You can get meanings, but not pronunciations from hyroglyphics.
2007-02-22 08:18:40 · 6 answers · asked by ewbcodeman 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Good question! They actually rely on the translated pronunciation.
The Rosetta stone allowed them to translate heiroglyphs into coptic/greek and since these are languages whose pronunciation is/was known (although classic greek or coptic is now a dead language since there are no native speakers, it is the language of scholarship kind of like how latin is the language of legalese) , they use that.....
2007-02-22 08:34:35 · answer #1 · answered by boston857 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The other problem, of course, is that the letters don't match. The pronunciations are often disputed as well as the spellings. Just look up the name of the pharaoh's names who inspired the pyramids. Kheops is also Cheops, but is also "Kufu" as well the first pyramid at Saqqara was commissioned by Pharaoh Zozer, aka "Zoser", "Soser" and "Djoser." Translations are never exact, so archeologists can only base assumptions on "close."
2007-02-22 08:45:04 · answer #2 · answered by blakesleefam 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They don't. In Ancient Egyptian names there are no vowels, so you will find the same name with different guesses at the vowels to be used in pronunciation. But no one is sure how they were pronounced. The 'educated' guesses change over time.
2007-02-22 08:41:24 · answer #3 · answered by Elizabeth Howard 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They don't actually know since the only true way would to be there. However, they have many text's that give them a guide to pronouncation. They think they are fairly close to the correct pronouncation.
2007-02-22 08:28:46 · answer #4 · answered by Sophist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They don't. They are simply very well educated guesses!
2007-02-22 08:27:10 · answer #5 · answered by Josie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they umm............ tried to sound it out?
2007-02-22 08:25:58 · answer #6 · answered by Karate Gal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋