ⲉ-

Coptic

Etymology

From Demotic (r, “to(ward), at, against, concerning”), from Egyptian (r, “regarding, to, against”).

Preposition

ⲉ- • (e-) (prepersonal state ⲉⲣⲟ⸗)

1. to, toward

   ⲉ̀ⲡ̀ϫⲟⲓ . ― èp̀čoi . ― to the ship.

2. for, in order to
3. than (comparative)
4. against, due from (as indebtedness)
   • Matthew 6:12:

     ⲛⲅ̄ⲕⲱ ⲛⲁⲛ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̄ⲛⲉⲧⲉⲣⲟⲛ ⲛ̄ⲑⲉ ϩⲱⲱⲛ ⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲉⲛⲕⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛ̄ⲛⲉⲧⲉⲟⲩⲛ̄ⲧⲁⲛ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ.

     nḡkō nan ebol n̄neteron n̄the hōōn on etenkō ebol n̄neteoun̄tan eroou.

     And forgive us our debts (literally "those (things) which are due from us"), as we also have forgiven our debtors (literally "those from whom we have (something) due").

Usage notes

ⲉ- is used instead of the direct object particle ⲛ̄- (n̄-) in some functionally transitive verbs. This is common in verbs of perception.

References

• Černý, Jaroslav (1976) Coptic Etymological Dictionary, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 31
• Janet H. Johnson, editor (2001), The Demotic Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago‎^[1], volume R (10.1), Chicago: The University of Chicago, page 1
• Lambdin, Thomas Oden (1983) Introduction to Sahidic Coptic, Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, →ISBN, page 219