UCLA UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology Title Egyptian Among Neighboring African Languages Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2fb8t2pz Journal UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, 1(1) Author Cooper, Julien Publication Date 2020-12-19 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California EGYPTIAN AMONG NEIGHBORING AFRICAN LANGUAGES اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻤﺼﺮﯾﺔ اﻟﻘﺪﯾﻤﺔ واﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻻﻓﺮﯾﻘﯿﺔ اﻟﻤﺠﺎورة Julien Cooper EDITORS JULIE STAUDER-PORCHET ANDRÉAS STAUDER Editor, Language, Text and Writing Editor, Language, Text and Writing Swiss National Science Foundation & École Pratique des Hautes Études, Université de Genève, Switzerland Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, France WILLEKE WENDRICH SOLANGE ASHBY Editor-in-Chief Editor Upper Nile Languages and Culture Associated Researcher UCLA, USA University of California, Los Angeles, USA ANNE AUSTIN MENNAT –ALLAH EL DORRY Editor, Individual and Society Editor, Natural Environment Flora and Fauna University of Missouri-St. Louis, USA Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Egypt JUAN CARLOS MORENO GARCÍA WOLFRAM GRAJETZKI Editor, Economy Editor, Time and History Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique University College London, UK UMR 8167 (Orient & Méditerranée), Sorbonne Université, France CHRISTINE JOHNSTON RUNE NYORD Editor, Natural Environment, Landscapes and Climate Editor, History of Egyptology Western Washington University, USA Emory University, USA TANJA POMMERENING Editor, Domains of Knowledge Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany Short Citation: Cooper 2020, Egyptian Among Neighboring African Languages. UEE. Full Citation: Cooper, Julien, 2020, Egyptian Among Neighboring African Languages. In Julie Stauder-Porchet, Andréas Stauder, and Willeke Wendrich (eds.), UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, Los Angeles. ISSN 2693-7425. http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz002knwzp 46220 Version 1, December 2020 http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewItem.do?ark=21198/zz002knwzp EGYPTIAN AMONG NEIGHBORING AFRICAN LANGUAGES اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻤﺼﺮﯾﺔ اﻟﻘﺪﯾﻤﺔ واﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻻﻓﺮﯾﻘﯿﺔ اﻟﻤﺠﺎورة Julien Cooper Ägyptisch unter den benachbarten afrikanischen Sprachen L’égyptien parmi les langues africaines avoisinantes Northeast Africa is dominated by two linguistic macrofamilies, Afroasiatic, with its constituent branches of Egyptian, Semitic, Berber, Cushitic, Chadic, and Omotic, and the Nilo-Saharan languages, with the most relevant phylum being the Eastern Sudanic branch spread across the Sahel and East Africa. On present research, there is evidence for contact between ancient Egyptian and ancient Berber, Cushitic, and Eastern Sudanic languages, with possibilities of contact with Ethiosemitic languages (the Semitic languages of Ethiopia and Eritrea). Evidence of Egypt’s contact with neighboring peoples in Northeast Africa is well established from the archaeological record and historical texts, especially along the Middle Nile (Nubia). The use of linguistic material, including loanwords and foreign names, for reconstructing ancient phases of contact between Egyptians and neighboring peoples is a relatively “untapped” source. The lexical data demonstrates a great familiarity and exchange between Egyptian and neighboring languages, which, in many cases, can be attributed to specific historical phases of contact through trade, expeditionary ventures, or conflict. Impediments remain in reconstructing the ancient “linguistic map” of neighboring Africa and our reliance on modern dictionaries of African languages for identifying ancient loanwords. Despite this, the stock of foreign words in the Egyptian lexicon is incredibly important for piecing together this “map.” In many cases, the ancient Egyptian lexicon contains the earliest data for foreign languages like Meroitic, Beja, or Berber. ﯾﺴﯿﻄﺮﻋﻠﻰ ﺷﻤﺎل ﺷﺮق إﻓﺮﯾﻘﯿﺎ ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺘﺎن ﻟﻐﻮﯾﺘﺎن ﻛﺒﯿﺮﺗﺎن، ھﻤﺎ: ﻋﺎﺋﻠﺔ اﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻷﻓﺮوآﺳﯿﻮﯾﺔ ، ﺑﻔﺮوﻋﮭﺎ اﻟﻤﺼﺮﯾﺔ ، واﻹﺛﯿﻮﺳﺎﻣﯿﺔ ، واﻟﺒﺮﺑﺮﯾﺔ ، واﻟﻜﻮﺷﯿﺔ ، واﻟﺘﺸﺎدﯾﺔ ، واﻷوﻣﻮﺗﯿﺔ ، واﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻟﻨﯿﻠﯿﺔ اﻟﺼﺤﺮاوﯾﺔ ﺣﯿﺚ اﻷﻛﺜﺮ ﺻﻠﺔ ﺑﮭﺎ ھﻮ اﻟﻔﺮع اﻟﺴﻮداﻧﻲ اﻟﺸﺮﻗﻲ اﻟﻤﻨﺘﺸﺮ ﻋﺒﺮ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ اﻟﺴﺎﺣﻞ وﺷﺮق إﻓﺮﯾﻘﯿﺎ. إن اﻟﺒﺤﺚ اﻟﺤﺎﻟﻲ ﯾُﻈﮭﺮ دﻟﯿﻼً ﻋﻠﻰ وﺟﻮد اﺗﺼﺎل ﺑﯿﻦ اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻤﺼﺮﯾﺔ اﻟﻘﺪﯾﻤﺔ واﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻟﻘﺪﯾﻤﺔ اﻟﺒﺮﺑﺮﯾﺔ واﻟﻜﻮﺷﯿﺔ واﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻟﺴﻮداﻧﯿﺔ اﻟﺸﺮﻗﯿﺔ ، ﻣﻊ إﻣﻜﺎﻧﯿﺔ اﻻﺗﺼﺎل ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻹﺛﯿﻮﺳﺎﻣﯿﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻛﻼً ﻣﻦ إﺛﯿﻮﺑﯿﺎ وإرﯾﺘﺮﯾﺎ. إن اﻟﺪﻟﯿﻞ ﻋﻠﻰ اﺗﺼﺎل ﻣﺼﺮ ﺑﺎﻟﺸﻌﻮب اﻟﻤﺠﺎورة ﻟﮭﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺷﻤﺎل ﺷﺮق إﻓﺮﯾﻘﯿﺎ ﻣﺜﺒﺖ ﺟﯿﺪًا ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل اﻵﺛﺎر واﻟﻨﺼﻮص اﻟﺘﺎرﯾﺨﯿﺔ، ﺧﺎﺻﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ طﻮل اﻟﻨﯿﻞ اﻷوﺳﻂ (اﻟﻨﻮﺑﺔ). إن اﺳﺘﺨﺪام اﻟﻤﻮاد اﻟﻠﻐﻮﯾﺔ ، ﺑﻤﺎ ﻓﻲ ذﻟﻚ اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎت اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻌﺎرة واﻷﺳﻤﺎء اﻷﺟﻨﺒﯿﺔ ﯾﻌﻄﻲ إﺣﺘﻤﺎﻻً ﻛﺒﯿﺮاً ﻹﻋﺎدة ﺑﻨﺎء اﻟﻤﺮاﺣﻞ اﻟﻘﺪﯾﻤﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻹﺗﺼﺎل ﺑﯿﻦ اﻟﻤﺼﺮﯾﯿﻦ واﻟﺸﻌﻮب اﻟﻤﺠﺎورة. ﺗﻮﺿﺢ اﻟﺒﯿﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﻤﻌﺠﻤﯿﺔ واﻟﻠﻐﻮﯾﺔ ﻣﺪى اﻟﺘﺒﺎدل اﻟﺜﺮي ﺑﯿﻦ اﻟﻠﻐﺔ اﻟﻤﺼﺮﯾﺔ واﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻟﻤﺠﺎورة. ﯾﻤﻜﻦ أن ﯾُﻌﺰى ھﺬا اﻟﺘﺒﺎدل ، ﻓﻲ ﻛﺜﯿﺮ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺤﺎﻻت ، إﻟﻰ ﻣﺮاﺣﻞ ﺗﺎرﯾﺨﯿﺔ ﻣﺤﺪدة ﻣﻦ اﻹﺗﺼﺎل ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل اﻟﺘﺠﺎرة أو اﻟﺤﺮوب. وﻻ ﺗﺰال ھﻨﺎك ﻋﻘﺒﺎت ﻓﻲ إﻋﺎدة ﺑﻨﺎء "اﻟﺨﺮﯾﻄﺔ اﻟﻠﻐﻮﯾﺔ" اﻟﻘﺪﯾﻤﺔ ﻹﻓﺮﯾﻘﯿﺎ وﻓﻲ اﻋﺘﻤﺎدﻧﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻘﻮاﻣﯿﺲ اﻟﺤﺪﯾﺜﺔ ﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻷﻓﺮﯾﻘﯿﺔ ﻟﺘﺤﺪﯾﺪ اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎت اﻟﻘﺪﯾﻤﺔ اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻌﺎرة. وﻣﻊ ذﻟﻚ ، ﻓﺈن اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺎت اﻷﺟﻨﺒﯿﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻌﺠﻢ اﻟﻤﺼﺮي ﻣﮭﻤﺔ ﺟﺪ ًا ﻟﺘﺠﻤﯿﻊ ھﺬه Egyptian Among Neighboring African Languages, Cooper, UEE 2020 1 "اﻟﺨﺮﯾﻄﺔ". وﻓﻲ ﻛﺜﯿﺮ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺤﺎﻻت ، ﯾﺤﺘﻮي اﻟﻤﻌﺠﻢ اﻟﻤﺼﺮي اﻟﻘﺪﯾﻢ ﻋﻠﻰ أﻗﺪم اﻟﺒﯿﺎﻧﺎت ﻟﻠﻐﺎت اﻷﺟﻨﺒﯿﺔ ﻣﺜﻞ ﱠاﻟﻤﺮوﯾﺔ أو اﻟﺒﺠﺎوﯾﺔ أو اﻟﺒﺮﺑﺮﯾﺔ. linguistic map with any degree of accuracy in irroring the deep historical and this period and, as such, there are a great cultural connections between M number of possibilities for language contact. Egypt and its neighbors in Nubia Based on a set of lexical cognates in basic and the Sahara, there is strong evidence for vocabulary, linguists have hypothesized a ongoing language contact in the Egyptian degree of contact between Egyptian and lexicon from the beginning of written texts. Semitic languages on the one hand, and From as early as the Naqada Period (c. 4000 – Egyptian and Chadic languages on the other 2670 BCE), Egyptians traveled regularly into (Takács 1999: 35-38, 47-48). Among the phyla Lower Nubia and the nearby deserts, while of Afroasiatic languages—Egyptian, Semitic, peoples of the Middle Nile—the archaeological Berber, Cushitic, Chadic, and Omotic—the A-Group, C-Group, and Pan-Grave cultures— “Egyptian family” is unique in generally being are well attested both in Upper Egyptian classed as having only one constituent cemeteries and in the ceramic repertoires in language, Egyptian (with its various towns like Elephantine and Edfu. The chronological phases of Old, Middle, and Late presumption must be then that Upper Egyptian, Demotic, and Coptic). Chadic, for Egyptian frontier towns experienced example, has branched into well over 100 continuous language contact, bilingualism, and languages, while Cushitic now has over 40 exchange that may not be perfectly represented languages. This raises some pertinent questions in our available lexicon, which largely encodes as to whether other members of the formal registers of the Egyptian language and “Egyptian” branch were spoken in the African the concerns of officialdom. continent, and whether the unification of Despite such shared geography and cultural Egypt in the Early Dynastic Period subsumed exchange, the identification in Egyptian of a number of allied branches or dialects of loanwords from Nubia and the Sahara remains “Egyptian.” There is also some onomastic data relatively understudied compared to that from indicating that a branch of Semitic was spoken Egypt’s Semitic-speaking neighbors in the in the Delta region in periods preceding the Levant. This is largely attributable to the great Old Kingdom (Redford 1994), meaning that at diversity of African languages on Egypt’s one stage of history a Semitic tongue was well immediate periphery in historical Sudan and and truly an “African language.” Outside Libya, and to the difficulties of establishing Afroasiatic, Egyptian language was in contact what precise African languages were present on with several Nilo-Saharan languages, the most its neighboring horizon in the third, second, well known being the now extinct Meroitic and and first millennia BCE. Furthermore, in this the so-called “Nile Nubian” languages of Old period relatively few African languages Nubian, with a modern descendant in Nobiin produced written records and, as such, our (alternatively Mahas). sources of comparison are modern lexicons resplendent with recent episodes of language Loanwords and Cognates contact and changes in morphology and All branches of Afroasiatic tend to have a phonology. Only Meroitic, Old Nubian, Ge‘ez common core lexicon, dubbed “Proto- (Classical Ethiopic), and arguably the Libyco- Afroasiatic,” “Proto-Afrasian,” or “Hamito- Berber script preserve lexical material for Semitic” in linguistic works (Orel and Stolbova comparison in ancient traditions. 1995; Takács 1999 – 2008). A difficulty in Such contact between Egyptian and the identifying loanwords from African languages languages of Egypt’s African neighbors began in the early stages of the Egyptian lexicon lies well before the advent of writing and extended in disambiguating whether a word is indeed a as far back as the Neolithic Period, although it recent loan into Egyptian, or whether it is almost impossible to reconstruct the resembles an inherited word from the common Egyptian Among Neighboring African Languages, Cooper, UEE 2020 2 Afroasiatic lexicon (i.e., a cognate). A case in correspondences between the Egyptian script point is the Egyptian word hbny (ebony), and phonemes in African languages, many of which on pragmatics might be considered to which contained sounds alien to Egyptian, originate from an African language where such as the voiced retroflex stop [ɖ], the