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(You) saved. Amen. And with your spirit.

phcosmanphcosman
edited December 1969 in Hymns Discussion
Can anyone tell me the origin of this response, and exactly what it is supposed to mean?
[coptic]cw;eic `amyn kai tou pneumati sou[/coptic] (Sotis Ameen. Ke tou pnevmati sou).

The problem is that the word [coptic]cw;eic[/coptic] does not exist in Greek.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Comments

  • minademianminademian
    No, sotheis is a Greek word. It's a Greek verb that means "You are/you are being saved".
  • phcosmanphcosman
    [coptic]cw;eis[/coptic] is most definitely not a Coptic word; it is definitely of Greek origin. It probably comes from the verb [coptic]cwzw[/coptic] to save. However, the correct for of the second person singular in the active voice of the present tense indicative mood (ie: you save) is [coptic]cwzeic[/coptic] or in the imperfect tense [coptic]cwzwic[/coptic] (ie: you are saving). In the passive (you are saved), it is [coptic]cwzwi[/coptic] in the singular or [coptic]cwzome;a[/coptic] in the plural. The imperfect passive is [coptic]ecwzw[/coptic] for the singular and [coptic]ecwzac;e[/coptic] for the plural.

    I understand what the individual words are trying to say, but in its current construction, the response as a whole is meaningless. If it addresses the Lord, we can assume that it was supposed to say [coptic]cwzeis[/coptic] You save or You are saving, but then, what are we returning to His spirit? Salvation? I don't think so!

    To me, it makes more sense if we consider [coptic]cw;eis[/coptic] and [coptic]amyn[/coptic] as one word, [coptic]cw;ycoimen[/coptic] (first person singular in the passive voice of the future tense in the optative mood; the particle [coptic]ke[/coptic] then indicates the optative mood (ie: it is not [coptic]kai[/coptic], meaning and). In this case, the response would mean something like, "Would that I be saved by Your Spirit!"

    Does anyone have access to any old manuscripts or facsimiles which would support this reading? It is the only one I could come up with after over 5 years of research that makes any sense.
  • Unknown
    [quote author=MarMar91 link=board=2;threadid=2299;start=0#msg34859 date=1124045297]
    if it doesn't exist in Greek it must be Coptic!
    I am not sure about [coptic]coyic[/coptic], u know what amen means, and we always say [coptic]ke tou Pneuma ti cou[/coptic], it means and with your spirit, so sotis must mean saved in Copic if u urself said it wasn't Greek, cuz then if its really not Greek, it has to be coptic...

    God Bless



    MarMar actually Coptic comes from Greek so basically every word in coptic is greek!
  • phcosmanphcosman
    Coptic does not come from Greek; it is the final stage of development of the ancient Egyptian language. Twenty-four of the letters in the Coptic alphabet were borrowed from Greek, while the remaining eight letters were preserved from thedemotic form of writing Egyptian. Interestingly, the Greek alphabet was thought to be completely borrowed from Egyptian forms of writing.

    As a language, however, there is no evidence that Greek played a significant role in the evolution of Coptic.
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