Lesson 5: 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.
| <Subject> | <Object> | Translation |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲕ | ⲟⲩ̀ⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ | I am a prophet |
| ̀ⲛⲑⲟⲕ | ⲡⲓⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ | You are the Christ |
| ⲁⲛⲟⲛ | ϩⲁⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ | We are Jews |
<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 <>.
Exercises
Exercise 1: Translate to Coptic
Translate the following into Coptic:
Exercise 2: Translate to English
Translate the following phrases into English:
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