ntj

Egyptian

Etymology

Formed from nt +‎ -j (nisba ending), where nt is a nominalized use of the feminine form of the genitival adjective n(j). The noun ntj is in turn simply a nominalized use of the adjective ntj.

Pronunciation

 

• (reconstructed) IPA^(key): /niˈtij/ → /niˈtij/ → /nətə/ → /nət/

• (Old Egyptian, c. 2500 BCE) IPA^(key): /niˈtij/
• (Middle Egyptian, c. 1700 BCE) IPA^(key): /niˈtij/
• (Amarna-period Late Egyptian, c. 1350 BCE) IPA^(key): /nətə/
• (latest Late Egyptian, c. 800 BCE) IPA^(key): /nət/

• (modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /nɛti/, /ɛnti/
  • Conventional anglicization: neti, enti

Adjective

1. the relative adjective — allows a clause to serve as a relative clause, usually with an adverbial or verbal predicate
   1. (introducing a direct relative clause, with ntj serving in place of a subject) which is, who is, being
   2. (introducing an indirect relative clause, with a later resumptive pronoun) such that, for which, concerning which

Usage notes

When followed by an indirect relative clause with a pronominal subject, the subject takes the form of a suffix pronoun attached to ntj; in this case ntj is often written without the two strokes representing final -j. The exceptions to this are clauses with a first-person singular subject, which use the dependent pronoun wj, and sometimes a third-person subject, which can use the dependent pronoun st. Other subjects rarely also appear in dependent-pronoun form.

When a direct relative clause is negated, it is given an explicit resumptive subject pronoun after the negative particle rather than having ntj serve in place of a subject. Alternatively, jwtj can be used instead of ntj and a negative particle.

Like jw, ntj asserts that the statement in the clause is true at the time of the statement, marking it as modally realis.

Inflection

Declension of ntj (nisba adjective)

	masculine	feminine
singular	ntj	ntt
dual	ntjwj, ntwj	nttj
plural	ntjw, ntw	ntwt1, ntt2
Archaic in Middle Egyptian when modifying a noun. From Middle Egyptian, this feminine singular form was generally used for the plural. In Late Egyptian, the masculine singular form was used with all nouns.

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of ntj  

nt

Antonyms

• jwtj

Descendants

• Akhmimic Coptic: ⲉⲧ- (et-)
• Bohairic Coptic: ⲉⲧ- (et-), ⲉⲑ- (eth-)
• Fayyumic Coptic: ⲉⲧ- (et-)
• Sahidic Coptic: ⲉⲧ- (et-)
• ⇒ Akhmimic Coptic: ⲉⲧⲉ- (ete-)
• ⇒ Bohairic Coptic: ⲉⲧⲉ- (ete-)
• ⇒ Fayyumic Coptic: ⲉⲧⲉ- (ete-)
• ⇒ Sahidic Coptic: ⲉⲧⲉ- (ete-)

Noun

 m

1. (introducing a direct relative clause) he who is, one who is, that which is
2. (introducing an indirect relative clause, with a later resumptive pronoun) he for whom, one for whom, one such that, that for which
3. (without a following relative clause) he who exists, one who exists, that which exists

Usage notes

See under the adjective above.

Inflection

See under the adjective above.

Alternative forms

See under the adjective above.

Antonyms

• jwtj

Derived terms

• ntj jm
• ntj n.f
• ntj nb
• ntt jwtt
• ntt m jb

 

References

• James P[eter] Allen (2010) Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 134–140.