DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1167#0189
4-9-2 Clusters at a morpheme boundary
4.9.2.1 Morpheme-initial two-consonantal clusters composed of obstruents
Stops (n /p/, T /if, A Id, G IWI, K /k/) and spirants (q /f/, C /s/, UJ /J/, 2 /h/) can be
combined quite freely with one another, e.g.:
sKTO fkta/ "to turn", ^OTTp /'ksur/ "ring", scnOTOTT /'spatu/ "lip", sC6Hp /'skier/ "to
sail", sTJie Ape/ "top", ^IS /'JhikJ/ "dust", ^qO) /'hfo/ "female snake", sAKO Aka/ "to
sell", SS2«C /'kihas/ "gazelle".
I have observed the following restrictions:
• The labials IT /p/ and 4 HI rarely occur in the first position. The only examples
known two me are the two numerals wfTOOT /'ftaw/ "four" and sij/IC /'psis/ "nine" as
well as the ancient divine name SJTT&2 /'ptah/.
• The palatals UJ /JV and A Id are not attested in the second position. However the
sequence UJA- is possible, e.g. sUJAC /'fee/ "grasshopper", sttJAHN /'Jcen/ "garlic".
4.g.2.-2 Morpheme-initial two-consonantal clusters containing a sonorant
Sonorants (6 /|V, A /m/, N In/, X /l/, p /r/, [€]! /}/, [O]^ /w/) are frequent in the second
position after an obstruent, e.g.:
sKAOA /'kmam/ "to become black", snp(0 /'pro/ "winter", sCN&tf /'snaw/ "two", s1W(flT
/'twot/ "image", HJJIH /'Jje/ "length", ^XOCIte /'hlajk/ "to swim", se60-S-p /'kipur/ "left
side".
Sonorants are also frequent in the first position before an obstruent, but there is a good
possibility that they were spoken syllabic in this case (VSt §5.10.4), e.g. spne /r'pe/
(Ape/?) "temple".
It is likewise difficult to estimate in which way initial clusters of two sonorants were
realized. They are really common only with A or O'B' as the first element, e.g. s/\IOK
/'mjak/ (or /m'jak/?) (a greeting), sA?v&2 "battle", sJ\p\C "new wine", sOTB&UI "to become
white", sOTAOT "to become fat", sO'S"NO'B" "hour". The other sonorants occur mainly as
deviant writing variants, e.g. sNAO-^ "in him" instead of the more common sAAO-q, sfipdi.
"seed" instead of the more common ^fip^.
4.g.a.3 Morpheme-initial three-consonantal clusters
Three-consonantal clusters are rare in morpheme-initial position but nevertheless seem
to occur. It is frequently difficult to decide in these cases whether or not a morpheme
boundary was still synchronically recognizable in Coptic.
Coptic has many causative verbs beginning with T-. Although this formation is no longer
productive, T- can probably still be considered a separate morpheme from a synchronic
perspective. Cf.:
189
4.9.2.1 Morpheme-initial two-consonantal clusters composed of obstruents
Stops (n /p/, T /if, A Id, G IWI, K /k/) and spirants (q /f/, C /s/, UJ /J/, 2 /h/) can be
combined quite freely with one another, e.g.:
sKTO fkta/ "to turn", ^OTTp /'ksur/ "ring", scnOTOTT /'spatu/ "lip", sC6Hp /'skier/ "to
sail", sTJie Ape/ "top", ^IS /'JhikJ/ "dust", ^qO) /'hfo/ "female snake", sAKO Aka/ "to
sell", SS2«C /'kihas/ "gazelle".
I have observed the following restrictions:
• The labials IT /p/ and 4 HI rarely occur in the first position. The only examples
known two me are the two numerals wfTOOT /'ftaw/ "four" and sij/IC /'psis/ "nine" as
well as the ancient divine name SJTT&2 /'ptah/.
• The palatals UJ /JV and A Id are not attested in the second position. However the
sequence UJA- is possible, e.g. sUJAC /'fee/ "grasshopper", sttJAHN /'Jcen/ "garlic".
4.g.2.-2 Morpheme-initial two-consonantal clusters containing a sonorant
Sonorants (6 /|V, A /m/, N In/, X /l/, p /r/, [€]! /}/, [O]^ /w/) are frequent in the second
position after an obstruent, e.g.:
sKAOA /'kmam/ "to become black", snp(0 /'pro/ "winter", sCN&tf /'snaw/ "two", s1W(flT
/'twot/ "image", HJJIH /'Jje/ "length", ^XOCIte /'hlajk/ "to swim", se60-S-p /'kipur/ "left
side".
Sonorants are also frequent in the first position before an obstruent, but there is a good
possibility that they were spoken syllabic in this case (VSt §5.10.4), e.g. spne /r'pe/
(Ape/?) "temple".
It is likewise difficult to estimate in which way initial clusters of two sonorants were
realized. They are really common only with A or O'B' as the first element, e.g. s/\IOK
/'mjak/ (or /m'jak/?) (a greeting), sA?v&2 "battle", sJ\p\C "new wine", sOTB&UI "to become
white", sOTAOT "to become fat", sO'S"NO'B" "hour". The other sonorants occur mainly as
deviant writing variants, e.g. sNAO-^ "in him" instead of the more common sAAO-q, sfipdi.
"seed" instead of the more common ^fip^.
4.g.a.3 Morpheme-initial three-consonantal clusters
Three-consonantal clusters are rare in morpheme-initial position but nevertheless seem
to occur. It is frequently difficult to decide in these cases whether or not a morpheme
boundary was still synchronically recognizable in Coptic.
Coptic has many causative verbs beginning with T-. Although this formation is no longer
productive, T- can probably still be considered a separate morpheme from a synchronic
perspective. Cf.:
189