Lesson 20
Sumerian Interrogative Pronouns
In this lesson, you’ll learn all about Sumerian interrogative pronouns, enabling you to ask questions in Sumerian!
You May Want to Review
Vocabulary to Memorize
I highly recommend memorizing these Sumerian words, as you’ll encounter them often in the upcoming lessons!
Vocabulary--Full List
Here are the vocabulary terms for this lesson. Be sure to look them over as they’re updated with additional meanings each lesson. You can see the full Sumerian Lexicon here.
- a-ba 𒀀𒁀 who? (OS x2, OA x3, NS x20, OB x308)
- a-na 𒀀𒈾 pron., inter., what? (OS x2, OA x1, NS x73, OB x394), why? (OB x10); poss. his/her (gen., loc.) (earlier periods) (a)na (𒀀)𒈾.
- a-na-àm 𒀀𒈾𒀀𒀭 what? (OB x23)
- a-na-aš 𒀀𒈾𒀸 why? (OA x1, NS x8, OB x68)
- a-na-áš 𒀀𒈾𒀾 why? (NS x3)
- a-na-gin7 𒀀𒈾𒄀 how? (OB x76)
- e-ne 𒂊𒉈 what? (OB x11)
- en-na-bi-šè 𒂗𒈾𒁉𒂠 how long? (OB x2)
- en-nam 𒂗𒉆 what? (OS x5, NS x1)
- en-na-me-šè 𒂗𒈾𒈨𒂠 how long? (OB x4)
- èn-ne-na-bi-šè 𒇷𒉈𒈾𒁉𒂠 (OB x1) how long?
- me-a 𒈨𒀀 where? (NS x13, OB x117)
- me-àm 𒈨𒀀𒀭 where? (OB x20)
- me-e 𒈨𒂊 where? (NS x4, OB x 5)
- me-da 𒈨𒁕 whence? (OB x14)
- me-na 𒈨𒈾 when? (OB x68)
- me-na-àm 𒈨𒈾𒀀𒀭 when? (OB x11)
- mi-na-še 𒈪𒈾𒊺 how long? (OB x5)
- me-na-šè 𒈨𒈾𒂠 how long? (OB x13)
- me-šè 𒈨𒂠 whither? (OB x42)
- me-ta 𒈨𒋫 whence? (OB x12)
- mi-na-ši 𒈪𒈾𒅆 how long? (OB x2)
- nam 𒉆 what? (OB x17)
- ta-gin7 𒋫𒄀 how? (OB x3)
Sumerian Interrogative Pronouns
In most cases, the pronominal element /n/ refers to the 3rd person personal, whereas the element /b/ refers to the 3rd person impersonal. However, the opposite is true in the case of the interrogative pronouns ‘who’ and ‘what’.
NOTE: While this is certainly confusing, the reason for this may be due to the fact that /n/ and /b/ were not originally related to animate/inanimate, but rather near/distant.
Like the other independent pronouns, Sumerian interrogative pronouns can take a case-marker or copula. Most often, they occur immediately before the verb.
Ways to Ask in Sumerian Questions
Who?
What?
Why?
Where?
Where From/To?
When?
HOw?
How Long?
Until When?
Your Sumerian Language Journey Continues!
In the next lesson, you’ll learn all about Sumerian demonstrative pronouns, so be sure to subscribe to my Substack to get all of my articles as soon as they post!
