Basic principles with the Sumerian Grammar 3

koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

1 August 2010

This is the third reflection on aspects of the Sumerian Grammar. We do not know the language of Adam and not the language of Henoch or Methusaleg, but one thing we can learn, that Sumerian was the language after the flood in 2521 BCE and whether it came after the Babel event or existed before, we do not know. In all likelihood, it existed together with Semitic after the event of Babel.

Articles

Sumerian has no articles (Daniel Foxvog 2010: 25).

Adjectives

There are simple adjectives:

gal = big;

tur = small

mah = great

ĝen = ordinary

They are also verbal modifiers:

iri-gal = the big city

dumu-tar = the small child

There is the simple adjective with suffix -a:

kalag-a = strong, mighty

zi(d) or zi-da = righteous

tigi-ni-du₁₀(-ga) constructions

[tigi = hymn] which is good

form [sa₆(g)+a] dim-ma ni sa₆-ga

(noun)judgement + (relative pronoun)which is (adjective)

excellent

[Text Šulgi B 10 Ur III (2093-2045 BCE)]

form [du₁₀(g)+a] ĝišbun ni du₁₀-ga

(noun)banquet + (relative pronoun)which is (adjective) good/fine

[Text Iddin-Dagan A 204 Old Babylonian 1950 BCE] He was the third ruler at Mari after the fall of Ur in 2004 BCE: (1) Išbi-Era; (2) Šu-illišu; (3) Iddin-Dagan]

Mulitple Adjectives

anše tur mah

donkeys small and big

[Nik I 203 iv 1 os]

form [du₁₀(g)+a+ak] sá-du₁₁ kas gig du₁₀-ga-kam

(noun) regular offering + (noun) beer + (adjective) black + (adjective) good + (genitive) of

It is a regular offering of good black beer

[Text TSA 34 3:10 OS]

form [zu+a kal+a+(a)ni] (lú) zu-a kal-la-ni

(noun) persons (adjective) who were known + (adjective) who were dear + (relative pronoun indicator) to him

(persons) who were known and dear to him

[Text Lugalbanda and Emerkar 5 OB]

Reduplication of Adjectives

diĝir-gal-gal the very great god or the great gods

kal-kal very precious

šen-šen very clean

[gi(n)+a] = right; nì-gi-na = right thing, law

nì-gi-gi-na = all the laws

[Text Gudea Statue B 7:38 during Ur III period 2114-2004 BCE]

4 ninda-bàppir-gal-gal 1 ninda-bàppir-tur-tur

4 extra-big beer-breads, 1 extra-small beer-bread

[Text Genava 26, 53 3:2-3 OS]

Reduplication of Adjectives of Color

white Old Sumerian (2400 BCE) bar₆-bar₆

Old Babylonian (1950 BCE) babbar (BAR₆)

black gíg but rarely gíg-gíg

dark Old Babylonian (1950 BCE) ku₁₀-ku₁₀ (kúkku)

yellow/green si₁₂-si₁₂ or sig₇(-ga)

multi-colored gùn-gùn

sweet ku7-ku7

pure dadag

shining, clean zalag-zalag

One is reminded of the name of Metusaleg which is a combination of the participle "when he dies" salag. Does this mean, it shall be clean? When Metusaleg dies the world shall be clean when the evil are all wiped out by the Flood in 2521 BCE.

Genitive Construction

There is a regens, a rectum, a genitive suffix, a regens modifier and a case marker.

Regens can be noun + adjective or just noun

Rectum can be noun + adjective + possesive/demonstrative pronoun + plural + genitive suffix ak

Regens modifier can be possessive/demonstrative pronoun + plural

Case marker

(é) + (lugal + ak) + Ø é lugal-la

house king of

the house of the king

Order is    1 3 2

(é) + (lugal + ak) + a é lugal-la-ka

house king of in

In the house of the king

Order is     2 4 3 1

(dumu) + (lugal + ani + ak) + e dumu lugal-a-na-ke₄

son king his of by

By the son of his king

Order is     5 1 4 3 2

(šeš+tur) + (lugal + mah + ak) + ene + Ø

šeš-tur lugal-mah-a-ke4-ne

brother young king big of (plural marker)

The young brothers of the great king

Order is         2 1 5 4 3

(šeš+tur) + (lugal + mah + za + ak) + bi + ene + Ø

šeš-tur lugal-mah-za-bé-ne

brother young king big your of those (plural marker)

Those young brothers of your great king

Order is       7 2 1 6 5 4 3

Multiple Genitive Constructions

regens + (regens + rectum + ak) + ak

regens + (regens [regens + rectum + ak] + ak) + ak

é dumu + ak + Ø é dumu

The house of the son

é dumu lugal + ak + ak + Ø é dumu lugal-la-ka

The house of the son of the king

é dumu lugal úri(m)^ki + ak + ak + ak + Ø

é dumu lugal úri^ki-ma-ka-ka

The house of the son of the king of Ur

Order:       1 7 2 6 3 5 4

Preposition in Genitive chain

The preposition stands at the back of the Genitive chain and is called the Genitive Postposition (Foxvog 2010: 40).

é lugal + ak + a é lugal-a-ka

house king of in

In the house of the king

Order:       4 1 3 2

é lugal + ak + še é lugal-a-še

house king of to

To the house of the king

Order:        4 1 3 2

Genitive combined with the possesive pronouns

Genitive is "of" and possessive pronouns are "my, his, theirs".

The order is pronoun first and then genitive.

of my-ĝu₁₀ + ak + Ø becomes -ĝá

of your-zu + ak + Ø becomes -za

of his, her-(a)ni + ak + Ø becomes -(a)-na

of its, their (collective) -bi + ak + Ø becomes -ba

of our-me + ak + Ø becomes -me

of your-zuene + ak + Ø becomes -zu-ne-ne

of their-(a)nene + ak + Ø becomes -(a)-ne-ne

form: ká irí + ĝu₁₀ + ak + Ø

ká irí-ĝá

gate city my of

The gate of my city

Order:      1 4 3 2

form: ká irí + ĝu₁₀ + ak + še       

ká irí-ĝá-še

gate city my of to

To the gate of my city

Order:    5 1 4 3 2

form: é-mah lugal + (a) nene + ak + Ø

é-mah lugal-la-ne-ne

house great king their of

The great house of their king

Order:     2 1 5 4 3

form: é-mah lugal + (a) nene + ak + a

é-mah lugal-la-ne-ne-ka

house great king their of in

In the great house of their king

Order:     6 2 1 5 4 3

Source:

Daniel A. Foxvog was a lecturer in Assyriology at the University of California at Berkeley. At the site for these books, www.etana.org I ran into his book: Daniel A. Foxvog, Introduction to Sumerian Grammar (Revised edition, June 2010). This work is a revised edition of his 1990 Sumerian Grammar (Foxvog 2010: 3).