Discover the fascinating history of the Coptic language with 'The Rise of Coptic.' This insightful book details the emergence of Coptic as a written form of Egyptian language during the third century, a time when Greek dominated official discourse in Egypt. Dive into Jean-Luc Fournet's thorough examination of Coptic's development amid the profound cultural, religious, and political transformations of late antiquity. This meticulously researched volume explores Coptic's initial limitation to biblical translation and monastic correspondence, highlighting its gradual rise to prominence in literature, liturgy, and legal communication by the sixth century. Gain a deeper understanding of why Coptic eventually achieved recognition as an official language alongside Greek. A must-read for scholars and enthusiasts of linguistics, history, and ancient studies, 'The Rise of Coptic' elegantly intertwines historical facts with a narrative style that captivates. With its trade-binding format and publication by Princeton University Press in 2020, this brand new edition is a valuable addition to any library. Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Enhance your reading collection with this essential work and appreciate the significant role of monasticism in Coptic's adoption before the Arab conquest.

Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691198347
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2020
Publisher: Princeton University Press


Description:


Coptic emerged as the written form of the Egyptian language in the third century, when Greek was still the official language in Egypt. By the time of the Arab conquest of Egypt in 641, Coptic had almost achieved official status, but only after an unusually prolonged period of stagnation. Jean-Luc Fournet traces this complex history, showing how the rise of Coptic took place amid profound cultural, religious, and political changes in late antiquity.

For some three hundred years after its introduction into the written culture of Egypt, Coptic was limited to biblical translation and private and monastic correspondence, while Greek retained its monopoly on administrative, legal, and literary writing. This changed during the sixth century, when Coptic began to penetrate domains that were once closed to it, such as literature, liturgy, regulated transactions between individuals, and communications between the state and its subjects. Fournet examines the reasons for Coptic's late development as a competing language-which was unlike what happened with other vernacular languages in Near Eastern Greek-speaking societies-and explains why Coptic eventually succeeded in being recognized with Greek as an official language.

Incisively written and rich with insights, The Rise of Coptic draws on a wealth of archival evidence to shed new light on the role of monasticism in the growing use of Coptic before the Arab conquest.