ⲧⲙⲛ̄ⲧⲣⲙ̄ⲛ̄ⲕⲏⲙⲉ Coptic
Coptic is the latest written stage of Egyptian, preserved in a large Christian literary tradition and documentary texts. It’s a key language for late antique Egypt, early monasticism, and the transmission of texts.
Family: AfroasiaticBranch: EgyptianPeriod: c. 200 CE → present (liturgical use continues)
Region: Egypt (late antique and medieval)
c. 200 CE → present (liturgical use continues)
Link legend: links marked “(archived)” open an Internet Archive snapshot because the original site is down or unreliable.
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Typing help
Coptic is commonly typed with a Greek keyboard plus extra Coptic letters (fonts/keyboard layouts vary by OS). Copy/paste also works well for occasional characters.
Dictionaries
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- Notes: By far the best option for a Coptic dictionary. Download, install, enjoy. A seriously excellent resource.
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- Notes: Appears to contain the same Coptic dictionary as the Marcion database, but without all the other resources.
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- Notes: Includes Greek and Arabic indices.
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- Notes: Includes Coptic character entry.
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- Notes: Probably the least-accessible copy around.
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- Notes: There really are a lot of ways to get this book. Just use Marcion, though.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: Handy to keep available as a quick reference.
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- Notes: See also the Latin-Coptic dictionary.
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Another Coptic-Latin Dictionary
- Notes: The Lexicon Linguae Copticae
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Yet Another Coptic-Latin Dictionary
- Notes: The Venerable Lexicon Aegyptiaco-Latinum
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How Many Coptic-Latin Dictionaries Are There?
- Notes: This one includes Arabic and is very, very old.
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Words and Frequencies in the NT
- Format: PDF
- Notes: A very useful resource for the study of the Coptic NT.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: A short PDF file.
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Short English-Coptic Vocabulary
- Format: PDF
- Notes: With illustrative sentences, taken from many different sources.
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- Notes: A medium-sized list of words.
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- Notes: The counterpart to the above.
Grammars
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: Also available in Marcion. Came before Layton’s time.
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- Notes: Quite compendious and quite old.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: A nice summary including good verb tables.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: Another nice summary, this for the Sahidic dialect.
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- Notes: In French; contains a chrestomathy.
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- Notes: From 1880, by Stern.
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- Notes: This one comes from 1850, by Schwartze and Steinthal.
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- Notes: Like all great works, written in Latin.
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- Notes: For when you know Latin and only need the rudiments of something.
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- Notes: Link appears to have rotted; archived copy provided.
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- Notes: A great set of lessons, very well put together and fun to use.
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- Notes: A decent site.
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- Access: Font
- Notes: From the St. Shenouda website; you’ll need a special font.
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- Access: Font
- Notes: Requires a Coptic font.
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- Notes: Become an Egyptian person, from the time of the pharaohs…
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: PDF files, although they don’t appear to use the Coptic characters…
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- Notes: We’re not really convinced that this is the best way.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: Calling all deacons and Sunday schools!
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: A short series.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: Sadly, it looks like there’s only one.
Charts & Aids
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: A nice summary including good verb tables.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: Another very nice summary, this for the Sahidic dialect.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: Terminology is not that of Layton.
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- Access: Font
- Notes: Requires a Coptic font.
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- Access: Font
- Notes: Also requires a Coptic font here.
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- Notes: Yes, this is definitely amazing.
Texts
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: A very lovely file with the entire NT.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: From the same source as the Sahidic above.
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- Notes: Relevant files are #‘s 115, 127, 128, 129, and 131.
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- Format: PDF
- Access: Font
- Notes: PDF files, and other pages require a Coptic font.
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- Notes: Bible texts online in many languages with parallel viewing.
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- Notes: A number of scanned books with Coptic biblical texts.
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- Notes: Great texts here.
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- Notes: Awesome site!
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- Notes: You might need to know Italian…
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- Notes: Let’s disco dance, Nag Hammadi!
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- Notes: In French; you can search.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: What do you mean, you thought the language was dead?!?
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: PDF files; the Coptic is below the Arabic for each chapter.
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- Notes: Book in German, text in Coptic.
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- Notes: Only certain ones, though.
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- Notes: Large files; there are better options. Luke/John, Paul, other books.
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- Notes: Same as above. John, Paul 1 & 2, Acts, Catholic Epistles/Revelation.
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Sahidic Deuteronomy, Jonah, Acts
- Notes: It’s a new biblical papyrus!
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- Notes: The great Acta Apostolorum.
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- Notes: He was a very just man.
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- Notes: Images, plus descriptions and other information.
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- Notes: From the St. Shenouda Coptic Society, with descriptions.
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- Notes: Many different texts, lots of fun to read!
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Coptic Texts, Books, and Manuscripts
- Notes: Take the time to look around, it’s worth it.
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- Notes: The Upper Egyptian dialect.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: In the dialect of Upper Egypt. A large PDF file.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: From National Geographic.
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- Format: PDF
- Notes: An interlinear PDF.
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- Notes: A number of different doxologies.
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- Notes: Contains an English translation.
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- Notes: Bless the Freer collection!
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- Notes: Lots of Coptic to read.
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- Notes: Our man Crum makes an appearance.
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- Notes: In French, with Coptic.
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Life of the Coptic Patriarch Isaac
- Notes: With a critical analysis in French.
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Coptic Fragments from Christian History
- Notes: From various places (in French, with Coptic).
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- Notes: Various Coptic texts.
Other Resources
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- Notes: A truly majestic collection.
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Short Bibliography of Coptic Studies
- Notes: Not complete, certainly, but a nice place to begin.
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Some Very Old Coptic Reference Books
- Notes: Includes materials in several languages (including Coptic). Open an entry and use the site viewer to read it.
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Checklist of Old Text Editions
- Notes: Papyri, ostraca, and tablets.
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List of Coptic study resources
- Notes: A list of print and other materials.
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- Notes: Looks good, though we certainly aren’t experts.
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Bibliography of Coptic Phonology
- Notes: A very nice list, with links to the files.
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- Notes: A collection from a conference.
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- Access: Subscription
- Notes: Unfortunately you have to have an institutional subscription to access this.
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- Notes: FREE scholarship!
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- Notes: A personal website, with some articles.
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- Notes: Another scholar.
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- Notes: A third scholar.
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- Notes: You can feel their excitement - serious Coptic enthusiasts are here, so join the group and contribute to their projects.
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- Notes: For many topics of Coptica.
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- Notes: Various items of interest.
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