Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

The present article addresses the ancient Egyptians’ level of linguistic awareness from earliest times to the Coptic Period. The degree to which the Egyptians might have understood their language as a socio-cultural medium reflective of and adapted to different contexts of communication is discussed, along with their attitude to foreign languages and perception of diachronic processes. In addition, the degree to which the speakers of Egyptian may have viewed their native language as a linguistic and grammatical system is considered in detail.