Greek formulae in Coptic legal documents (7th-8th c.) : graphemic and linguistic adaptation vs. alternation

The paper investigates motivations behind linguistic and paleographic variation of Greek formulaic speech in the opening, body, and closing of Coptic legal documents. The primary corpus consists of late-seventh- and eighth-century legal deeds with Greek formulaic expressions from the area of Djeme, which is well-documented and allows diachronic observations on inter- and intra-writer variation. Documents mainly from the Hermopolite nome, dating to the same two centuries, and including a specific formulaic phrase, ⲕⲁⲑⲁⲣⲱⲥ ⲕⲁⲓ ⲁⲡⲟⲕⲣⲟⲧⲱⲥ (καθαρῶς καὶ ἀποκρότως), are examined as a second comparative corpus. It is found that, although Theban scribes start using a second writing style and occasionally improved language for their opening and closing formulae from the 720s, formulaic expressions in the body of Coptic documents are still written in the primary “Coptic” style of the document, and in poorly formed Greek, even in later decades; the same pattern is observed in the second corpus. These differences were motivated by practical/textual considerations, such as layout, framing, and highlighting important information. Using language and script contact theories, (socio-)linguistic factors (e.g. stylistic elevation, perceiving or portraying formulae as code-switches or borrowings) also prove relevant. The study shows that, following the Islamic rule of Egypt, the Greek inherited from earlier deeds has started degenerating into brief, mechanical switches with a largely symbolic role, which are expressed visually against a background of rapidly developing legal Coptic.