Roeder - Egyptian Hieroglyphic Grammar: a handbook for beginners

EGYPTIAN
HIEROGLYPHIC GRAMMAR A Handbook for Beginners GNTHER ROEDER DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.
Mineola, New York Bibliographical Note This Dover edition, first published in 2002, is an unabridged republication of Short Egyptian Grammar, published by Humphrey Milford, London, 1920. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Roeder, Gnther, 1881-1966. Egyptian hieroglyphic grammar : a handbook for beginners / Gnther Roeder. p. cm. Originally published: Short Egyptian grammar.

London : Humphrey Milford, 1920. Includes bibliographical references. eISBN-13: 978-0-486-14633-1 1. Egyptian languageGrammar. I. Roeder, Gnther, 1881-1966.

Short Egyptian grammar. II. Title. PJ1135.R5 2002 496.18421dc21 2002034978 Manufactured in the United States by Courier Corporation 42509603 2013 www.doverpublications.com TO MR. JOHN L. MAGEE THIS ENGLISH EDITION IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE TRANSLATOR TRANSLATORS PREFATORY NOTE.

The ever-growing interest taken in Egyptology has encouraged the hope that an English edition of Dr. Roeders compact little handbook may prove useful to English-speaking students of the present time. For the beginner in the ancient language of the Egyptians, there is nothing in any language which compares in any way with Dr. Roeders little book. As translator, I have followed the original as closely as the English idiom would permit. I have, however, inserted additional references in the bibliographical section, and have here and there tacitly corrected mis-prints and other minor errors.

Because of a difference between the English and the German pronunciation of the letter j, I have used y as the transliteration of the Egyptian It is with great pleasure that I avail myself of the opportunity of expressing my personal thanks to my wife and Miss Walther for assistance in translation, and likewise to the Rev. J. A. Maynard for a number of corrections and helpful suggestions. I wish also to thank the author for his kindness in reading the proof, the printers for the satisfactory accomplishment of their task, and the Yale University Press for their work of publication. Samuel A. B. Mercer. Mercer.

PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR. When Erman wrote his Egyptian Grammar in 1894, he was confronted with the task of handling for the first time in a scientific manner the hieroglyphics and the Egyptian language. He presented his subject in such a manner, however, that even a beginner could study it. In the later editions, with each of which there is associated an advance in the knowledge and dissemination of more correct conceptions of the Egyptian, Ermans work became broader and deeper, so that it now contains not only the foundations but also practically all the essential details of our grammatical knowledge. Hence, it has naturally become harder for the beginner to understand. Furthermore, since the reading exercises have in part been omitted, the beginner is obliged, even during the first year, to procure in addition to the Grammar a Chrestomathy and a Glossary as well.

These cost all together Mk. 43.80. This state of affairs has induced me to compile this little book for all those who wish to occupy themselves with Egyptian for a few semesters only; or who wish to overcome the first difficulties quickly and begin as soon as possible the reading of the easier texts. Such introductions are found in abundance in other sciences, and have proved of great benefit. It is meant not only to convey the rudiments in a practical manner, in the cheapest possible form, for the benefit of those interested, at the university or in wider circles, but also to place at their disposal for the first year material of the easiest kind, with all the necessary apparatus for reading, writing, and translating. It is hoped that my work will be judged in the light of these circumstances, especially in view of its inexpensiveness.

My presentation of the grammar is based upon Ermans Grammar, Sethes Verbum, and the articles of various authors appearing in the technical journals. In the composition of the individual sections, I have been guided by my own experience in teaching. For the arrangement of other parts of my book, I have had no suitable model. The practical grammars in foreign languages, published in England (Budge, Murray) and in Italy (Farina), have their own peculiarities, to which I am indebted for occasional suggestions. In accordance with the modern method of teaching, employed in all languages, I have considered it my task to bring before the pupil from the very first hieroglyphic examples of the rules. He should thus be able, even after the first lesson, to translate simple sentences independently.

I shall be thankful for any suggested improvements, which are the result of practice; for even the smallest suggestion arising from experience can become of value to the future student. Only do not ask for scientific perfection; that would be impossible under the existing conditions. I am perfectly conscious of the fact that occasionally I have where unavoidable somewhat simplified complicated points of grammar, the double forms of the tense m. f for example, or entirely omitted them. But this book is written for beginners. The omission of references in the reading exercises is intentional, for the beginner does not need to see the complete texts from which the extracts were taken, and the Egyptologist knows them anyway.

Breslau, Christmas 1912. Gnther Roeder. AUTHORS NOTE ON THE ENGLISH EDITION The state of affairs in connection with English textbooks of the Egyptian language is not more satisfactory than that of the German. Professor Breasteds translation of the first edition of Ermans grammar is long since exhausted and outgrown; and Budges and Murrays introductory books, however useful they may have been, cannot be considered a substitute. Therefore, I have gladly accepted Professor Mercers kind offer to translate my little Introduction; and students, as well as I, will be thankful for his labour of love. May Professor Mercer be permitted to see his work crowned with success! America and England have many first rate Egyptian archaeologists, but comparatively few Egyptian philologists; and accordingly the attention of wider circles has been directed more toward excavations and antiquities than toward Egyptian literature.

It would be a real delight for German Egyptology, if it could see its philological results made serviceable to the same wider circles, and if thereby the general presentation of the intellectual life of Egypt could be disseminated in a desirable manner. Hildesheim, Christmas 1915. Grnther Roeder. The work of printing could not be finished before Christmas 1919. Miss Latona Williams has kindly helped much in reading the proofs and in correcting errors. CONTENTS.

Literature for Beginners. Introduction. AD. ERMAN, Die Hieroglyphen, Gschen Series, 1912, 80 Pf., containing a concise sketch of the decipherment and grammar as well as a few texts. Texts. When the present Grammar and Reading Exercises are finished, the student should attempt texts which are almost or quite complete and which are printed in the form of sentences. Such will be found in AD. A. A.

WALLIS BUDGE, An Egyptian Reading Book, London, 1896, 18 shillings (a series of historical, funeral, moral, religious, and mythological texts printed in hieroglyphic characters together with a transliteration and a complete vocabulary); K. SETHE, Urkunden des gyptischen Alter-tums: IV. Urkunden der 18. Dynastie, 16 Hefte, Leipzig, 1905 ff., each 5 M. The student should not allow the occurrence of occasional words, forms, and constructions which are not clear to hinder his progress, and difficulties will increase when he tackles inscriptions in their original arrangement. 6d.). 6d.).