Sumerian & Akkadian Grammatological Terminology

pp. 308-309 6.3.1 terms for types of affixes

p. 308 Sumerian term

pp. 308-9 its meaning

p. 309 its Akkadian aequivalent

literal translation of the Akkadian

a n - t a (AN.TA)

praefix

elis^

above, at the upper end

k i - t a (KI.TA)

suffix

s^aplis^

below, at the lower end

MURU4.TA

infix

qablitu

middle (p. 311)

The terms "above" and "below" or "top" and "bottom" "echoes the original top-to-bottom direction of cuneiform writing." (p. 310) {cf. Chinese & traditional Korean top-to-bottom direction of writing}

p. 310 6.3.1 examples of AN.TA

affix

its function

its meaning

h e’-

praecative

 

g a-

cohortative

 

e n – n a

 

until

m u-

 

because of

nu – ub – d a

 

before

n u – u s-

frustrative

if only I could

p. 310 6.3.1 examples of KI.TA

affix

its function

its meaning

- e – s e

marker for direct speech

 

- g i s – e n

irreal marker for hypothetic speech

 

- n u – m e – n a

postpositive

except

- k e – e s

"

because

- k a – n a m

"

"

p. 312 6.3.1 examples of AN.TA MURU4.TA

affix

its function

   

u-n-

praefix + masculine infix

a-n-

" " "

i-n-

" " "

   

u-b-

praefix + neutre infix

a-b-

" " "

p. 312 6.3.1 example of AN.TA KI.TA

affix

its function

its meaning

n u – d a __ a s

praefix + suffix

not yet

p. 314 6.3.2 examples of TIL ‘conjugation’ = gamartum (literally meaning ‘finished’)

Sumerian

Akkadian

function

- a

anaku

1st person singular

- e

atta

2nd " "

- a n

s^u^

3rd " "

p. 316 6.3.2 examples of declension with riatum (‘ventive’, i.e. intransitive)

Sumerian case-form

function

- r a -

instrumental

- d a -

comitative

- t a -

ablative

p. 317 6.1.3 sequences for personal affixes to verbs

mood

persons

indicative

3rd – 1st – 2nd

s^usburtum (non-indicative)

2nd – 1st -- 3rd

p. 318 6.3.3 affixations for verbal moods

mood

Sumerian affixation

s^usburtum (e.g., imperative)

suffixed /- b i/

non-s^usburtum (i.e., indicative)

praefixed /b i -/

p. 319 6.3.4 weak vs. strong verbs

Sumerian term

meaning

Akkadian aequivalent

literal meaning of the Akkadian

UL4

weak verb

hamt.u

swift

SE

strong verb

maru

slow

p. 321 in strong verbs, maru-forms are used for action incomplete (future & praesent tenses), hamt.u-forms for actions completed (past tense)

pp. 322-323 6.3.5 grammatical number

Sumerian

determinative for __

number

Akkadian aequivalent

DIS

one

singular

is^ten

MES

many

plural

madutum

p. 323 6.3.6 syllables

term

syllable

riqu (= Sumerian NI.SUD)

vowel + consonant (= closed syllable)

malu

vowel (open syllable)

p. 324 6.3.7 pronunciation of a Sumerian ideograph

term

function

KA.SI.GA

phonetic value, pronunciation

p. 331 6.3.9 other grammatical terms

term

function

lu^

praecative

mu^

participle

p. 332 6.3.10 grammatical text-notation terms

term

its meaning

kammu

tablet / composition

s^ukamu (S U + G A D)

art of writing

Robert G. Dietel : Ancient Akkadian Grammatical Concepts. PhD. diss, U of WA, 1987.