Lesson 3: Nominal Bipartite Sentences

Nominal Bipartite Sentences

In the previous lessons, we studied several forms of Nominal Tripartite Sentences. They are enumerated here:

<Definite Subject> <Copula> <Definite Object>
<Definite Object> <Copula> <Definite Subject>
<Definite Subject> <Indefinite Object> <Copula>
<Indefinite Object> <Copula> <Definite Subject>

We defined a Tripartite Sentence as a sentence with three parts (hence the name), so naturally a Bipartite Sentence will be a sentence with two parts. We'll use the same building blocks as in the last two lessons.

We have two forms of Nominal Bipartite Sentences:

<Subject> <Object>

In this sentence structure, the copula or the "is/am/are" is assumed and understood by the context of the sentence. This structure is common found with personal pronouns as the subject, although it could be used with a regular definite noun as the subject. This structure is also commonly found when a demonstrative pronoun is the object.

<Subject>	<Object>	Translation
ⲁⲛⲟⲕ	ⲟⲩ̀ⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ	I am a prophet
̀ⲛⲑⲟⲕ	ⲡⲓⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ	You are the Christ
ⲁⲛⲟⲛ	ϩⲁⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ	We are Jews
ⲡⲁϣⲏⲣⲓ	ⲫⲁⲓ	This is my son
ⲡⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ	ⲟⲩ̀ⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ	The man is a prophet

<Object> <Copula>

In this sentence structure, the subject is assumed to be the relevant pronoun (i.e. it, he, they, etc.), and the object is what is specified. The object here can be an indefinite noun, a definite noun, a possessive noun, a pronoun, etc.

<Object>	<Copula>	Translation
ⲡⲁⲓⲱⲧ	ⲡⲉ	he is my father
ⲧⲁⲙⲁⲩ	ⲧⲉ	she is my mother
ⲛⲁ̀ⲥⲛⲏⲟⲩ	ⲛⲉ	they are my brothers
ⲡⲓⲥⲁⲃⲉ	ⲡⲉ	he is the wise one
ϯⲥⲁⲃⲏ	ⲧⲉ	she is the wise one
ⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲓ	ⲡⲉ	he is a man
ⲟⲩ̀ⲥϩⲓⲙⲓ	ⲧⲉ	she is a woman
ϩⲁⲛⲉϫⲏⲟⲩ	ⲛⲉ	they are ships
ⲫⲁⲓ	ⲡⲉ	this is it (m.)
ⲑⲁⲓ	ⲧⲉ	this is it (f.)
ⲛⲁⲓ	ⲛⲉ	they are these

Naturally, this would take on a different translation when the object is a personal pronoun (since it doesn't make much sense to say "he is him" or "she is her").

<Object>	<Copula>	Translation
ⲁⲛⲟⲕ	ⲡⲉ	it is I
ⲁⲛⲟⲛ	ⲛⲉ	it is us
̀ⲛⲑⲟⲕ	ⲡⲉ	it is you (m.)
̀ⲛⲑⲟ	ⲧⲉ	it is you (f.)
̀ⲛⲑⲱⲧⲉⲛ	ⲛⲉ	it is you (pl.)
̀ⲛⲑⲟϥ	ⲡⲉ	it is him
̀ⲛⲑⲟⲥ	ⲧⲉ	it is her
̀ⲛⲑⲱⲟⲩ	ⲛⲉ	it is them

Application

Application 1: 

This is an excerpt from <>. 

1. 
   

Exercises

Exercise 1: Translate to Coptic

Translate the following into Coptic:

1. 
   

Exercise 2: Translate to English

Translate the following phrases into English:

1. 
   

Resources

"A Study in Bohairic Coptic" by Nabil Matar; p162

See Moawad Daoud Lesson 2

See Sameh Younan page 59 in the PDF

ACTS 2990 Introduction to the Coptic Language (Bohairic) with Hany Takla Lesson 3A