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Learning Coptic

ANDPOCANDPOC
edited December 1969 in Personal Issues
Hi guys, I'm trying to learn Coptic so I can better understand how to read it during liturgy. I'm a deacon who's dependant on a lot of things and although I can sing the hyms I can't read the Coptic language. I've got the alphabet down, and I have a Coptic-English dictionary that helps out a bunch but I don't feel this will help me with spelling and pronunciation. To top it all off, they don't teach Coptic here since our church is so small, that's almost unheard of!

Any tips would be majorly apreciated, and no I don't have Aghape TV.

God Bless.

Comments

  • Amoussa01
    Hello,

    I am glad to see your willingness to learn! Here are some sites that may help you in the process...

    http://www.mycopticchurch.com/coptic/
    http://www.geocities.com/ambroseboles/coptic_language/links.htm

    Since you already learned the alphabet, it should not take you long at all..

    GB
    Tony
  • Unknown
    [quote author=ANDPOC link=topic=6993.msg93439#msg93439 date=1217553151]
    Hi guys, I'm trying to learn Coptic so I can better understand how to read it during liturgy. I'm a deacon who's dependant on a lot of things and although I can sing the hyms I can't read the Coptic language. I've got the alphabet down, and I have a Coptic-English dictionary that helps out a bunch but I don't feel this will help me with spelling and pronunciation. To top it all off, they don't teach Coptic here since our church is so small, that's almost unheard of!

    Any tips would be majorly apreciated, and no I don't have Aghape TV.

    God Bless.


    Im glad also to see your willingness to learn. You're very positive in your efforts, and sincere. I've never seen anyone come to Church with a Coptic-English Dictionary. Where did u get it from? I've never seen one at all. I think that would help many people also.

    Do you find that whilst trying to understand the liturgy (i.e. reading your dictionary, looking at translations etc) that it dissuades u from praying during the liturgical service?
  • SilentOneSilentOne
    QT I don't think he looks through the dictionary during the actual service, especially if he's a deacon.
  • coptic pharoahcoptic pharoah
    [quote author=QT_PA_2T link=topic=6993.msg93443#msg93443 date=1217576321]

    Im glad also to see your willingness to learn. You're very positive in your efforts, and sincere. I've never seen anyone come to Church with a Coptic-English Dictionary. Where did u get it from? I've never seen one at all. I think that would help many people also.

    Do you find that whilst trying to understand the liturgy (i.e. reading your dictionary, looking at translations etc) that it dissuades u from praying during the liturgical service?


    i know the Coptic-English Dictionary is available at the bookstore at the Church of St.Mary and St.Athanasius in Mississauga, Ontaio, Canada... i just asked a freind to get it for me, and i know someone who has it.... i took a very very quick look inside and it looks pretty good....
  • ANDPOCANDPOC
    Hello again guys.

    To Amoussa01: thank you for the links I look forward to checking them out! :)
    To QT: nah, the hyms are so beautiful and I enjoy singing them. If I only understood and knew how to read the Coptic characters then I think I'd be better off.
    To coptic pharaoh: yes, that's the one. I make frequent trips to St. Mary's in Mississauga so I was able to get it.

    Thanks for encouraging me guys, I apreciate it. :)

    God Bless.
  • user00
    http://stshenoudajc.org/index.php/Videos/

    Father David Bebawy is very good at teaching the Coptic Language... I actually learned to read from him.
  • NeedWisdom
    http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Want-Learn-Coptic/dp/0975794906

    This is a good book it seems
  • Shady_IshakShady_Ishak
    First of all .. it is so good that you want to learn coptic .. and just to know it is amazing when you learn how to read the coptic language itself not the arabic coptic which is common in most of the books ...

    if you want to learn that language .. reading at first .. get the course of Anba Dimetrieus, the name of the course is Kata Kouji Koji .. means learn Coptic step by step .. you will really be able to read coptic language .. they are about 13 lessons .. if you want them i have them already .... and I will be at your service if you want to ....

    Thanks ...

    Shady
  • gergesezzatgergesezzat
    [quote author=Amoussa01 link=topic=6993.msg93441#msg93441 date=1217562455]
    Hello,

    I am glad to see your willingness to learn! Here are some sites that may help you in the process...

    http://www.mycopticchurch.com/coptic/
    http://www.geocities.com/ambroseboles/coptic_language/links.htm

    Since you already learned the alphabet, it should not take you long at all..

    GB
    Tony

    you can find in the second link a good Coptic English dictionary.
    pray for me
  • ArchdeaconArchdeacon
    You have a dictionary and you can read.  That's already about 50% of the language.  You should have no trouble picking up new words and being able to distinguish what words are Coptic and what are not.  However, as with learning any other language, you need exposure.  Since Coptic is as of yet not a spoken language, you won't be able to find any Coptic media (TV, movies, etc) other than recordings of Coptic hymns.  For all intents and purposes these are good enough, just make sure you listen to hymns in which you can actually hear the language (i.e. don't listen to those 20 min long hymns that just take one vowel and elongate it).  For example, listen to the tasbeha, all tasbeha: doxologies, canticles, theotokias, psalis.  These are great examples of what you should use for exposure.  I also recommend the Divine Liturgy in coptic.  Get all this stuff on tape or cd or mp3 and put it in your car, cd player, mp3 player, ... and LISTEN.  Constantly listen.  The more you bombard yourself, the more you will learn.
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