Lesson 21
Sumerian Demonstrative Pronouns
In this lesson, you’ll learn all about Sumerian demonstrative pronouns, enabling you to say “this” and “that” in Sumerian!
Vocabulary to Memorize
I highly recommend memorizing these Sumerian words, as you’ll encounter them often in the upcoming lessons!
- bé (bi) 𒁉 pron., dem., this, that (similar to ‘the’) (x261) (ba 𒁀 gen.). part., suff., poss., its (impers.)(erg., dir.); their (impers.) (erg., dir.); its/their (impers.) when used modifying a plural noun.
- ne 𒉈 pron., dem., this/that (here) (NS x1, OB x14).
- ri 𒊑 v., to be distant (OB x35); to cry out (OB x2). pron., dem., that, those (remoteness in space/time) (OB x34).
- ud 𒌓 n., sun; light; day; time; weather, storm. prep., when; since.
- ur5 𒄯 v., to anoint, rub in (OB x1); to bake (OS x1); adv., downstream, downward. pron., dem., this/that (over there) (OS x1, OA x1, NS x2, OB x176).
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 𒀀 n., water; semen; progeny; canal; flood. part., suff., in, at, when (loc.); nominalizing suffix.
- an 𒀭 n., heaven; high. det., indicates the name of a deity. part., inf., 3rd person (pers.) infix when preceded by /a/.ba 𒁀 pron., dem., of this, of that, of those (gen.).
- bé (bi) 𒁉 pron., dem., this, that (similar to ‘the’) (x261) (ba 𒁀 gen.). part., suff., poss., its (impers.)(erg., dir.); their (impers.) (erg., dir.); its/their (impers.) when used modifying a plural noun.
- bi (bé) 𒁉 pron., dem., this, that (similar to ‘the’) (x261) (ba 𒁀 gen.). part., part., suff., poss., its/their (impers.) (with ra/ir 𒊏/𒅕 (dat.)) (with šè/iš 𒂠/𒅖 (term.)).
- dù 𒆕 v., to beget; bear (a child); be born; build, create, fashion, make; transform, change; replace.
- e 𒂊 v., to speak, say; do; water. part., suff., [performed] by (the agent); in, at, beside (directive); plural hamṭu (perfective) suffix; marû (imperfective) singular/plural suffix.
- gin7 𒁶 part., suff., like, as, just as; instead of; during (equat.).
- ì 𒉌 n., butter, oil, fat, cream; oil container. part., pref., stand-alone agentive prefix ‘I’; conjugational prefix (indicates distance from speaker).
- lú 𒇽 n., man, male; human, person.
- lugal 𒈗 n., king; owner, master, lord.
- me-en 𒈨𒂗 cop., I am, you are (sg.).
- ne 𒉈 pron., dem., this/that (here) (NS x1, OB x14).
- ne-e 𒂊𒉈 pron., dem., this/that (here) (OB x14).
- ne-en 𒉈𒂗 pron., dem., this/that (here) (NS x1, OB x13).
- re 𒊑 pron., dem., that, those (remoteness in space/time) (OB x113).
- ré 𒌷 pron., dem., that, those (remoteness in space/time) (x2).
- ri 𒊑 v., to be distant (OB x35); to cry out (OB x2). pron., dem., that, those (remoteness in space/time) (OB x34).
- tuš 𒂉 n., home. v., to sit, lie down (trans. h. sg.) (h./m. pl. durun 𒂉𒂉; m. sg. dùr 𒂉); to sing; to dwell, reside, be at home, settle; set up, establish.
- ud 𒌓 n., sun; light; day; time; weather, storm. prep., when; since.
- ur5 𒄯 v., to anoint, rub in (OB x1); to bake (OS x1); adv., downstream, downward. pron., dem., this/that (over there) (OS x1, OA x1, NS x2, OB x176).
- úš 𒍗 n., blood, gore; death. v., to block; die; be dead; kill. adj., dead.
- za-e 𒍝𒂊 pron., ind., you (especially in conjunction with a copula) (may be transliterated/read as ze 𒍣 (OB x 11), or ze4-e 𒍝𒂊) (NS x1, OB x419).
Sumerian Demonstrative Pronouns
Sumerian demonstrative pronouns can refer to personal or impersonal, as well as singular or plural nouns, and come in two forms: independent and enclitics.
Independent Demonstratives
There are 2 independent Sumerian demonstrative pronouns. I’ve listed them with their variations. These behave just like nouns, and take a case marker, as you’ll see in the examples below.
Enclitic Demonstratives
Enclitic demonstratives do not take a case marker, so any case markers you see suffixed to them refer to the primary noun being modified.
- ri 𒊑 that, those (remoteness in space/time) (OB x34)
- re 𒊑 (OB x113)
- ré 𒌷 (x2)
- takes adjectival position in nominal chain
- bi/bé 𒁉/𒁉 (x261) this, that, those
- similar to article ‘the’
- becomes ba 𒁀 in the genitive
NOTES: You may see še 𒊺 (OB x5) listed among Sumerian demonstrative pronouns. However, it occurs only in Giglameš and Agga, and there is still debate as to its translation.
You may also see e 𒂊 (x3) listed as a demonstrative pronoun, however, there is still some debate as to whether its being used as a demonstrative, or as the directive case marker.
Sumerian Demonstrative Pronouns In Use
Here are a few practical examples of the Sumerian demonstrative pronouns being used in a sentence:
- ne-a í-tuš 𒉈𒀀𒉌𒂉 I sat in/on this (here).
- za-e ur5-gin me-en 𒍝𒂊𒄯𒄀𒈨𒂗 It is you who are like this.
- ud-ri-a ba-dù 𒌓𒊑𒀀𒁀𒆕 In those (distant) days (when) it was built.
- lugal-e lú-bi ba-an-úš 𒈗𒂊𒇽𒁉𒁀𒀭𒍗 The king killed this/that man.
Your Sumerian Language Journey Continues!
In the next lesson, you’ll learn all about Sumerian adverbs, so be sure to subscribe to my Substack to get all of my articles as soon as they post!
