Libmonster ID: JP-1332
Author(s) of the publication: I. T. Kaneva

Indirect speech in Sumerian is most often transmitted through complex sentences with a verb with the meaning of speaking in the main. An indicator of the relationship between sentences is the enclitic-a, which is attached to the personal verb form of the subordinate clause. This enclitic serves as an indicator of the syntactic dependence of the subordinate clause on the main one, but it does not determine the nature of the dependency itself. The nature of relations between sentences is determined based on the context, the position of the subordinate clause (in the name or verb of the main clause), the semantics of the predicate, the defined name, etc.

For example, the subordinate clause: lu ama-ar-gi-me in-gar-ra (i-n-gar-a), lit. " the person arranged our liberation-PZ (dependence indicator)", considered separately out of connection with the context, can be qualified: a) as a determinative with the noun / " 2 "person" in the role of the definable, if the subordinate clause takes a position with this name; the translation will be: "the person who arranged our liberation"; b) as a subordinate, acting as a common member of the main one, if it takes a verbal position. Thanks to the enclitic-a, the subordinate clause is nominalized, and it gets a meaning that can be conveyed as "that a person arranged our liberation."

Taken in the context of a compound sentence: lu ama-ar-gi-me in-gar-ra hi-in-dug4 this subordinate clause can be qualified as an additional one that conveys indirect speech based on the position it occupies - in the verb, the semantics of this verb - the verb of speaking. The translation of the whole sentence in this case will sound like this:"the fact that the person arranged our release, he said."

Here is another similar example: luha-baf, iryda-da-ke da-da-a ama-ar-gi-mu in-gar-ra Y-in-dug " Lubaba, Dada's slave, that Dada arranged my release, said "(1).

There are cases when it is impossible to clearly determine the type of subordinate clause - a determinative or a member of the main clause. With equal probability, it can be both: niny ki-5e5 amymu-un-padydcya ud-uV' - la-ta a-ba-a igi mi-ni-in-duya.

Here a double translation is possible: a) " a sister who would show the place (location) of a brother, who has seen it since ancient times?" and b) "as a sister showed the place (location) of a brother, who has seen it since ancient times?", lit. "the sister named the place of her brother-who has ever seen PZ since ancient times?" (2).

As the predicate of the main sentence in complex sentences that convey indirect speech, the following are attested: a) personal verb forms from verbs with the meaning of speaking: dugle "to say" / "to speak", gin "to confirm", zu "to let know", "to inform"; b) personal verb forms from so-called compound verbs which are frozen phraseological combinations of the noun and verb: guyde "to speak", enytar "to ask", mu-lugal pady "to swear", letters. "call the king's name", zi-lugal pad's," swear", lit. "the king's life to call", kiriq Su-gal "to plead", lit. "nose (to) hand to have ", etc.; c) a nominal predicate, which is either a noun nam-erim "oath", provided with an enclitic verb bundle of 3 l. units - am, or a participial turn nam-erim-kud "swearing an oath", also with an enclitic verb bundle.

When using the function of a predicate phraseological combination that conveys speech activity, in addition to enclitic-a, enclitic-S takes part in the implementation of the connection of the subordinate clause with the main one, which forms the noun-


1. Falkenstein A. Die neusumerischen Gerichtsurkunden. II. Munchen, 1956. S. 168. Z. 16-17.

2. Alster In Dumuzi's Dream. Aspects of Oral Poetry in Sumerian Myth // Mesopotamia. I. Copenhagen, 1972. S. 138-139.

page 203


the word that is included in this combination: "z nam-egi-ni-dugye gfe/me nu-uygi-da mu-lugal-hi in-padT, "and Nameginidug that (to the case of) the slave she will not return, the oath-hi said", lit. "the name of the king is what she said" (3).

According to purely formal features, the enclitic-hi can be qualified either as a possessive pronoun of the 3rd class of inanimate "his", or as an indicative pronoun "this". A number of researchers consider-hi to be a possessive pronoun. In their opinion, in such a context, a noun with the possessive pronoun-hi and a subordinate clause that has received the status of a name as a result of the design of the predicate with the enclitic-a and also stands in the genitive (the indicator of the genitive enclitic-ak is placed at the end of the predicate subordinate clause after the enclitic-a) form a genitive construction by type the one that nouns have. Here are these constructions.

Genitive construction I: definition (noun in genitive) - definable (noun provided with an enclitic possessive pronoun that agrees in person, class, and number with the definition): kalam-ma (kalam-ak) lugal-hi "king of the country", lit. "the king of the country is hers..."

Genitive construction II: definition (nominalized personal verb form in the genitive) - definable (noun provided with an enclitic possessive pronoun that agrees with the definition): geme-nu-uygi-gn-da (nu-uygi-giyed-a-ak) mu-lugal-hi " oath of non-return (to the case o) a slave", lit. "that she will not return (to the case of) the slave, the oath is his." It should be noted that the indicator of the genitive-ak is not graphically expressed here. It can be assumed that the vowel and is absorbed by the preceding vowel, and the final k at the end of the word has disappeared.

The proposed grammatical analysis-hi, however, does not seem convincing. The fact is that the use of enclitic-hi in such a context is observed where, due to the lack of a genitive, it is not necessary to talk about the presence of a genitive construction. We are talking, first, about compound sentences that convey the content of indirect speech (see below): ud-ku[r}-Se nam-tah-ha-Se gu nu-um-ga-gaye-ne mu-lugal-hi in-pady deye5 "(what) in future days, because of the social capital, they will not bring a lawsuit, the name of the king is what they have named" (4). Secondly, about sentences in which indirect speech is transmitted using a syntactic construction with a leading member-a verb root with the suffix-ed and an indicator of the local-directed case-e (for more information about this construction, see below): me-kug-sikil-zu pa-e-ak-dcT, (pa-eyak-e) a-hi mu-un-da-an-ag "to make your holy (and) pure 'rites' perfect, the command-hi he gave (lit. 'made')") (5).

On this basis, it seems more likely that the enclitic-hi is an indicative pronoun "this", "that". In such a context, it emphasizes the content of the subordinate clause and, thus, performs an expressive-excretory function.

A subordinate clause containing indirect speech acts as a patient in the personal verb form of the main sentence and, in accordance with this, takes the position of a patient, i.e. it is located inside the main one, immediately before the predicate: it, iybi-la-du-du-ke-ne inim-ama-ne-ne nu-uyuh-kur-ne-a mu-lugal-hi in-pad, "and the heirs of Dudu, that they do not break their mother's word, such is the oath they have taken" (6).

However, much more often the subordinate clause as carrying the main semantic load is brought forward: e kug-Su-na-ta-att, in-Sam-a.. in-na-Sagyga pat-ept-at - " what is a house for its own silver (lit. "for the silver of your hand") she bought it, Innashaga swore", lit. "there is an oath" (7).

In indirect speech, the imperative or personal verb forms provided with modal prefixes that express an urge, wish, or belief are not attested.-


3. Falkenstein. Op. cit. S. 45, Z. 12-14.

4. Edzard D. 0. "Du hast mir gegeben", "ich habe dir gegeben". Uber das sumerische Verbum sum // Die Welt des Orients. 1976. 8.2. S. 159-177.

5. Civil M. Isme-dagan and Enlil's Chariot // JAOS. 1968. 88. 1. P. 4-5.

6. Falkenstein. Op. cit. S. 99, Z. 45-46.

7. Ibid. S. 99, Z. 11-14.

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To give indirect speech a tone of expression of will, personal verb forms of the subordinate clause are provided with the suffix-ed, which conveys the modal values of ought, possibility, necessity, etc., which is located immediately after the verb root.

kar-kid-hi-ir nu-un-Si-gur-ru-da (nu-i-ni-gur-ed-a) di-kud-e-ne in-na - an-eS "the judges told him not to go back to that harlot" or "the judges told him not to return to this harlot" (8).

Indirect speech constructions include sentences with spoken verbs and non-personal verb forms (either with the same words or with words dependent on them), which are provided with a connection indicator, enclitic-a.

As non-personal verb forms in Sumerian, verb roots are used, which, depending on the syntactic function they perform in the sentence, get the meaning of an infinitive, participle, or adjective (verb roots expressing quality and property).

Here, as in the case of subordinate clauses, enclitic-a does not determine the nature of the relationship between non-personal verb forms and the members of the sentence. The nature of relations between them is determined based on the context, the position of the non-personal verb form, the semantics of the predicate, etc. For example, the combination eduyda, consisting of the noun e "house" and the non-personal verb form duyda, to duyed-a (in addition to the enclitic-a, the word form is suffixed with-ed) "build-must-PZ", taken out of context, it can be qualified as: a) as a determinative construction, if the non-personal verb form takes a position in the noun e "house". Enclitic -a in this case indicates the dependence of the definition of duyda on the defined e. The non-personal verb form gets the meaning of the participle and the translation will be: "a house that should be built"; b) as a common member of the sentence, if the combination takes a verbal position. The non-personal verb form gets the meaning of the infinitive and the translation of the entire construction will sound like this:" that the house needs to be built "or"that the house needs to be built".

Let's illustrate this with the following examples: nam-e-duyda-lugal-la-na-SeT, (nam-e-duyed-a-lugal-ani-ak-SeT,)uT, gig--an-na nu-um - ku-ku. In this example, the genitive construction e-lugal-ani-ak "the temple of his lord" takes place, expanded by attaching the definition to the defined one in the form of the non-personal verb form duyed-a, which receives the meaning of a participle in a similar context. According to the Sumerian order of the members of determinative complexes, the definition in the form of a non-personal verb form always precedes the definition in the form of a name in the genitive. The translation of the example would be: "because of the upcoming construction of the temple of his lord (lit."because of the temple of his lord that is to be built") sleep did not come (to his eyes) in the night."

e-a-t duyda ma-an-dug. Here the combination e-a-ni duyda takes a position in the verb dug "to say", acts as a common member of the sentence (patient) and conveys someone else's speech. This form of reproduction of someone else's speech should be considered indirect speech, since such reproduction is carried out within the framework of a construction that is syntactically subordinate (due to the dependence indicator enclitic-a) to the verb with the meaning of speaking. The non-personal verb form gets the meaning of an infinitive in this context. The translation of the phrase is: "He told me to build a temple "(10). The presence of the suffix-ed in the non-personal verb form gives indirect speech a tone of expression of will, see also the following example: di5-me-dda-gan sipad-ki-ag-ga-m-ir [udu] [g]ud maS-du-J Sar-sar - re-da (Sar-Sar-ed-a) in-na-an-dugyga-am "to Ishmedagan, his beloved shepherd, that he should multiply the number of excellent sheep, bulls, goats, he said" or "to multiply the number of excellent sheep, bulls, goats, he ordered" (11).

As a part of constructions with non-personal verb forms, nouns acting in the function of agent, subject, and patient are attested, which indicates the functioning of non-personal forms as personal (12) 3 l. individual and 3 l. collective


8. Steel F. The Code of Lipit-IStar // AJA. 1948. 3. P. 425-450, XVII 54-56.

9. Thureau-Dangin F. Die sumerischen und akkadischen Konigsinschriften. Lpz, 1907. S 88-120, XVII. 7-8.

10. Ibid. IV 20.

11. Kramer S.N. Lamentation over the Destruction of Nippur// Acta Sumerologica. 1991. 13. P. 1-26, 1. 174-175.

12. Thureau-Dangin. Op. cit. IV. 20.

page 205


plural Examples with an agent, subject, or patient of 1 and 2 liters. units and plural parts are not presented in the studied texts.

Nouns in the role of agent and patient: duh-gibil-mu SeS-gal-mu sar-re-da (sar-ed-a) mu-e-dug " what my big brother should write on my new tablet, you said "(13). In this example, the noun SeS-gal-mu "my older brother" used in the agent function is not framed by the ergative indicator enclitic-E. It can be assumed that the vowel "e" is absorbed by the preceding vowel, i.e. SeS-gal-mu k SeS-gal-ti-E.

Noun in the role of subject: wnammu gin - [na] (gin-a) ukin, mu-un-zu-uS "that Urnammu came, they told the people", lit. "Urnammu come-PZ people they reported "(14).

When using a phraseological combination (noun + verb) as a speaking verb constructions with non-personal verb forms can take a position either with the noun that is part of the construction, or with the entire phraseological combination. In the case of correlation with a noun, the construction acts as a definition and is equivalent in content to a subordinate explanatory. When correlated with the entire phraseological combination, the non-personal verb form (one or with its dependent words) is used as a member of the sentence and reproduces the utterance in the form of indirect speech. Let us illustrate this with the example of a phraseological combination consisting of the genitive construction mu-lugal k mu-lugal-ak (indicator of the genitive) "name of the king" and the verb root pad-} "to call", which gets the meaning "swear".

mu-lugal itud-nisag-Se ag-da (ag-ed-a) i-in-pad-. In this example, the combination itud-nisag-Seag--da takes a position in the genitive construction mu-lugal "name of the king" and performs the definition function. The translation of the phrase will be as follows: "the oath that by the month of Nisag (grain) should be measured out, he said", lit. "the name-of-the-king is the month-nisag-to measure-the-must-be-PZ he named" (15).

tum-da (tum--ed-a) mu-lugal-hi in-pad,. Here the non-personal verb form tum-da takes a position with all the combination, functions as a member of the sentence (patient) and reproduces the utterance. The translation of the example reads as follows:" what (silver) will be brought, he swore", lit. "bring-must-PZ the name-of-the-king-that's what he called" (16).

Judging from the materials of the studied texts, functional similarity with constructions containing non-personal verb forms provided with the suffix-ed and enclitic-a, when they are used to convey indirect speech, is found in constructions with a non-personal verb form formed by the suffix-ed and the formant of the local-directional case, enclitic-E. The fact is that when transmitting indirect speech in different versions of the same text or in a context similar in content, there is an alternation in the use of these word forms.

Word forms with the suffix -ed and the formant-e are widely represented in Sumerian texts. If they are related to a verb, they get the meaning of the infinitive of the goal, and if they are related to the name, they express the definition of destination. Non-personal verb forms with the suffix -ed and the formant-e, as well as non-personal verb forms with the suffix-ed and the enclitic-a, are used to express the speaker's will.

[udu] Sam'i-Sam-i-de ' Sam'i-Sam-I-ed-e) mu-na-ab-be variant: udu Sam-Sam-da (Sam-Sam-ed-a) mu-na-ab-be "to sell sheep, he to him orders", lit. "sell the sheep-it's a must-for he says to him." Option:" he tells him to sell sheep, " lit. "to sell sheep is a must-he tells him so" (17).


13. Sjoberg A. Der Vater und sein missratener Sohn // JCS. 1973. 25. S. 105-169, Z. 24-25.

14. Kramer S.N. The Death of Ur-Nammu and His Descent to the Netherworld // JCS. 1967. 21. P. 104-122, 1. 79.

15. Wilcke С. Anmerkungen zum "Konjugationsprafix" i-... Ц Zeitschrift Шг Assyriologie und Vorderasiatische Archaeologie. 1988. 78. 1. S. 14.

16. Edzard D.O. Das sumerische Verbalmorphem ed in den altalt- und neusumerischen Texten // Studien zum Alten Orient Heidelberg, 1967. S. 48.

17. Edzard D.O.. Wilcke C. Die Hendursanga Hymne // Alter Orient und Altes Testament. 1976. 25. S. 139-176, Z. 242.

page 206


As part of constructions with non-personal verb forms provided with the suffix-ed and the formant-e, nouns acting as agents, subjects, and patients are also attested, which again indicates the possibility of functioning of non-personal forms as personal ones.

Nouns in the role of agent and patient: ugye u--mr-gal ku-(uT,) de (ku-ed-e) a-dugT, nag-nag-de, (nag-nag-ed-e)den-lil - le a-bi mu-da-na- ag " that the people should eat good food and drink sweet water, Enlil gave such instructions "(18).

Noun in the role of subject: lu lu-ra nu-gi-gi-de-t, mu-lugal iypad "so that one does not turn to the other (in this case), they swore" (19).

We present cases where an utterance that is equivalent in its content to indirect speech is transmitted in the context of two sentences that are formally unrelated to each other. In Sumerian, the compositional connection of sentences is expressed in this way, i.e. by simple juxtaposition.

uya-Saguru-ul-ka a-bi in-da-ag-e zi-lugal he-en-pady," and the rent of the Uruul field he will pay, let him swear!", lit. "let the king's life be named!" (20).

ud-ku[r]-Se nam-tab-ba-Se gu-v, nu-um-gayga-e-ne mu-lugal-bi in-padyde-eS "for future days, because of public capital, they will not sue, they swore", lit. "the king's name is called" (21).

Within the framework of a compound sentence, it was possible to transmit an utterance equivalent to indirect speech with the meaning of an expression of will. We are talking about cases when in one sentence there is a personal verb form 2 l. units from the verb dug "to say", provided with the modal prefix yy, expressing an incentive, and close in meaning to the softened imperative uyna-e-dug. Another sentence contains a personal verb form with the modal prefix he--, which conveys a wish.

luEN.ZU UT, - na-a-dug4. 14.4.0 Se-gur lu-z-na-ru-a he-na-ab-sum (letter) "Luenzu, let's tell him to give 14 gurov 4 (nigida) barley to Lunarua", lit. "let him give!" (22),

So, the reproduction of indirect speech was carried out in Sumerian either within the framework of a subordinate clause, or by means of constructions with non-personal verb forms. An indicator of the relationship of the subordinate clause with the main one or constructions with the predicate was the enclitic-a. This formant noted only the fact of syntactic dependence, but in no way determined its nature. The nature of relations between sentences or between a construction and a predicate was determined by the context, the position of the subordinate clause or construction (in the case of a name or verb), the semantics of the predicate, the defined name, etc.

Non-personal verb forms that are part of constructions that convey indirect speech received the meaning of an infinitive or a personal verb form of 3 l units, or a collective plural.

To reproduce indirect speech, constructions with a non-personal verb form equipped with the suffix - ed and the formant of the local-directional case-e, as well as compound sentences, are used.

INDIRECT SPEECH IN SUMERIAN I.T. Kaneva

Indirect speech in Sumerian is rendered either by subordinate clause or by constructions with non-finite verb forms. In both cases the subordinate character is demonstrated by the enclitic -a, which shows syntactic dependence only, without specifying its nature. The exact character of the subordination is expressed by the context, the position of the subordinate clause of the nonfinite verb form with the suffix -ed and with locative-directive case formant -е, the semantics of the predicate etc.


18. Thomson M.-L. The Sumerian Language // Mesopotamia. 10. Copenhagen, 1984. P. 266, 774.

19. Attinger P. Elements de linguistique sumerienne. Fribour- Gottingen, 1993. P. 147, 302.

20. Sollberger Е. The Business and Administrative Correspondence under the Kings of Ur. Texts from Cuneiform Sources. I. N. Y., 1966. P. 113, 1. 9-11.

21. Edzard "Du hast mir gegeben"... S. 159-177.

22. Sollberger. Op. cit. P. 4, 1. 3-7.


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