Ancient Kemetic Language
Kemetic language is "gender specific", a trait you may recognize from other languages such as French. We have three genders: male, female, and neutral; the plural is written the same for all genders, and in many cases as in other Semitic languages, the neutral form is the same as the feminine form.
Nouns referring to women (or any adjectives affecting that noun) frequently end in "-t", a sound that designates the feminine. In later stages of Kemetic, notably Late Egyptian, Demotic and Coptic, the "feminine t" may be written, but may not be pronounced. Additionally, not all words that end in "t" are feminine. A good example is to look at the term for "lord". In reference to a man it is "neb." In reference to a woman, the term is "nebt" (or "nebet"), "Female Lord," or in English, "Lady."
Just as English language uses a suffix of "-s" (or -es in some cases) to designate a plural, Kemetic uses a "-w" or "-u" (pronounced "oo," as in "moot"). For example, the plural of "netjer" (god) is "netjeru" (gods). Not all words that end in "u" are automatically plural; you will need to look at context.
Some plurals are "collective nouns": a noun for one thing that comprises many parts. A collective noun in English is the word "team." A team is one thing, yet is made up of many parts. If you are interested in getting to know Kemetic language,
Kemetic Terms
ankh udja seneb
Originally, "ankh udja seneb" (ahnkh ood-JAH zen-EB) was a benediction, attached to the end of a mention of the royal person or royal house (similar to the medieval English "Long live the King!" or the "peace and blessings be upon him!" said by Muslims after the name of Mohammad). Ankh, udja, seneb means "Life, prosperity, and health." In the New Kingdom, it became popular as a parting blessing appended to the end of written correspondence and letters. Today, we use it in both ways -- in reference to our Nisut (ankh udja seneb), and as a farewell phrase ("I'm outta here. Ankh udja seneb!"). When used in connection with the Nisut, this phrase is frequently abbreviated to AUS.
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ba
(bah) can be interpreted loosely as "soul", and there has been confusion as to how the ba differs from the ka. If the ka is the part of us that remains behind after death to aid our descendants and receive aid from them in turn, the ba is the part that continues on after death to either create another ka and reincarnate, or to live eternally in the realm of the gods and goddesses. The ba represents our eternal, undying essence, unlike the ka, which repersents only the personality or conscience of a particular incarnation. Unlike a ka, the ba -- being eternal -- does not die if it is not fed. The only time a ba can be destroyed is if it is fed to Ammit. Some Names are considered the ba of other Names (Wesir, for example, is sometimes referred to as the ba of Ra, and the main god of the city of Mendes is called Banebdjedet or "ba of the Lord of Djedet" (Djedet, or Busiris, being a Delta city of Wesir) ).
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heka
(heh-KAH) is probably best translated as "authoritative speech" or "speaking with intent." Words are powerful in Kemetic culture and religion; heka is the use of words with intent and meaning, and forms the basis of our liturgies, invocations, and prayers. Kher-heb and Heri-sesheta priests are typically the speakers and writers of our official liturgical heka.
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Hem(t)
This is another word with several meanings -- from ruler to wife to slave to servant. When used in the format "Hem-(Name of Netjer)", however, it is a title for a priest of that Name (and in this definition means "Servant of (Name of Netjer)"). The feminine spelling is "Hemt."
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henu
(HEN-oo) or "honor gesture" is a Kemetic Orthodox reference to gestures of praise accompanying worship. Two simple examples of henu are the prayer gesture (hands out in front of you, palms up, open, and slightly cupped) and praise or "ka" gesture (arms up and bent at 90 degree angles with palms out).
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ka
(kah) is another word with multiple meanings; its most common meanings are "soul" or "vital energy". The ka is the part of us that composes our personality, our self. We feed our ka in life by living in ma'at and receiving praise for others, and rely on our descendants to feed it with offerings when our khat (physical body) dies. The living Heru is believed to have multiple kas, and some Names are considered the ka of other Names (Hatshepsut's throne name was Ma'at-ka-Ra or "Ma'at is Ra's ka").
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nekhtet
(nekh-TET) or "VICTORY!" The perfect Kemetic word for situations where you feel you have overcome something, or you wish to extend praise to another person or situation that deserves praise; equivalent to the English custom of shouting "Hooray!" Some Kemetic Orthodox liturgies and prayers include the repeating (or shouting) of "Nekhtet!" in a litany.
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Netjer
"Netjer" (net-CHUR, net-JAIR) is the Kemetic term for God. It is normally used in reference to the Self-Created One -- the source of godhead from which the Names (the Many gods and goddesses) spring forth. You may see Netjer referred to as both Netjer and God. Phonetically, Netjer is spelled "nTr" (the capitalized "T" standing for a "tj" sound -- in a fully realized transliteration font, this would be lowercased and underlined). Because not everyone is aware that the "t" with a line under it, or capitalized T in the Manual De Codage system of hieroglyphic transliteration, stands for the "tj" sound and not just a "t" sound, you may see other spellings for Netjer including "neter," "ntr" and even "necher." When referring to various aspects of Netjer, the "ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses," we call Them "Names", implying that, while a Name is a distinct personality and an individualized god being, It is also still an aspect of the One Godhead of the Self-Created (e.g., "I worship Ra; He is a Name of Netjer."). Less frequently we may also use "Netjeru" ("Gods"), the plural of Netjer, or "Netjert" ("Goddess"), the feminine of Netjer (e.g., "I am a daughter of the Netjert Aset, but I am beloved of the Netjeru Heru-sa-Aset and Wesir.")
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Nisut
(nee-SOOT) is a short form of the term "Nisut-bity," Kemetic for "The One in Authority, Bee-king," or "(S)he of the Sedge and the Bee." The sedge (a marsh plant) and the bee are the heraldic totems of Upper and Lower Kemet, respectively, and therefore a Nisut is the person who is the land's highest (and, symbolically, only) priest and ruler -- someone you may know better as Pharaoh (an inaccurate Hebrew term derived from the Kemetic name for the Nisut's palace, Per-a'a or "Great House.").
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Per-a'a
(pair-AH-'-AH with the ' signifying a glottal stop) is the Kemetic pronunciation of "Pharaoh." Because of the fairly late appearance of this term, Kemetic Orthodoxy prefers the use of the term "Nisut" over "Per-a'a". Other terms for respect for the Nisut (AUS) are "Hemet" (Majesty), and "Heret" (the Female Heru/Horus).
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senebty
(sen-eb-TEE or zeneb-TEE) is another parting phrase you will see often when you talk to Shemsu or Remetj. It means "may you be healthy" and is an alternative to "farewell" or "goodbye".
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