1 Nephi 1:2

Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

Important Words:
Language- does this refer to spoken language or characters of alphabet?
Learning- does this refer to content?
Jews-it has been suggested that in order to better understand the Book of Mormon, a background in Judaism is valuable.
Egyptians-We do know that there is a difference between Egyptian language and Egyptian characters. Egyptian characters could be used to write other languages. Papyrus Amherst 62 uses Demotic Egyptian script to write an Aramaic version of Psalm 20. Aramaic is a sister language to Hebrew, just as Spanish is to Italian.


Commentary:
Morm. 9:32
32)And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.


Mosiah 1:4
4)For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time.

The Book of Mormon seems to make a distinction between the “language” and “characters” of Egypt. The Brass Plates and Nephi’s record were written in the Egyptian language, whereas the gold plates were written in reformed Egyptian characters.There is a difference between Egyptian language and Egyptian characters. Egyptian characters could be used to write other languages. Papyrus Amherst 62 uses Demotic Egyptian script to write an Aramaic version of Psalm 20. Aramaic is a sister language to Hebrew, just as Spanish is to Italian. Modified Egyptian script was the basis for the Meroitic written language. However, Coptic is Egyptian language written in Greek letters.1

The Maya people, who lived in Southeast Mexico and Guatemala, may have adopted the phrase “and it came to pass.” Glyphs of the 7^th century AD Maya ruins of Palenque manifest the phrase “and then it came to pass” and  “it had come to pass.”  Another glyph has been interpreted as “and it shall come to pass.”

In the Book of Mormon, the pattern is consistent with the grammatical and literary purpose in the Maya glyphs. Therefore we can speculate that the record from which the Book of Mormon was translated manifested a phrase, or glyph, similar to what is recorded in the Maya hieroglyphs. Furthermore, we now know that the Lowland Maya did not invent writing in Mesoamerica. They simply adopted it from an earlier culture period between 600 BC and 50 AD.2

Insights:

Understanding Historical Context can aid in understanding spiritual texts.

Resolutions:

Continue study of all topics to further spiritual understanding.