DEMOTIC EGYPTIAN Meaning and
Definition
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Demotic Egyptian refers to a stage in the evolution of the ancient Egyptian language that emerged during the late period of Egyptian history, specifically around the 7th century BCE. It is characterized as a cursive script and was primarily used for everyday documents and correspondence, hence the term "demotic," meaning "popular" or "of the people."
As a written language, demotic became widely accessible to a broader spectrum of Egyptian society, reflecting the social and cultural changes of the time. It gradually replaced the earlier hieratic script and coexisted alongside hieroglyphs and Greek, especially during the Ptolemaic period in Egypt when the region fell under Greek control.
The demotic script consisted of a combination of phonetic signs, ideograms, and determinatives to convey meaning. The language incorporated words and phrases from Egyptian, with influences from Greek and other foreign languages due to cultural interactions during the period. As a result, demotic texts played a crucial role in providing insights into various aspects of ancient Egyptian society, including literature, legal documents, administrative records, and religious texts.
During the early Christian period, demotic began to decline and eventually disappeared as a spoken language. However, it continued to be used in religious and magical texts for several centuries before eventually falling out of use entirely.
Today, the study of demotic Egyptian provides essential insights into the cultural, linguistic, and social dynamics of ancient Egypt. It is a critical source for understanding the daily lives and beliefs of the Egyptian people during this fascinating historical period.
Etymology of DEMOTIC EGYPTIAN
The word "demotic" in the term "Demotic Egyptian" comes from the Greek word "dēmotikos", meaning "popular" or "common". It refers to the script used for writing the ancient Egyptian language during the Late and Ptolemaic periods (c. 664 BCE - 350 CE). Demotic script was developed as a simpler and more accessible form of writing than the earlier hieroglyphic and hieratic scripts. The term "Demotic Egyptian" is used to differentiate this particular form of the Egyptian language from earlier stages, such as Old Egyptian or Middle Egyptian.
