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Egyptian Language II

Code: 44503 ECTS Credits: 10
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
4315555 Egyptology OB 2

Contact

Name:
Josep Cervello Autuori
Email:
josep.cervello@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

Have previously taken the module Egyptian Language I.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The general objective of this module is for students to specialise in Egyptian philology, specifically in the evolution of the Egyptian language, the grammar of Middle and Late Egyptian, and an introduction to the demotic and Coptic languages, through theoretical and practical classes. They will also learn in depth the philological and linguistic concepts, methods, and techniques of Egyptology and the history of philological and linguistic thought in Egyptology. These are the contents they will have to work on:
1) Elements of language history and diachronic linguistics of Egyptian.
2) In-depth study of Middle Egyptian grammar: final questions of verbal morphosyntax; syntax of the compound sentence (initialism, sequentiality, dependency, and subordination); theory of enunciation.
3) Late Egyptian grammar: graphemic; phonetic and phonological changes with respect to Middle Egyptian; nominal inflection; verbal inflection; syntax; enunciation.
4) Introduction to demotic language and written culture.
5) Introduction to Coptic language and written culture.
6) Egyptian linguistics from Champollion to the present day.


Competences

  • Act in a creative and original way with solidarity and spirit of scientific collaboration.
  • Assess the quality, self-imposed, rigor, responsibility and social commitment, both in training and in the scientific and informative work.
  • Critically analyze a given scientific problem based on historical and cultural sources.
  • Define the assignment, the type and the successive stages of development of the ancient Egyptian language.
  • Demonstrate expertise of Egyptian philology, both synchronic and diachronic, as well as the different currents of thought egiptológico philological-linguistic.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the grammar of Middle Egyptian (and Ancient Egyptian), Neo Egyptian, Demotic and Coptic.
  • Identify the four systems of Egyptian writing (hieroglyphic, hieratic, Demotics and Coptic) and understand their uses, chronologies, paleographies and functioning.
  • Knowledge and understanding that provide a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and / or applying ideas, often in a research context.
  • Teaming up with special sensitivity interdisciplinarity.
  • That students are able to integrate knowledge and handle complexity and formulate judgments based on information that was incomplete or limited, include reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
  • That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Act in a creative and original way with solidarity and spirit of scientific collaboration.
  2. Assess the quality, self-imposed, rigor, responsibility and social commitment, both in training and in the scientific and informative work.
  3. Assessing the historical-linguistic meaning of the passage from the old to the late Egyptian (or half-Egyptian in Egyptian Revival architecture) Egyptian.
  4. Critically analyse the main philological and linguistic schools of Ancient Egyptian language in their different phases.
  5. Critically analyze a given scientific problem based on historical and cultural sources.
  6. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of paleography hieratic writing and overlooking the reading of texts.
  7. Demonstrate basic knowledge of Coptic writing.
  8. Demonstrate basic knowledge of Demotic writing.
  9. Demonstrate basic knowledge of grammar and culture in Coptic literature.
  10. Demonstrate basic knowledge of grammar and culture in Demotic literature.
  11. Demonstrate higher knowledge of Egyptian writing (writing by groups, cryptography and other graphic and paleographic particularities).
  12. Demonstrate higher knowledge of Middle Egyptian grammar (syntax of composite oration, subordination, semantics and enunciation).
  13. Demonstrate knowledge of Neo Egyptian grammar (phonology and phonetics, morphosyntax, semantics and enunciation).
  14. Describe the defining of the Egyptian language grammatical features from both a synchronic point of view as diachronic.
  15. Describe the dynamics between the written and spoken language in the evolutionary history of the Egyptian language.
  16. Grammatically analyse and translate Neo Egyptian passages in hieroglyphic and hieratic writing.
  17. Grammatically analyse and translate passages of Middle Egyptian in hieroglyphic and hieratic writing of a high level of difficulty.
  18. Knowledge and understanding that provide a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and / or applying ideas, often in a research context.
  19. Report the main problems of diachronic study of the Egyptian.
  20. Teaming up with special sensitivity interdisciplinarity.
  21. That students are able to integrate knowledge and handle complexity and formulate judgments based on information that was incomplete or limited, include reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
  22. That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.

Content

SUBJECT 1. MIDDLE EGYPTIAN GRAMMAR II

A. PHONOLOGY AND TRANSCRIPTION

1) Phonology and phonetics of Middle Egyptian.

2) Phonetic and graphic evolution.

3) The transcription of proper names in Spanish.

B. MIDDLE EGYPTIAN GRAMMAR

Review: participles, sḏmty=fy form, relative verbal form.

1) Negative verbs and the negative verbal complement.

2) The sḏmt=f form.

3) The bivalent participle.

4) The auxiliaries of enunciation.

5) The converters.

6) Rematization (I): cleft sentences.

7) Rematization (II): the emphatic forms of the suffix conjugation.

8) The initial aorist (= the mrr=f form) and the prospective.

9) Periphrastic constructions (ỉrỉ, pȝỉ, sḏr...).

10) Negation: recapitulation.

11) Interrogation: recapitulation.

12) Operative verbs and completive sentences.

13) Circumstantial and conditional sentences.

14) Relative sentences.

15) Graphic peculiarities, cryptography and group writing.

16) Proper nouns: grammatical structure.

 

SUBJECT 2: LATE EGYPTIAN GRAMMAR

A. DIACHRONIC EGYPTIAN LINGUISTICS

1) From first-phase Egyptian to second-phase Egyptian: elements of historical grammar.

2) Late Egyptian in the history of the Egyptian language: chronology, defining features, and areas of use.

3) Language and scripts: Late Egyptian language, hieroglyphic script, and hieratic script. Differences between the hieroglyphic and hieratic scripts of Middle Egyptian and Late Egyptian texts. Graphic peculiarities of Late Egyptian hieratic. Group writing.

B. LATE EGYPTIAN GRAMMAR

1) Morphosyntax of the nominal inflection. Changes with respect to Middle Egyptian. Articles, demonstratives, and possessives. Indefinites. Personal pronouns.

2)Grammatical words: prepositions, adverbs, and particles. Converters.

3) Introduction to the morphosyntax of verbal inflection. Transformations with respect to Middle Egyptian. The infinitive. The stative.

4) Morphosyntax of the verbal inflection (I): the autonomous forms.

5) Morphosyntax of the verbal inflection (II): the non-autonomous forms.

6) Syntax of the non-verbal sentence: noun and adjectival predicate sentences.

7) Remation: cleft sentences and second tenses.

8) Dependent sentence syntax: relative clauses introduced by nty and circumstantial clauses introduced by ỉw and by ỉr.

 

SUBJECT 3. INTRODUCTION TO DEMOTIC AND COPTIC LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

A. INTRODUCTION TO DEMOTIC LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

WEEK 1

Theoretical lessons

1) History of the demotic language and script.

2) Demotic in its Mediterranean context.

3) History of demotic studies.

4) Demotic texts. Demotic literature.

Practical classes

1) Methodology: demotic signs and transliteration system.

2) Resources: grammars, dictionaries, anthologies of texts, and other reference works.

WEEK 2

Theoretical and practical classes

1) Introduction to demotic grammar: a diachronic view.

2) Morphology.

3) Non-verbal system.

4) Verbal system.

B. INTRODUCTION TO COPTIC LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

WEEK 1

Theoretical classes

1) Introduction to "Coptic Egypt".

2) The Coptic language in the context of the Egyptian language, Coptic dialects.

3) The Coptic alphabet.

4) Coptic literature.

5) Coptic culture: history of the Coptic church, the monastic movement, Coptic art.

Practical classes

1) Use of the dictionary.

2) Reading exercises.

WEEK 2

Theoretical and practical lessons

1) Invariable parts of speech.

2) Elements of nominal morphology.

3) Non-verbal predicate sentences.

4) Elements of verbal morphology.

5) Verbal predicate sentences.

6) Translation exercises of sentences and short texts.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Classroom interventions 10 0.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
In-class exams and tests in Middle Egyptian, Late Egyptian, Demotic, and Coptic 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Theoretical and practical classroom lessons with the support of ICT 60 2.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Type: Supervised      
Follow-up tutorials 5 0.2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Type: Autonomous      
Study and personal work by the student 160 6.4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

Specification of what the STUDENT AUTONOMOUS ACTIVITY consists of:

a) Study (studying is that process or set of personal or group activities that leads to knowing things and being able to explain them in a coherent and orderly way, orally or in writing).

b) Personal work: consultation of grammars, dictionaries, text editions, and reference works in the field of Egyptian philology; reading of specialised bibliography; carrying out exercises in Middle Egyptian, Late Egyptian, demotic and Coptic grammar (translation and analysis of sentences and short texts); preparation of interventions in class and tutorials; preparation of continuous assessment activities and exams and tests in class.

Note: 15 minutes of a class within the timetable established by the centre or by the degree programme will be set aside for students to complete the teacher performance evaluation and subject or module evaluation surveys.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Classroom interventions and follow-up tutorials in Middle and Late Egyptian grammar 10% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22
Guided in-class activities in demotic and Coptic languages 20% 0 0 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
Home-based activities in demotic and Coptic languages 20% 0 0 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
In-class exams and tests on Middle and Late Egyptian grammar 50% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

To pass the module students must pass the evaluation of the three subjects that compose it.

In the table, the hours of dedication to each activity are not specified because they may vary from one student to another. The approximate total hours of the student's personal work are specified in the table in the "Methodology" section.

The assessment will consist of the four types of activities specified in the table.

As regards the grading review procedure, teachers will inform students of the procedure at the time of each assessment activity.

With regard to make-up tests and exams, the teacher will agree the dates with the students, which must be within the month following the original test or exam. Students who have passed a test or exam but wish to improve their marks may also sit the make-up exam. In principle, the work and activities that the student carries out in an autonomous way are not subject to recovery.


Bibliography

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. DIACHRONIC LINGUISTICS OF EGYPTIAN AND LINGUISTIC THEORY IN EGYPTOLOGY

Allen, J.P. 2013. The Ancient Egyptian Language. An Historical Study. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Allen, J.P. 2020. Ancient Egyptian Phonology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Cervelló Autuori, J. 20162. Escrituras, lengua y cultura en el antiguo Egipto. El espejo y la lámpara 11. Bellaterra: Edicions UAB.

Lloyd, A.B. (ed.) 2010. A Companion to Ancient Egypt. 2 vols. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. Parte V: Language and Literature. Vol. II: 639-778.

Loprieno, A. 1995. Ancient Egyptian. A Linguistic Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

B. MIDDLE EGYPTIAN GRAMMARS

Allen, J.P. 20143.Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Borghouts, J. F. 2010. Egyptian. An Introduction to the Writing and Language of the Middle Kingdom. Egyptologische Uitgaven 24. 2 vols. Leiden: Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten / Lovaina: Peeters.

Collier, M.; Manley, B. 1998. How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs. London: British Museum Press. (Spanish transl. by Pérez-Accino, J.R. 2000. Introducción a los jeroglíficos egipcios. Madrid: Alianza.)

Gardiner, A.H. 19271, 19572. Egyptian Grammar, Being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs. Oxford: Griffith Institute.

Grandet, P.; Mathieu, B. 19972. Cours d'égyptien hiéroglyphique. Paris: Khéops.

Malaise, M; Winand, J. 1999. Grammaire raisonnée de l'égyptien classique. Aegyptiaca Leodiensia 6. Liège: Centre Informatique de Philosophie et Lettres.

C. LATE EGYPTIAN GRAMMARS

Černý, J.; Groll, S.I. A Late Egyptian Grammar. Studia Pohl-Series maior 4. Roma: Biblical Institute Press, 1984.

Junge, F. Einführung in die Grammatik des Neuägyptischen. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 20083 (English transl. from the second ed. Late Egyptian Grammar. An Introduction. Oxford: Griffith Institute, 2001).

Neveu, F. La langue des Ramsès. Grammaire du néo-égyptien. Paris: Khéops, 19982.

Winand, J. Études de néo-égyptien, 1: La morphologie verbale. Aegyptiaca Leodiensia 2. Liège: Centre Informatique de Philosophie et Lettres-Université de Liège, 1992.

D. DICTIONARIES (MIDDLE AND LATE EGYPTIAN)

Erman, A.; Grapow, H. 1926-1963. Wörterbuch der ägyptischen Sprache. 7 vols. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs / Berlín: Akademie Verlag.

Faulkner, R.O. 1962. A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian. Oxford: Griffith Institute.

Hannig, R. 20064. Die Sprache der Pharaonen. Groes Handwörterbuch Ägyptisch-Deutsch (2800-950 v.Chr.). Mainz: Philipp von Zabern.

Hannig, R. 2003/2006. Ägyptisches Wörterbuch. Hannig-Lexica 4/5. Kulturgeschichte der antiken Welt 98/112. Mainz: Philipp von Zabern.

Lesko, L. H. ed. 1982-19901. A Dictionary of Late Egyptian. 5 vols. Berkeley-Providence: B. C. Scribe Publications. (New ed. 2 vols. 2002-20042.)

Meeks, D. 1980-1982. Année lexicographique. Égypte ancienne. 1977-1979. 3 vols. Paris: publicado por el editor. (Republished Cybèle 1998.)

Schweitzer, S.D., 2020. Ancient Egyptian Dictionary. 3 vols. Online: https://ancientworldonline.blogspot.com/2020/10/ancient-egyptian-dictionary.html.

Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae (TLA), 2014. Online: https://aaew.bbaw.de/tla/index.html.

Vocabulaire de l'Égyptien Ancien (VégA). Online: https://vega-vocabulaire-egyptien-ancien.fr/en/welcome-page/.

D. DEMOTIC LANGUAGE

AGUT-LABORDÈRE, D. ; CHAUVEAU, M. 2011. Héros, magiciens et sages oubliés de l’Égypte ancienne : une anthologie de la littérature en Égyptien démotique. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.

DEPAUW, M. 1997. A Companion to Demotic Studies. PapBrux. 28. Bruxelles: FERE.

EL-AGUIZY, O. 1998. A Palaeographical Study of Demotic Papyri in the Cairo Museum from the Reign of King Taharka to the End of the Ptolemic Period (684-30 B.C.). MIFAO 113. Cairo: IFAO.

ERICHSEN, W. 1954. Demotisches Glossar. Copenhaguen: Ejnar Munksgaard.

JOHNSON, J.H. 19761, 20042. The Demotic Verbal System. SAOC 38. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

JOHNSON, J.H. 19861, 20003. Thus wrote ’Onchsheshonqy: An Introductory Grammar of Demotic. SAOC 45. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

JOHNSON, J.H. 2001. The Demotic Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. https://oi.uchicago.edu/research/projects/chicago-demotic-dictionary-cdd-0.

LÜDDECKENS, E.; BRUNSCH, W. 1980–2000. Demotisches Namenbuch. Wiesbaden: L. Reichert.

SIMPSON, R.S. 1996. Demotic Grammar in the Ptolemaic Sacerdotal Decrees. Griffith Institute Monographs 1. Oxford: Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum.

SPIEGELBERG, W. 1925. Demotische Grammatik. Heidelberg: Carl Winter.

E. COPTIC LANGUAGE

Černý, J. 1976. Coptic Etymological Dictionary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Crum, W.E. 1939. A Coptic Dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Lambdin, T.O. 1983. Introduction to Sahidic Coptic. Macon: Mercer University Press.

Layton, B. 20001, 20113. A Coptic Grammar, With Chrestomathy and Glossary. Sahidic Dialect. PLO 20 (n. s.). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.

Plumley, M.J. 1948. An Introductory Coptic Grammar (Sahidic Dialect). London: Home & van Thal.

Reintges, C.H. 2004. Coptic Egyptian (Sahidic Dialect). AfrWL 15. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe.

Smith, R. 1983. A Concise Coptic-English Lexicon. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans.

VVAA. 1994. Langue et littérature coptes. Le monde copte 24. Limoges.


Software

JSesh, hieroglyphic writing software.
It can be downloaded free of charge from: https://jsesh.qenherkhopeshef.org/


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 Spanish annual afternoon