2-9 A visit You arrive at a house and stay for a few minutes.

Learn

These are the words of a visit, after the greeting of lesson 2-8: please come in, thank you and you're welcome, and goodbye. Nearly all of them are taken from the short dialogues of Saji Neman (Speak with us), the course that generations of Copts learned from, and most are also words you hear in the Gospel readings. Learn each phrase whole, then look for the pieces you already know.

Thank you changes with the person you thank: Ϯϣⲉⲡϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟⲧⲕ to a man (lesson 2-7), Ϯϣⲉⲡϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟϯ to a woman. The usual answer to how are you is to thank God: Ϯϣⲉⲡϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟⲧϥ ⲙ̀Ⲫ̀ⲛⲟⲩϯ. The textbook answer to thank you is Ⲙ̀ⲙⲟⲛ ϩ̀ⲗⲓ, there is nothing at all: the words are real Coptic, but as a reply to thanks it is the answer the course books teach (Saji Neman, Binūb), not something from church use or from the conversation book of 1948. Please come in is Ⲁ̀ⲣⲓϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲁ̀ⲙⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ϧⲟⲩⲛ; ⲁ̀ⲙⲟⲩ is come, said to a man.

Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ means be well, be sound (the noun ⲡⲓⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ is salvation). It is the last word of the apostles' letter in Acts 15:29, it is the goodbye Saji Neman teaches, and Mallon prints an old Bohairic epitaph that closes with it: peace, amen, salvation in the Lord (Mallon p. 134). The reply may add in the Lord: Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡ̅ⲟ̅ⲥ̅. Ⲡ̅ⲟ̅ⲥ̅ with a line over it is the short way the books write Ⲡ̀ϭⲟⲓⲥ, the Lord, just as Ⲫ̅ϯ̅ is short for Ⲫ̀ⲛⲟⲩϯ, God: say the whole word.

Rāhib's school book of 1888 has a second way to say please and a welcome, both in its dialogues of a visit: Ⲁ̀ⲣⲓⲕⲁⲧⲁⲝⲓⲟⲓⲛ, please, go ahead (the host to a guest, and at a meal when everything is ready), and Ⲕⲁⲗⲱⲥ ⲁⲕⲓ̀ ϣⲁⲣⲟⲛ, welcome (literally: well, you have come to us). Both are mostly Greek words written in Coptic letters (ⲕⲁⲗⲱⲥ, kalos, well; ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲝⲓⲟⲓⲛ, katáxion, to deem worthy), so they are learned whole. When a traveler leaves, the host says Ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩϩⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ, go in peace, the same words as in the Gospels.

Words

• emasho ⲉ̀ⲙⲁϣⲱ very, very much Ϯϣⲉⲡϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟⲧⲕ ⲉ̀ⲙⲁϣⲱ, thank you very much (Deacons L4 p25).
• amou ⲁ̀ⲙⲟⲩ come (to a man) To a woman: ⲁ̀ⲙⲏ, amee (Saji Neman 1 p. 75; John 4:16, ⲁ̀ⲙⲏ ⲉ̀ⲙ̀ⲛⲁⲓ, come here). To several: ⲁ̀ⲙⲱⲓⲛⲓ, amoini (Saji Neman 1 p. 77, Saji Neman 2 p. 19; Matthew 28:6).
• amee ⲁ̀ⲙⲏ come (to a woman) John 4:16 has ⲁ̀ⲙⲏ ⲉ̀ⲙ̀ⲛⲁⲓ, come here, said to a woman.
• ougai ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ goodbye (literally: be well) The last word of the apostles' letter to Antioch (Acts 15:29). Saji Neman glosses it good bye. Mallon gives it as be sound, be in good health, and the noun as salvation; the qualitative ⲟⲩⲟϫ is the ⲟⲩⲟϫ of ϯⲟⲩⲟϫ in lesson 2-7. The oldest printed Arabic exercise book we hold, Rāhib 1888, already uses it as a farewell with a greeting to the family: Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϣⲓⲛⲓ ⲉ̀ⲡⲉⲕⲓⲱⲧ (p. 51).

Say it

• Ariehmot amou ekhoun Ⲁ̀ⲣⲓϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲁ̀ⲙⲟⲩ ⲉ̀ϧⲟⲩⲛ Please come in. (to a man)
• Ariehmot amee ekhoun Ⲁ̀ⲣⲓϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲁ̀ⲙⲏ ⲉ̀ϧⲟⲩⲛ Please come in. (to a woman)
• Kalos aki sharon Ⲕⲁⲗⲱⲥ ⲁⲕⲓ̀ ϣⲁⲣⲟⲛ Welcome. (literally: well, you have come to us)
• Arikataksioin Ⲁ̀ⲣⲓⲕⲁⲧⲁⲝⲓⲟⲓⲛ Please, go ahead. (the host to a guest; Greek in Coptic letters)
• Tishepehmot entoti Ϯϣⲉⲡϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟϯ Thank you. (to a woman)
• Emmon ehli Ⲙ̀ⲙⲟⲛ ϩ̀ⲗⲓ You're welcome. (the textbook reply; literally: there is nothing at all)
• Tishepehmot entotf emefnoti Ϯϣⲉⲡϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ ⲛ̀ⲧⲟⲧϥ ⲙ̀Ⲫ̀ⲛⲟⲩϯ Thank God. (the answer to how are you)
• Ougai khen Epshois Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϧⲉⲛ Ⲡ̀ϭⲟⲓⲥ Goodbye, in the Lord. (the reply to Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ)
• Ougai shini epekiot Ⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ϣⲓⲛⲓ ⲉ̀ⲡⲉⲕⲓⲱⲧ Goodbye, and greet your father. (to a man)
• Khen ouhireenee Ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩϩⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ Go in peace. (to a man leaving)