not to be
confused with the particle ⲉⲛⲉ which serves
to introduce a question, e.g.
ⲉⲛⲉ ⲁⲕⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ? Did you see him?
The apodosis of both tenses is in the imperfect of the Future:
| ⲉ-ⲛⲉⲕⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ, ⲛⲉⲣⲉ-ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲛ. |
| If you believed, this would not happen. |
| ⲉ-ⲛⲉ-ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ, ⲛⲉⲣⲉ-ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲁⲛ. |
| If you had believed, this would not have hapened. |
The Greek conjunctions ⲉⲓⲙⲏⲧⲓ (εἰ μή τι) and ⲕⲁⲛ (κἄν) are
also used to introduce protases of both real and contrary-to-fact
conditions.
ⲛ̅ⲥⲁⲃⲏⲗ ϫⲉ (except that, unless, if not) is
often used to introduce the protasis of a contrary-to-fact
condition; the clause usually contains a Pres. I, Perf. I, or
nonverbal predication:
| ⲛ̅ⲥⲁⲃⲏⲗ ϫⲉ |
ⲕⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ |
if you did not believe |
| " |
ⲁⲕⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ |
if you had not believed |
| " |
ⲛ̅ⲧⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ |
if you were not my father |
29.2 Inflected predicate adjectives⬆
There is a small set of
predicate adjectives inflected by means of pronominal suffixes or by
proclisis to a nominal subject, e.g.
| ⲛⲉⲥⲉ-ⲧⲉϥⲥϩⲓⲙⲉ. |
His wife is beautiful. |
| ⲛⲉⲥⲱⲥ. |
She is beautiful. |
The more important of these are
ⲛⲁⲁ- ⲛⲁⲁ⸗ great,
ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩ- ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩ⸗ good,
ⲛⲉⲥⲉ- ⲛⲉⲥⲱ⸗ beautiful,
ⲛⲉⲥⲃⲱⲱ⸗ wise,
ⲛⲁϣⲉ- ⲛⲁϣⲱ⸗ numerous,
ⲛⲉϭⲱ⸗ ugly. When used in relative clauses,
they are treated like the First Present:
ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ the good man,
ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲥⲉ-ⲧⲉϥⲥϩⲓⲙⲉ the man whose wife is
beautiful. They may also be preceded by the imperfect and
circumstantial converters: ⲛⲉ-ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ (ⲡⲉ) he was good; ⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉ-ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩϥ (ⲡⲉ) a good man. ⲛⲁⲓⲁⲧ⸗ (blessed is/are)
belongs to this group, but a following nominal subject must be
anticipated with a suffix:
ⲛⲁⲓⲁⲧⲟⲩ ⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ⲣⲉϥⲣ̅-ⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ blessed are the
peacemakers.
29.3 Comparison of adjectives⬆
The comparison of both attributive and predicate adjectives is
expressed by placing the preposition ⲉ before
the item on which the comparison is based:
ⲛⲟϭ ⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ greater than this,
ⲥⲁⲃⲉ ⲉ ⲛⲉϥⲥⲛⲏⲩ wiser than his brothers. In
addition to simple adjectives, both Coptic and Greek, the predicate
adjectives of the preceding paragraph as well as appropriate
qualitatives and other verbal constructions may be used in this
construction. E.g.
| ⲛⲉϥⲟ ⲛ̅ ⲛⲟϭ ⲉ ⲛⲉϥⲥⲛⲏⲩ. |
| He was more important than his brothers. |
| ϥϫⲟⲥⲉ ⲉ ⲡⲉϥϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ. |
| He is more exalted than his master. |
| ⲛⲉϥⲟ ⲛ̅ ⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲉ ⲡⲣⲏ. |
| It was brighter than the sun. |
| ⲛⲉⲥⲱⲥ ⲉ ⲧⲉⲥⲥⲱⲛⲉ. |
| She is more beautiful than her sister. |
A comparison may be strengthened by using
ϩⲟⲩⲟ (more) in various combinations:
ⲛ̅ ϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲉ, ⲉ ϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲉ,
ⲉ ϩⲟⲩⲉ, all meaning "more than".
ⲛ̅ ϩⲟⲩⲟ alone may express an absolute
comparative: ⲡⲛⲟϭ ⲛ̅ ϩⲟⲩⲟ the greater.
The Greek preposition ⲡⲁⲣⲁ (or
ⲙ̅ ⲡⲁⲣⲁ) may be used instead of
ⲉ. Suffixes may be attached:
ⲡⲁⲣⲟⲓ, ⲡⲁⲣⲟⲕ,
ⲡⲁⲣⲟ etc.
29.4 Nouns with possessive suffixes (continued).
⬆
-
ⲣⲁⲧ⸗ (foot) was mentioned in §19.2 in
connection with ⲉⲣⲁⲧ⸗ and
ⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ⸗. Other compounds include
ϩⲁ ⲣⲁⲧ⸗ prep. under, at the foot of;
ⲕⲁ-ⲣⲁⲧ⸗ to set foot (+
ⲉⲃⲟⲗ: to start out);
ⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲛ̅ ⲣⲁⲧ⸗ to go on foot.
-
ϩⲣⲁ⸗ is the presuffixal form of two words:
(1) ϩⲟ ϩⲣⲁ⸗ face; (2)
ϩⲣⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲣⲁ⸗ voice. Both of these words are
common in their unbound forms. Compounds worth noting are
ⲉϩⲣⲛ̅ ⲉϩⲣⲁ⸗ prep. toward (the face of);
(ⲛ̅) ⲛⲁϩⲣⲛ̅ (ⲛ̅) ⲛⲁϩⲣⲁ⸗ prep. in the presence of;
ϫⲓ-ϩⲣⲁ⸗ (Q
ϫⲓ-ϩⲣⲁⲉⲓⲧ) to amuse oneself, be diverted,
distracted (suff. is reflex.); ϥⲓ-ϩⲣⲁ⸗ to
raise one's voice, utter (± ⲉⲃⲟⲗ,
ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ).
-
ϩⲧⲏ⸗ is the presuffixal form of (1)
ϩⲏⲧ heart, mind, and (2)
ϩⲏⲧ tip, edge. Compounds using the form
include ϯ-ϩⲧⲏ⸗ to observe, pay attention to
(ⲉ, ⲉϫⲛ̅);
ϣⲛ̅-ϩⲧⲏ⸗ to have pity (on:
ⲉϫⲛ̅, ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲛ̅); and
the prep. ϩⲁϩⲧⲛ̅ ϩⲁϩⲧⲏ⸗.
-
ϩⲏⲧ⸗ is the presuffixal form of (1)
ⲧ.ϩⲏ belly, womb, and (2)
ⲧ.ϩⲏ front.
ϩⲏⲧ⸗ (belly, womb) may be used in its plain
sense, as in ϩⲛ̅ ϩⲏⲧⲥ̅ in her womb; otherwise
it appears only as part of the prep.
ϩⲛ̅ ⲛ̅ϩⲏⲧ⸗.
ϩⲏⲧ⸗ (front) is used as a preposition with
certain verbs, e.g. ϣⲓⲡⲉ ϩⲏⲧ⸗,
ⲣ̅-ϩⲟⲧⲉ ϩⲏⲧ⸗.
-
ⲧⲟⲩⲱ⸗ (bosom) is found in the prepositions
ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛ̅- ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲱ⸗ and
ϩⲓⲧⲟⲩⲛ̅- ϩⲓⲧⲟⲩⲱ⸗ near, beside. The latter is
frequent in the relative construction
ⲡⲉⲧ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲩⲱ⸗ neighbor, e.g.
ⲡⲉⲧ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲩⲱϥ his neighbor.
Other nouns used with pronominal suffixes are
ⲁⲣⲏϫ⸗ end, ⲕⲟⲩⲛ̅(ⲧ)⸗ bosom, ⲣⲓⲛ(ⲧ)⸗ name,
ⲥⲟⲩⲛ̅ⲧ⸗ price, and
ϣⲁⲁⲛⲧ⸗ nose. The Glossary may be consulted
for these.