INTRO

Sir Alan Gardiner's 'Egyptian Grammar' has for many years been used as a text book by both academics and amateurs. Unfortunately, those without access to formal tuition have not been able to have someone look over their work, particularly the extensive exercises at the end of each chapter. While the Griffiths Institute has put up answers to some chapters, these have no commentary. Students who use this text should realise that much progress has been made in egyptian language since 1957. While the book is misleading in some aspects, for example, verb forms, it is written in a thorough and systematic manner that is well liked by students. The advice I have had from egyptologists is that the verb forms can be largely ignored until lesson 21 (when Gardiner examines them in detail). Then modern ideas on verb forms and grammar can be introduced and the students asked to re-examine all the previous exercises, before moving onto real texts.

 

I have taken a two-tiered approach.

a) On the one hand, I give answers approximately in the fashion that Gardiner expected (regardless of their current validity).

 

b) In addition, I include separate sections that attempt to highlight the outdated features of the Grammar. I offer slight revisions of the lesson material and examples, and give a more current analysis of the exercises. If this is too confusing or complicated for you, ignore it!

 

My personal view is that some advice should be given while the early lessons are being covered, and that this will make it much easier for students later on when verbs are dealt with properly. For example, I think the 3rd weak verbs, those ending in i or w (eg. hAi) should transliterated fully from the start, whereas Gardiner initially transliterates them without the ending (eg. hA) and then later introduces them.

 

It seems to me a pity that Gardiner's Grammar will not be updated. Why not, you ask ? Well, it is a very big a job, and there would be no professional kudos for the person or group involved. The book remains a 'monument', and as time goes by, it is a gradually decaying one. So it is that the new wave of egyptologists are writing their own grammars (eg. James Hoch, B. Ockinga) or linguistic treatises (eg. A. Loprieno, M. Collier). Yet Gardiner's book is so nice to read and learn from, especially the first 10 lessons.

 

- Mike Dyall-Smith, June 1998