Lesson 4: Near Demonstrative Articles

Near Demonstrative Articles

Demonstratives refer to the English "this" and "that." The demonstrative "this" is called the near demonstrative since it refers to objects that are nearby (e.g. "this book") whereas "that" is called the far demonstrative since it refers to objects that are far away (e.g. "that book").

In Coptic, the near demonstratives can be denoted as an article attached to the noun, or as a pronoun.

Masculine (this)	Feminine (this)	Plural (these)
ⲡⲁⲓ-	ⲧⲁⲓ-	ⲛⲁⲓ-

When using the near demonstrative as an article, it describes the attached noun. You will notice that the first letter of the near demonstrative article is based on the gender and number of the object and are identical to the first letter of the definite (and possessive) articles:

• ⲡ for a masculine object
• ⲧ for a feminine object
• ⲛ for a plural object

The rest of the article is always ⲁⲓ-.

Examples

ⲡⲁⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ	this man	ⲧⲁⲓ̀ⲥϩⲓⲙⲓ	this woman	ⲛⲁⲓ̀ⲁⲗⲱⲟⲩ̀ⲓ	these boys
ⲡⲁⲓⲥⲟⲛ	this brother	ⲧⲁⲓϣⲟⲩⲣⲏ	this censer	ⲛⲁⲓϫⲓϫ	these hands
ⲡⲁⲓϣⲏⲣⲓ	this son	ⲧⲁⲓϣⲉⲣⲓ	this daughter	ⲛⲁⲓϩⲓⲟⲙⲓ	these women
ⲡⲁⲓⲟⲩⲣⲟ	this king	ⲧⲁⲓⲟⲩⲣⲱ	this queen	ⲛⲁⲓⲓⲟϯ	these fathers
ⲡⲁⲓⲟⲩⲏⲃ	this priest	ⲧⲁⲓⲉⲕ̀ⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ	this church	ⲛⲁⲓ̀ⲥⲛⲏⲟⲩ	these brothers
ⲡⲁⲓ̀ϣⲫⲏⲣ	this friend (m.)	ⲧⲁⲓ̀ϣⲫⲉⲣⲓ	this friend (f.)	ⲛⲁⲓⲟⲩⲣⲱⲟⲩ	these kings
ⲡⲁⲓ̀ⲁⲫⲟⲧ	this cup	ⲡⲁⲓⲱⲓⲕ	this bread	ⲡⲁⲓⲥⲱⲙⲁ	this body

Application

Application 1:

Biblical Examples

ϧⲉⲛ ϯ̀ⲕⲣⲓⲥⲓⲥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲁⲓϫⲱⲟⲩ	"in the Judgment with this generation" (Matthew 12:41)

Exercises

Exercise 1: Translate to Coptic

Translate the following phrases into Coptic:

Exercise 2: Translate to English

Translate the following phrases into English:

Exercise 3: Adapt the Hymn

The Veneration hymn ⲡⲓ̀ϩⲗⲟϫ is written for a singular male martyr. Adapt the words of the hymn to be for St Rebekah and her children (plural).

Ⲡⲓϩ̀ⲗⲟϫ ⲧⲉ ϯⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ: ⲡⲓϩ̀ⲗⲟϫ ⲫ̀ⲗⲁⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲑⲱⲟⲩϯ ϩⲁⲣⲟⲥ: ⲡⲓϩ̀ⲗⲟϫ ⲫ̀ⲗⲩⲙⲏⲛ ⲙ̀ⲡⲁⲓⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ: ⲡⲓⲁ̀ⲅⲓⲟⲥ (...) ⲡⲓⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ Ⲡⲉⲛϭⲟⲓⲥ Ⲓⲏⲥⲟⲩⲥ Ⲡⲓⲭ̀ⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ.	Delight is the church, delight is the people assembled in it, delight is the image of this martyr, Saint (...) the martyr of our Lord Jesus Christ
Ⲡⲓϩ̀ⲗⲟϫ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ: ⲱ̀ ⲡⲓⲥⲱⲧⲡ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ Ⲡⲓⲭ̀ⲣⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ: ⲡⲓϫⲱⲣⲓ ⲛ̀ⲇⲩⲛⲁⲧⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲥ̀ⲙⲁⲣⲱⲟⲩⲧ: ⲡⲓⲁ̀ⲅⲓⲟⲥ (...)	Delight is your holy name, O chosen one of Christ, the strong courageous and blessed one, O Saint (...)
Ⲉϣⲱⲡ ⲁⲛϣⲁⲛⲉⲣⲫ̀ⲙⲉⲩⲓ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ: ⲁ̀ⲛⲟⲛ ϧⲁ ⲛⲓⲭ̀ⲣⲓⲥⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ: ⲉⲣⲉ̀ⲑⲉⲗⲏⲗ ⲛ̀ϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲛϩⲏⲧ: ⲱ̀ ⲡⲓⲁ̀ⲅⲓⲟⲥ (...).	Whenever we mention your name, we the Christians, our hearts rejoice, O Saint (...).

Compare your results with the adaptation here: https://hymnologist.com/hymn/view/64 

Resources

• Page 46 of Sameh Younan PDF
• Page 143 of Nabil Mattar
• Lesson 3 of Moawad Daoud
• ACTS 2990 Introduction to the Coptic Language (Bohairic) with Hany Takla Lesson 2b