SumerianGrammar-4.htm

INDEX OF GRAMMATICAL
FORMANTS AND SELECTED VOCABULARY





Ü current interpretation by Sumerologists
any formant beginning with a vowel is sometimes seen
as a resumption of the preceding consonant plus vowel


1. Noun + -ÿ, subject of intransitive or passive transitive verb; object of active transitive verb; Ü "absolutive"; (PL ÿ)

2.Noun + -ÿ, 'at' (locative); Ü not recognized; (PL ÿ)


1.Noun + reduplication, totality, 'all'; Ü "all"; (PL reduplication)


1.Verb + reduplication, for CV-verbs, progressive/imperfective (mar˚); for (C)VC-verbs, intensivity = 'all the way' (emphatic hamTu); for (C)VC progressive/imperfective, see -Ó below; Ü durativity (mar˚); (PL reduplication)


1. Noun + -a, 'on' (superessive); Ü "locative"; (PL ?A, 'here, [plant-]top')


a. Noun + -a, genitive; Ü "not recognized except as reduction of -ak-"; (PL ?A, 'here')


2. Noun or Adjective + -a, 'this'; Ü "not assigned a meaning"; (PL ?A, 'here')

3. a- + Verb, marker of immediate time (usually present); imperative: 'immediately'; Ü "not specified"; (PL ?A, 'here')

4. Verbal Chain + -a-, adverbial 'here'; Ü "marker of 1st or 2nd person(?)"; (PL ?A, 'here')

5. Verbal Phrase + -a¹, 'this' (phrase nominalizer: 'this one who/which . . .'); Ü "subordinative"; (PL ?A, 'here')


1. a.ba, 'who?'; Ü "who?"; (PL ?A-P[?]A, 'here-some(one)?')


Noun + -ak(**a/u)-, genitive; Ü "genitive"; (PL HHA-KX[H]O, 'water-mollusc' = 'sea-shell, valuable possession')


1. al- + Verb, 'perfective, (cause to )persist, always, ever; Ü "stative"; (PL ?A-N[H]A, 'top-move' = 'mature')


1. ana or ana₃, 'one' (cardinal); Ü "one(?)"; (PL ?A-NA, 'here-one' = 'this one')


1. a.na, 'what?'; Ü "what?"; (PL ?A-NA, 'here-one?')


1. a.nÍ, 'one' (pronominal); Ü "he/she"; (PL ?A-NA-øE, 'here-one-like' = '(this) one')


1. a.nÍ.nÍ, 'all ones' (pronominal) [Old Sumerian]; Ü "they"; (PL ?A-NA-øE -NA-øE, 'here-one-like-one-like' = 'all ones here')


1. -a.nÍ.nÓ₅, '(belonging to) all ones (pronominal)'; Ü "their (animate)" (Sumerologists read -a.ne.ne); (PL ?A + NA-øE-NA-øE-øE, 'here-one-like-one-like-like' = '(belonging to) all ones here')


1. Noun + -anÓ, 'one's' (pronominal); Ü "his/her"; (PL ?A-NA-øE-øE, 'here-one-like-like' = '(this) one-like')


1. Verbal Chain + -b-, durative, partitive (this is probably the Sumerian expression of an antipassive indicating a partial execution of the verbal idea in relationship to the object); Ü "3rd person subject or object (inanimate)"; (PL P[?]A, 'part')


1. Noun + -ba, 'over, past'; Ü "-bi + -a"; (PL P[H]A, 'over' = 'past {space}')

2. ba- + Verb, perfect, 'had . . .ed'; Ü "not defined"; (PL P[H]A, 'over' = 'past {time}')

3. Verbal Phrase + (-a) + -ba, 'after'; Ü "-bi + -a"; (PL P[H]A, 'over' = 'past {time}')


1. ba-ra (derived from **par₂ + -a-, 'here') + Verb, '(I) exclude here that . . .'; Ü "vetitive with mar˚; negative affirmative with hamTu"; (PL P[?]FA-RE, ''make to be outstanding=put outside=exclude+here')


1. **bÍ, 'somone/thing' (pronominal) - not attested; Ü "not recognized"; (PL P[?]A-øE, 'part-like')


1. Noun + -bÓ (written bi, the result of a contraction of **bÍ + -**Ó, '-like'), 'someone/thing's'; Ü -bi, 'its, their (inanimate)'; (PL P[?]A-øE-øE, 'piece-like-like')


1. Noun or Adjective + -bÓ, 'over to'; Ü "forms adverbs"; (PL P[H]A, 'over, past' + HHE-øE, 'go-ing')


1. bi₂(better pi₅) + Verb, 'around'; Ü "ba + i₃"; (PL P[?]FE-øE, 'foot-like' = "toe/digit" = "around")


1. Noun + -da / -da₅ (Old Sumerian), 'with' (lative but also comitative); Ü "comitative"; (PL T[?]A, '(at) hand')


a. Noun + -bÓ-da, 'and (=with its)'; Ü "and"; (PL P[?]A-øE-øE, 'piece-like-like=its' + T[?]A, '(at) hand')

b. Noun + -da nu-(better n€-)mÍ-a, 'without (=never being there with)'; Ü "without"; (PL T[?]A, '(at) hand' + NA-?A-F[H]A, 'inside' + stative + 'go around' = 'not again = never' + MA, '(be) there' + -øE, '-like' = imperfective = 'being there' + -?A, 'this' = phrase nominalizer, = 'absence')


2. Verbal Chain + -da-, adverbial modification of verbal idea with 'co-'; resumption of previous Noun + -da(?); Ü "abilitative, resumption of previous Noun + -da-"; (PL T[?]A, '(at) hand')

1. Verb (+ -Ó) + -da (better -du₂₀), iterative (mar˚) and habitual hamTu with or without intensive reduplication); Ü "-ed-a, subordinate mar˚ form"; (PL -T[H]O, 'approach, move together')


1. Verb (+ -Ó) + -de₃ (better -nÍ), adverbial 'inside, while'; Ü "supposedly an anomalous form of -da, 'with'"; (PL NA, 'interior' + øE, 'interior-like=within')


1. Verbal Chain + -de₃ (better -dÓ₇-; also -di-, and -de₄- in Old Babylonian literary texts), adverbial 'to the side'; Ü "supposedly an anomalous form of -da-, 'with'"; (PL T[?]A, '(at) hand' + HHE-øE, 'go-ing' = 'to the side')


1. Verbal Chain + -dÓ₇- (considered by Sumerologists to be -de₃-); also -di-, and -de₄- in Old Babylonian literary texts), adverbial 'to the side'; Ü "supposedly an anomalous form of -da-, 'with'"; (PL T[?]A, '(at) hand' + HHE-øE, 'go-ing' = 'to the side')


2. Verbal Chain + -de₃, nominalizes a mar˚ verbal form for clauses of intention or purpose (better ni₅; see below)


1. Verb (+ -Ó) + -du₂₀ (considered by Sumerologists to be -da; see above under -da), iterative (mar˚) and habitual hamTu with or without intensive reduplication); Ü "-ed-a, subordinate mar˚ form"; (PL -T[H]O, 'approach, move together')


1. Noun + -Í, 'nearby' (proximative); subject of active transitive verb; Ü "ergative"; (PL ?A-øE, 'here-like') NOTE: This and the terminative may be datives based on Í, 'go to'.


a. Noun + -Í, 'nearby, in connection with'; Ü "locative-terminative"; (PL ?A-øE, 'here-like')

b. Noun + -Í, 'that (nearby)'; Ü "demonstrative, 'this'; (PL ?A-øE, 'here-like')


2. Í- + Verb, marker of non-concomitant time, nearby past or future; Ü "verbal marker without definable meaning"; (PL ?A-øE, 'here-like')

3. Verbal Chain + -Í-, adverbial 'there, nearby'; Ü "marker of 1st or 2nd person"; (PL ?A-øE, 'here-like')


1. Í.nÍ, 'one (pronominal)'; Ü "he/she"; (PL ?A-øE-NA-øE, 'here-like-one-like')

2. Noun + -Í.nÍ (a reduction from **-Í.nÍ.nÍ), '**that/those {pronominal}'; Ü "animate plural of nouns"; (PL ?A-øE-NA-øE-NA-øE, 'here-like-one-like-one-like' = 'all those nearby')


1. Í.nÍ.nÍ, 'all ones (pronominal)'; Ü "they (animate)"; (PL ?A-øE + NA-øE-NA-øE, 'here-like-one-like-one-like' = 'all ones nearby')

1. Verb + -(Í.nÍ.)nÍ, progressive/imperfective (mar˚) of plural transitive active CV verbs; Ü "-ne, third person plural of intransitive, passive active mar˚ verbs"; (PL ?A-øE(-NA-øE)-NA-øE, 'here-like(-one-like)-one-like' = 'all those nearby')


1. Verb + -Íö₂ / -Íö, plural of transitive hamTu, passive and intransitive verbs; Ü "-eö, third person plural of intransitive, passive, and transitive hamTu verbs"; (PL presently undetermined)


1. ga- + Verb; volitive ('I will . . .'); Ü "cohortative"; (PL K[H]A, 'desire strongly')


1. Noun + -gin₇² / also -gim² / -ge₂² (New Sumerian), 'like'; Ü "equative"; (PL K[H]E(-øE)-NA, 'other(-like)-one' and K[H]E(-øE)-MA, 'other(-like)-place')

2. Verbal Phrase + -gin₇² / also -gim², 'as'; Ü "equative"; (PL K[H]E(-øE)-NA, 'other(-like)-one' and K[H]E(-øE)-MA, 'other(-like)-place')


1. Verbal Chain + -(n)ga- (better -**(n)g[~]³u/˚_x-, another reading of the same sign), adverbial 'also'; Ü "also"; (PL QO(-?A), 'attach(ed)')


1. ha- (better ku₆-) + Verb, necessitative, 'must'; Ü "precative (entreaty) and affirmative"; (PL KX[H]O, 'close')


1. i₃- + Verb, non-concomitant time (far past or far future, distal); Ü "not defined"; (PL ?E, 'there (yonder), then')


1. Noun + -Ó, forms adjectives (in -anÓ and -bÓ); Ü not recognized; (PL -øE, '-like')


1. Verb + -Ó, progressive/imperfective (mar˚) of singular transitive active (C)VC verbs; for CV progressive/imperfective, see reduplication above; Ü "-e, mar˚"; (PL -øE, '-like')


1. Verb + -Ó-nÍ, progressive/imperfective (mar˚) of plural transitive active (C)VC verbs; for CV progressive/imperfective, see Í.nÍ.nÍ above; Ü "-e-ne, mar˚"; (PL -øE, '-like' + ?A-øE(-NA-øE)-NA-øE, 'here-like(-one-like)-one-like' = 'all those nearby')


1. Noun + -Ó, '(going) to' (allative); Ü "-e, locative-terminative"; (PL HHE-øE, 'go-ing')


1. (i)m- (combination of i₃-, 'then (non-concomitant time)' and -m(a)-, 'there') + Verb, non-concomitant time (far past or far future, distal) + 'there'; Ü "ventive"; (PL ?E, 'there (yonder), then' + MA, 'there')


1. ir(i)- (combination of i₃-, 'then (non-concomitant time)' and -r(a)-, 'high') + Verb, non-concomitant time (far past or far future, distal) + 'high'; Ü "not defined"; (PL ?E, 'there (yonder), then' + RA, 'high')


1. ku₆- + Verb, necessitative, 'must'; Ü "precative (entreaty) and affirmative"; (transcribed by Sumerologists currently as ha- + Verb); (PL KX[H]O, 'close')


1. ma- + Verb, 'there (yonder)'; Ü "nasalized ba-"; (PL MA, 'place, there')

2. Verbal Chain + -ma-, adverbial 'there (yonder)'; Ü "nasalized -ba-"; (PL MA, 'place, there')


1. mÍ (written me, the result of a contraction of ma + -**Ó, '-like'), 'where?'; Ü me, 'where?'; (PL MA-øE, 'place-like')


1. mÓ- (written me-, i.e. mi₃-, or mi-) + Verb, adverbial 'to there/thither (yonder)'; Ü "mu + i₃-"; (PL MA, 'place, there' + HHE-øE, 'go-ing')

2. Verbal Chain + -mÓ- (written -me-, i.e. -mi₃-, or -mi-), adverbial 'to there/thither (yonder)'; Ü "i₃ + -bi-"; (PL MA, 'place, there' + HHE-øE, 'go-ing')


1. Noun + -mÍ (written -me-), **my, our; Ü "our"; (PL M[H]A-øE, 'resident-like')


1. m^yu/m€- + Verb, asseverative, affirmative; Ü "not defined"; (PL ME-F[H]A, 'converse-go around=repeat=insist'; or MA-HHA-F[H]A, '(by the) waters')


1. Verbal Chain + -n-, punctual (ingressive); Ü "3rd person subject or object (animate)"; (PL NA, 'one')


1. Verbal Chain + -na, nominalizes a mar˚ verbal form; the final -a may be -‚, the result of this -a + -a, superessive; Ü "nominalization"; (PL NA, 'one')


1. na- + Verb, adverbial 'now (in progress)'; Ü "affirmative"; (PL NA, 'interior')

2. Verbal Chain + -na-, adverbial 'in(side)'; Ü "dative infix - 3rd person"; (PL NA, 'interior')


1. n‚- (written na-) + Verb, negative; Ü "negative"; (PL NA-?A, 'inside' + stative = 'inside, not here')


1. Verbal Chain + -nÓ₅, nominalizes a mar˚ verbal form for clauses of intention or purpose; the final -Ó is the result of this -(n)a + -Ó, allative; Ü interpreted as -de₃, a form of the mar˚ **-ed inflection; (PL NA, 'one' + HHE-øE, 'go-ing')


1. nÍ, 'one' (pronominal); Ü "this/that (one)"; (PL NA-øE, 'one-like' = 'one' {pronominal})


1. nÍn (written ne.en), 'one' (pronominal); Ü "this/that (one)"; (PL NA-øE-NA, 'one-like-one' = 'one' {pronominal})


1. Verb + -nÍ (read -de₃ by Sumerologists), adverbial 'inside, while'; Ü "supposedly an anomalous form of -da, 'with'"; (PL NA, 'interior' + øE, 'interior-like=within')


1. Verbal Chain + -nÓ- , adverbial 'to inside/into'; Ü "locative or 'second object' indication for 3rd person {animate}"; (PL NA, 'interior' + HHE-øE, 'go-ing')


1. n€- (written nu-) + Verb, 'never'; Ü "negative"; (PL NA-?A-F[H]A, 'inside' + stative + 'go around' = 'not again = never')


1. **par₂ + -a-, 'here' (transcribed by Sumerologists as ba-ra) + Verb, perfect, '(I) exclude here that . . .'; Ü "vetitive with mar˚; negative affirmative with hamTu"; (PL P[?]FA-RE, ''make to be outstanding=put outside=exclude+here')


1. pi₅- + Verb, 'around'; Ü "ba + i₃"; (transcribed by Sumerologists currently as bi₂ + Verb); (PL P[?]FE-øE, 'foot-like' = "toe/digit" = "around")


1.Noun + -ra, '(up) above' (suprative); Ü not recognized; (PL RA, 'high, above')

2. Noun + -ra, 'for' (benefactive); Ü "dative"; (PL RA, 'high, above')

3. Verbal Chain + -ra-, adverbial '(up) above'; Ü "dative infix - 2nd person"; (PL RA, 'high, above')


1. Verbal Chain + -rÓ- , adverbial 'to above/up to'; Ü "ablative or 'second object' indication for 2nd person"; (PL RA, 'high, above' + HHE-øE, 'go-ing')


1. s¸₅- (written öe₃- {Jaritz Sign #893}) + Verb, 'so, it follows that . . .' ; Ü "contrapunctive, affirmative"; (PL S[H]O-øE, 'following-like/follow-ing')


1. öa- + Verb, 'so, it follows that . . .' ; see s¸₅- above.


1. öa₃- + Verb, 'so, it follows that . . .' ; see s¸₅- above.


1. öe₃- + Verb, 'so, it follows that . . .' ; see s¸₅- above.


1. Noun + -öÍ₃ / -Vö (New Sumerian), 'towards'; Ü "to" (the form is considered by some Sumerologists to be "*-eöe"); (PL S[H]E-øE, 'separating for')

2. Verbal Chain + -öe₃- (Old Sumerian) / -öi- (later), adverbial modification of verbal idea with 'toward'; resumption of previous Noun + -öÍ₃(?); Ü "to", resumption of previous Noun + -öe₃"; (PL S[H]E-øE, 'separating for')


1. öe₃- + Verb, 'so, it follows that . . .' ; see s¸₅- above.


1. öi- + Verb, 'so, it follows that . . .' ; see s¸₅- above.


1. öu₃- + Verb, 'so, it follows that . . .' ; see s¸₅- above.


1. Noun + -ta (better -t˚_x [and -tu_x{?}]), '([being] removed) from, by'; Ü "from, by, ablative-instrumental"); (PL T[?]SO-FA, 'swing-around' + imperfective = 'drilling' = '(being) removed from')


1. u- / u₃- (**wÍ-) + Verb, 'again, repeatedly'; Ü "prospective"; (PL F[H]A(-øE), 'come/go around(-like') = "again, repeat")

continue to

go to first 35+ root cognates (1-35) ?

PL MORPHOLOGICAL ELEMENTS IN SUMERIAN

press here to see

to investigate these phonological correspondences in detail, see the

NOTATIONAL CONVENTIONS

Combinatory Modifications

for modifications of the vowels and consonants in combination, see the

Table of Modifications

PROTO-LANGUAGE MONOSYLLABLES

In order for readers to judge the semantic plausibility of the analysis of Proto-Language (PL) compounds suggested here, I am including access to a table of Proto-Language monosyllables and the meanings I have provisionally assigned.

Most assignments can be exhaustively supported by data from actually attested forms but a few animates are very doubtful; and this list does not represent the "final" solution of these questions, which will only be approached when other scholars assist in refining it.

Patrick C. Ryan

Summer 1998

1. The verbal phrase may consist of a single Verb: Ea (i.e. **  -a; PL HHA-øE, 'water-like=semen'), '(he) who procreates', a Sumerian epithet of En-ki; ti(l)-la, 'who resides' (Thomsen 1984: 262); Noun + Verb: ^DIG[~]2IREn.lil₂-le g[~]ar-ra, 'whom En-lil installed'; and Nominal Phrase + Verb: An-gin₇ dim₂-ma, 'who was fashioned like An' (Thomsen 1984: 262).

However, the verbal phrase may also dispense with the -a-formant: sa(n)g[~]³ zig₃, 'who lifted the head' (Thomsen 1984: 258); this shows that the addition of -a is stylistic.

2. Seen in Indo-European *k[^]e, 'that', and *kom (for **k[^]om, 'beside'.