The final stages of the native Egyptian language before the Arab conquest. (The name comes from the Arabic corruption of the Greek word Aigyptus).

Coptic is comprised of 6 dialectics, the most important of which are

• Bohairic: The dialect of Alexandria & Memphis, still used as a liturgical language by Coptic Christians.

• Sahidic: The dialect of Thebes, which by 400 CE had become the standard dialect of all upper (i.e., southern) Egypt.

Christians were responsible for developing these native dialectics into a literary language. Portions of the NT were translated from Greek into Sahidic by 200 CE. The translation process was facilitated by the invention of a new Coptic script based on Greek characters rather than the old Egyptian scripts. The development of Christian monasticism in upper Egypt in the 3rd c. CE generated a mass of original Coptic works. The chief architects of monasticism, Anthony & Pachomius --- the most prominent "Desert Fathers" --- wrote primarily in Coptic. Even in urbane 4th c. Alexandria, Athanasius --- the architect of the Nicene creed --- composed homilies in Coptic. A Coptic codex of the gospel of John dates from the 4th c. CE.

But the most important Coptic text for gospel studies is a 4th c. copy of the non-canonical gospel of Thomas found in a "library" unearthed at Nag Hammadi.

Other On-line Resources:

• Gospel of Thomas Resource Center - For the advanced student Michael Grondin posts the complete Coptic text of Thomas with an interlinear English translation (available also in PDF), Coptic concordance & the beginnings of a Coptic Primer.

• The Coptic Language - on-line course by Hany N. Takla includes detailed essay on the history of the language (posted by St. Shenouda Coptic Society).

• Encyclopedia Coptica - official history of the Coptic Orthodox Church.