Egyptian Grammar

by Alan H. Gardiner

Although the first edition of the study appeared over seventy years ago, Gardiner's Egyptian Grammar remains the most comprehensive presentation of Middle Egyptian available, and is still an essential reference tool for all advanced work in the language. The latest, third, edition, appeared in 1957 and is now in its tenth reprinting. After each new element of grammar the learner is given a set of exercises, and the book also contains useful resources such as a list of hieroglyphic signs and information about the development of the language.

Genres: Egypt, Language, Egyptology, History, Nonfiction, Reference, Egyptian Literature

682 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Sir Alan H. Gardiner was one of the premier Egyptologists of the early twentieth century. He is probably best remembered for two of his books, Egypt of the Pharaohs, and Egyptian Grammar which is considered to be among the best works in the field of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

His interest in Egypt started at an early age. He began his education at Charterhouse and was sent to Paris for a year to study under Gaston Maspero, whom he had come to admire after reading a book he had written. Unfortunately, Maspero’s lectures did not live up to Gardiner’s expectations. From Paris, he traveled to England and attended The Queen’s College at Oxford. There he earned a second in Classical Moderations in 1899, and a first in Hebrew and Arabic in 1901. Gardiner was married that year to Hedwig von Rosen, with whom he had two sons and a daughter.

Reviews

[Katy Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if anyone ever actually finishes this book. My friend and I took a correspondence course with the University of Chicago on Egyptian Hieroglyphs. This is the classic work.

When I was in college, I tried to get a copy of this from the used bookstore. The owner simply raised his eyebrows and said that no one ever sells their copy.

I think it runs $80-120 on Amazon. Good reference.

[Daboe_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should agree this has been a reference work for several decades. Extensive introduction and clear lesson-by-lesson introduction to the grammar.

[Two Readers in Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

So thrilled that you can now get an impression of the 1957 Third Edition of Gardiner's Egyptian Grammar; searching the used book market and this classic was entirely out of reach whereas I was able to find a beautiful reprint on Barnes & Noble.

[Royce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ancient Egyptian Bible for many years

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite old, but it's a classic for a reason. It's arranged like a textbook, with lessons breaking the vocabulary and grammar into manageable chunks. Each builds progressively on the previous lessons. There are also dictionaries and other aids in the back that you can use with the rest of the book. When I was in my Ancient Egypt phase as a kid, my Dad took me to the University of Pennsylvania Museum and we asked for their recommendation. They recommended Gardiner's book, and we bought it on the spot.

[dskat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho avuto un brutto rapporto con la grammatica durante i miei studi, ma il fascino dell'Egitto e dei suoi Geroglifici mi hanno fatto tornare sui miei passi

La sfida è quella di riuscire a decifrare almeno qualcosina prima di visitare l'Egitto.

Il libro, anche se datato, rappresenta il miglior punto di riferimento per affrontare lo studio dei geroglifici.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A wonderful and helpful book for students of the ancient Egyptian language. I greatly enjoyed it, though I did not manage to finish every word just yet. 4.5 star rating because of how quickly the book jumped into the material, as I would have preferred a more thorough introduction.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it in a love/hate sort of way. Definitive grammar still.

[Haris Mohamed · Rating 5 out of 5]

frankly its indeed a unique book

[Gina Hany]

it`s very good