Comments on: Learning Coptic http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/ musings mainly related to my PhD on the Gospel of Thomas Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:05:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Layton’s Coptic Grammar – some comments « Judy’s research blog http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-1051 Layton’s Coptic Grammar – some comments « Judy’s research blog Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:21:06 +0000 http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-1051 [...] reading the introduction and first few of chapters and am finding them enlightening. As I commented here in 2007, Layton uses a different terminology for describing Coptic to the one used by Lambdin (who, [...] [...] reading the introduction and first few of chapters and am finding them enlightening. As I commented here in 2007, Layton uses a different terminology for describing Coptic to the one used by Lambdin (who, [...]

]]> By: judy learning blog http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-642 judy learning blog Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:10:07 +0000 http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-642 [...] Coptic &171 Judy&8217s research blogmusings related to my PhD on the Gospel of Thomas...http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/HeyJudeoptional extra para Inquiry Based learning is basically like problem based learning but more [...] [...] Coptic &171 Judy&8217s research blogmusings related to my PhD on the Gospel of Thomas…http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/HeyJudeoptional extra para Inquiry Based learning is basically like problem based learning but more [...]

]]> By: Simon Holloway http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-536 Simon Holloway Thu, 01 May 2008 03:52:46 +0000 http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-536 Ah, I was worried that you might mention Macquarie University! That is actually where I'm studying, and the texts that they have made available seem still to be the only ones around. I am in my second year now and, while I had no problem with Sahidic last year, the dialects this year are very confusing. Bohairic, Akhmimic and Fayyumic are the ones that we have been looking at so far, but we are also going to be doing some Mesokemic and Lycopolitan. I shall see if I can find Layton's grammar in the library: USD125 <i>is</i> too much for a paperback. Thankyou! Ah, I was worried that you might mention Macquarie University! That is actually where I’m studying, and the texts that they have made available seem still to be the only ones around. I am in my second year now and, while I had no problem with Sahidic last year, the dialects this year are very confusing. Bohairic, Akhmimic and Fayyumic are the ones that we have been looking at so far, but we are also going to be doing some Mesokemic and Lycopolitan.

I shall see if I can find Layton’s grammar in the library: USD125 is too much for a paperback. Thankyou!

]]> By: Judy Redman http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-534 Judy Redman Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:43:55 +0000 http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-534 Simon, If you click on the Coptic category in the Categories heading on the left, you will find several more posts about learning Coptic that have information about a range of other resources. Plumley's <i>Coptic Grammar </i>is an on-line resource that is helpful. Ariel Shisha-Halevy’s <i>Coptic Grammatical Chrestomathy</i> has some very helpful tables at the back that show how everything fits together. Layton's <i>A Coptic Grammar</i> is probably the most comprehensive book available but he talks about the grammar using a different set of descriptors to those used by Lambdin, so you need sometimes to switch mindsets. I will eventually have to "bite the bullet" and buy a copy of this book, but the cheapest I've ever seen it is about USD125 which seems to me to be outrageous for a paperback. What other dialects are you interested in? If you go to <a> http://www.stshenouda.com/society/copticcd.htm</a> you can order a copy of the Coptic CD volume 1 which, in addition to copies of the New Testament in Sahidic, Bohairic and Greek, also has lessons in Bohairic Coptic. Other than that, Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, offers an on-line course in Coptic that includes "The study of Bohairic and other dialects (Akhmimic, Lycopolitan, Fayumic, Mesokemic) gives access to the entire wealth of Coptic literature in the original." You can find information about it by clicking on <a href="http://www.coptic.mq.edu.au/subjects.html#lan" rel="nofollow"> http://www.coptic.mq.edu.au/subjects.html#lan</a> and following the appropriate link. They may be able to point you to print resources. http://www.coptic.mq.edu.au/subjects.html#lan Simon,

If you click on the Coptic category in the Categories heading on the left, you will find several more posts about learning Coptic that have information about a range of other resources. Plumley’s Coptic Grammar is an on-line resource that is helpful. Ariel Shisha-Halevy’s Coptic Grammatical Chrestomathy has some very helpful tables at the back that show how everything fits together. Layton’s A Coptic Grammar is probably the most comprehensive book available but he talks about the grammar using a different set of descriptors to those used by Lambdin, so you need sometimes to switch mindsets. I will eventually have to “bite the bullet” and buy a copy of this book, but the cheapest I’ve ever seen it is about USD125 which seems to me to be outrageous for a paperback.

What other dialects are you interested in? If you go to http://www.stshenouda.com/society/copticcd.htm you can order a copy of the Coptic CD volume 1 which, in addition to copies of the New Testament in Sahidic, Bohairic and Greek, also has lessons in Bohairic Coptic. Other than that, Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, offers an on-line course in Coptic that includes “The study of Bohairic and other dialects (Akhmimic, Lycopolitan, Fayumic, Mesokemic) gives access to the entire wealth of Coptic literature in the original.” You can find information about it by clicking on
http://www.coptic.mq.edu.au/subjects.html#lan and following the appropriate link. They may be able to point you to print resources.

http://www.coptic.mq.edu.au/subjects.html#lan

]]> By: Simon Holloway http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-533 Simon Holloway Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:17:04 +0000 http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-533 I found your blog through a link on Iyov's blog. What you say about Lambdin resonates with me: I had similar problems with his Coptic grammar, as regards the silliness of his sentences. I also found irritating the fact that his index did not allow one to find where he spoke about individual words. This is a problem also with his Hebrew grammar. As regards the latter, I was fortunate in discovering it at such a time as I was already reasonably familiar with Hebrew grammar, and so this was not so great a drawback. Nonetheless, I do prefer texts like GKC that enable one to isolate discussions on individual lexemes. I know of nothing like this for Coptic. I also was fortunate to be given the opportunity, in my Honours year, of working through Lambin's grammar on Ge'ez. THAT one, I found very useful, but perhaps this is only because virtually nothing else existed to guide the beginning student. Not much else seems to exist for Coptic either. And certainly not for dialects other than Sahidic (a problem that is presently becoming the bane of my existence). I should have a look at Layton; I had previously not heard of him, but I am ready to clutch at any straws that I may find right now, and his might be of the life-saving kind. I found your blog through a link on Iyov’s blog. What you say about Lambdin resonates with me: I had similar problems with his Coptic grammar, as regards the silliness of his sentences. I also found irritating the fact that his index did not allow one to find where he spoke about individual words. This is a problem also with his Hebrew grammar. As regards the latter, I was fortunate in discovering it at such a time as I was already reasonably familiar with Hebrew grammar, and so this was not so great a drawback. Nonetheless, I do prefer texts like GKC that enable one to isolate discussions on individual lexemes. I know of nothing like this for Coptic.

I also was fortunate to be given the opportunity, in my Honours year, of working through Lambin’s grammar on Ge’ez. THAT one, I found very useful, but perhaps this is only because virtually nothing else existed to guide the beginning student. Not much else seems to exist for Coptic either. And certainly not for dialects other than Sahidic (a problem that is presently becoming the bane of my existence). I should have a look at Layton; I had previously not heard of him, but I am ready to clutch at any straws that I may find right now, and his might be of the life-saving kind.

]]> By: Coptic in Twenty Lessons « Judy’s research blog http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-107 Coptic in Twenty Lessons « Judy’s research blog Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:49:14 +0000 http://judyredman.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/learning-coptic/#comment-107 [...] 20 Lessons (Leuven: Peeters, 2007) arrived yesterday and I’ve enjoyed leafing through it. As I had guessed from the table of contents, he uses a very different method to the one used by Thomas Lambdin in [...] [...] 20 Lessons (Leuven: Peeters, 2007) arrived yesterday and I’ve enjoyed leafing through it. As I had guessed from the table of contents, he uses a very different method to the one used by Thomas Lambdin in [...]

]]>