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Lesson Introduction
Understanding the Sumerian locative case is a major part of learning, speaking, and translating Sumerian.
In this lesson, we’re going to:
- Review the Dimensional Case Markers
- Learn about the Sumerian Locative Case Marker
- Learn about the Sumerian Locative Case Infix
Lesson Vocabulary
Here are the new vocabulary words you’ll encounter in this lesson. Remember, you can see the full vocabulary list for all lessons, and the detailed definition in the Online Sumerian Dictionary.
àb: 𒀖 n., cow (domestic).
dab5: 𒂉 v., to seize, take, catch, hold, bind, tie (up), envelop, overwhelm, accept, take away.
dìlim: 𒇌 n., oven, tannur.
duru5: 𒀀 v., to be soft, supple; to be wet, damp, fresh. adj., soft; wet, damp; fresh.
gaba: 𒃮 n., chest, breast.
gaba(-a) …tab: 𒃮 𒋰 v., to hold to one’s breast, flatten against the chest.
ĝál (gál): 𒅅 v., to exist; to be (somewhere); to dwell.
ĝi6, ĝe6: 𒈪 n., night. v., to be black, dark. adj, black, dark.
ḫúl: 𒄾 n., joy, rejoicing. v., to rejoice, be happy, delight (in). adj., joyous
inim: 𒅗 n., word, oath.
kalam: 𒌦 n., country, land, nation (usually Sumer). n., prop the Land (of Sumer)
kíĝ (kin): 𒆥 n., message, order, task, work. v., to seek, fetch, send, order, work. adj., pointed.
kíĝ-sig: 𒆥𒋝 n., meal (lunch, dinner)
kisal: 𒆦 n., courtyard.
mè: 𒀞 n., battle, combat
mi: 𒈪 part., syllable used in spelling
nim: 𒉏 n., fly, insect; east, morning, easterner. v., to be high, elevated. adj., high, early.
sa10: 𒉚 v., to measure out; be equivalent to; barter, buy, sell.
sig: 𒋝 v., to be weak, slow, thin, narrow. adj., low, late, small, narrow, weak.
šà (šag4) : 𒊮 n., heart, inside (of the body). prep., in, inside, interior, middle, midst.
sila: 𒋻 n., street, path, road, trail; market(place).
ši: 𒅆 part., inf., terminative infix.
šu-nim: 𒋗𒉏 n., spring, springtime.
šu …dab5: 𒋗 …𒂉 v., to take, accept, hold (in hand).
tab: 𒋰 v., to grasp, hold; flatten, lay flat.
tir: 𒌁 n., forest, grove, thicket; wood.
u4 (ud): 𒌓 n., day; time; sun; slight; weather; storm; heat; fever; summer.
u4-ba: 𒌓𒁀 prep., at that time, then, in those days.
uz: 𒊻 n., duck (wild).
uz-ga: 𒊻𒂵 n., cella; shrine.
The Dimensional Case Markers
The word “dimension” is often used to refer to an aspect of space and time. The Sumerian dimensional cases do exactly that.
We could have a larger conversation about which of the Sumerian grammatical cases are dimensional, but for the purposes of this Simple Sumerian Grammar, we’re going to define the dimensional cases as:
-a: 𒀀 in/at (loc.)
–e: 𒂊 (arriving) at, (positioned) next to (dir.)
-ta: 𒋫 from/by means of (abl.)
-šè: 𒂠 to/toward (term.)
-da: 𒁕 with (com.)
The Sumerian Locative Case Marker
The Sumerian Locative Postposition -a 𒀀
In Sumerian, the locative case is marked by -a 𒀀 (/ɂa/) and is used as a postposition to express spatial and temporal relationships such as in, at, on, among, and during. Determining the precise meaning of the Sumerian locative case marker will be heavily dependent on the surrounding context.
iri-a: 𒌷𒀀 in the city
é-a: 𒂍𒀀 in/at home
kur-ra: 𒆳𒊏 in/on the mountain(s)
máš-a: 𒈧𒀀 among goats
u4-ba: 𒌓𒁀 in/on that day/time, then
In some cases, the locative can mean into, although this idea is usually expressed with the terminative case marker -šè 𒂠, or the directive -e 𒂊 (which behaves like the ergative -e 𒂊—something we’ll discuss in detail later):
mè-a: 𒀞𒀀 into battle
mè-šè: 𒀞𒂠 into battle
mè[-e]: 𒀞[𒂊] into battle
For the purposes of these lessons, I’ll be using -a 𒀀 to indicate “in/on/at/during”, -šè 𒂠 to indicate “toward/into”, and -e 𒂊 to indicate “beside/adjacent to”.
Sumerian Locative Case Marker Contraction
Remember that the final vowels of the Sumerian independent personal pronouns and enclitic possessive pronouns become /a/ before the Sumerian locative case marker -a 𒀀:
ĝá: 𒂷 I/me/mine (abs.), of me/my/mine (gen.), in me/my (loc.)
za: 𒍝 you/your (abs.), of you/your (gen.), in you/your (loc.)
(a/e)na: (𒀀/𒂊)𒈾 his/her (abs.), of him/her/his/hers (gen.), in him/her/his/her (loc.)
ba: 𒁀 in its (loc.), of its (gen.)
NOTE: For a detailed recap, check out Lesson Four on Sumerian Pronouns.
Examples being:
šà-ĝá: 𒊮𒂷 in/on my heart (also: my heart, of my heart)
kur-za: 𒆳𒍝 in/among your lands
inim-a-na: 𒅗𒀀 in/at/on his word
ga-ba: 𒂵𒁀 in its milk
Outside of these pronouns, the locative -a 𒀀 rarely contracts with the preceding vowel. The reason for this is likely due to the locative postposition having once started with a consonant—probably the glottal stop ɂ, resulting in ɂa.
However, locative -a 𒀀 usually assimilates with auslauts /b/, /d/, /g/, /k/, /m/, /n/, /ĝ/, /l/, and /r/:
àb-ba: 𒀖𒁀 in/on/at the cow
iti-da: 𒌚𒁕 in/during the month {itid + a}
kù-ga: 𒆬𒂵in silver {kug + a}
kalam-ma: 𒌦𒈠 in the land
an-na: 𒀭𒈾 in heaven
saĝ-ĝá: 𒊕𒂷 in/on the head (also: my head, of my head)
é-gal-la: 𒂍𒃲𒆷in/at the palace
tir-ra: 𒌁𒊏 in the forest
During the Old Sumerian period, you’ll sometimes find a similar contraction with auslauts /ḫ/ and /s/, but afterward, the Sumerian locative -a 𒀀 never assimilates with the fricatives /ḫ/, /s/, or /š/:
máš-a: 𒈧𒀀 among goats
On your Sumerian language journey, you may encounter confusion where the locative infix is concerned. This is namely do to the fact that the Sumerian locative infix –ni– 𒉌 is also one of the directive infixes (which indicates on, at, beside, next to, adjacent to, etc.), which is also, if not more often referred to as the locative-terminative case.
We will be tackling the directive (a.k.a. loc-term) case in a later lesson. For now, let’s focus on the locative infix –ni– 𒉌 which refers back to the noun marked with the Sumerian locative case marker –a 𒀀 in the nominal chain.
- indicates location in time/space
- is the last dimensional infix in the verbal chain
- is the only dimensional infix which does not combine with a preceding pronominal element
- can only be followed by the ergative infixes -n- and -b-
- is the only infix which can occur with the conjugational prefix bí- 𒉈 (as bí-ni- 𒉈𒉌 or mi-ni 𒈪𒉌)
- requires a preceding element such as a conjugational prefix, modal prefix, etc.
- can occur with the dative, comitative, terminative, and ablative infixes
Verbal Chain—Review
As we go through the next section, remember the word order in the verbal chain:
Unlike the other dimensional infixes, –ni- 𒉈 does not require a preceding pronominal element, although it does need something before it, such as a conjugational prefix, modal prefix, etc.
NOTE: In the following examples, I will be dividing the nominal chain from the verbal chain to help with clarity.
Verbal Chain—Review
Remember that the ergative infix refers back to the agent in the nominal chain, and always comes immediately before the root in the standard construction.
Also keep in mind that –ni- 𒉌 can only be followed by the 3rd person personal or impersonal ergative infix -n- or -b- respectively.
Before the ergative infix, –ni- 𒉌 appears as -ni- 𒉌 { __ + ni + erg + √}:
lugal-le é-gal iri-a | ì-ni-in-dù
𒈗𒇷𒂍𒃲𒌷𒀀 | 𒉌𒉌𒅔𒆕
The king built a palace in the city.
lit. king-by house-great city-in | there-he-built
OBSERVATION: The neutral conjugational prefix ì- 𒉌 and the locative infix –ni- 𒉌 use the same sign.
In the above verbal chain:
ì 𒉌—conjugational prefix (neutral)
ni 𒉌—locative infix (there(in))
in 𒅔—ergative infix (by him) (harmonized with the /i/ of ni {ni + n = ni-in})
-ni- 𒉌Before the Root Verb
é-gal iri-a | ba-(an)-dù
𒂍𒃲𒌷𒀀 | 𒁀(𒀭)𒆕
A palace was built in the city.
lit. palace city-in | was-(therein)-built
In the above verbal chain:
ba 𒁀—passive conjugational prefix (agentless sentence)
an 𒀭—locative infix -n- (harmonized with the /a/ of ba {ba + n = ba-an})
Without context, the verbal chain ba-an-dù 𒁀𒀭𒆕 can translate as “he/she built it”, or “was built there”. Fortunately, we know from the nominal chain that /n/ refers to the location marked with the locative -a 𒀀, which in this case is iri-a 𒌷𒀀. However, that won’t always be the case, so you may need to refer to the surrounding context when translating.
lugal-le é-gal nin-ra iri-a | ì-na-ni-in-dù
𒈗𒇷𒂍𒃲𒎏𒊏𒌷𒀀 | 𒉌𒈾𒉌𒅔𒆕
The king built a palace for the queen in the city.
lit. king-by palace queen-for city-in | conj-her-therein-he-built
In the above verbal chain:
-ni- 𒉌 After the Dimensional Infixes -da- 𒁕, -ta- 𒋫, and -ši- 𒅆
The Sumerian locative infix ni 𒉌 can also co-occur with any other dimensional infix:
lugal-le nin-da é-gal-la | ba-(an)-da-ni-in-ti
𒈗𒇷𒎏𒁕𒂍𒃲𒆷 | 𒁀(𒀭)𒁕𒉌𒅔𒋾
The king lived in the palace with the queen.
lit. king-by queen-with palace-in | conj-(her)-with-therein-he-lived
NOTE: the pronominal element /n/ before -da- 𒁕 was usually unwritten before the OB period.
In the above verbal chain:
ba 𒁀—conjugational prefix (intransitive—no action is transferred from agent to patient)
(an) 𒀭—pronominal element (her)—unwritten before OB
da 𒁕 —comitative infix (with)
Lesson Eight Summary
You are crushing it! You have no idea how close you are to mastering Sumerian!
Let’s recap. In this lesson, you:
Reviewed the Dimensional Case Markers
- -a: 𒀀 in/at (loc.)
- –e: 𒂊 (arriving) at, (positioned) next to (dir.)
- -ta: 𒋫 from/by means of (abl.)
- -šè: 𒂠 to/toward (term.)
- -da: 𒁕 with (com.)
Learned about the Sumerian Locative Case Marker
- postposition -a 𒀀 indicates in, at, on, among, and during
- locative -a 𒀀 contracts with the last vowel of some independent and enclitic pronouns
- locative -a 𒀀 rarely contracts with other vowels
- indicates location in time/space
- is the last dimensional infix in the verbal chain
- is the only dimensional infix which does not combine with a preceding pronominal element
- can only be followed by the ergative infixes -n- and -b- except in OB texts where the ergative infix -e- 𒂊 may precede it
- is the only infix which can occur with the conjugational prefix bí- 𒉈 (as bí-ni- 𒉈𒉌or mi-ni 𒈪𒉌)
- requires a preceding element such as a conjugational prefix, modal prefix, etc.
- can occur with the dative, comitative, terminative, and ablative infixes (except in OB it doesn’t follow the ablative –ta- 𒋫)
- appears as –ni- 𒉌 before the ergative infix {ni + erg + √}
- appears as /n/ before the root verb { n + √ }
Exercises
As you work through the exercises below, you may need to refer to the Online Sumerian Dictionary, although most of the translations are going to use words you should be familiar with by now.
Identify the Words and Elements
For each of the following sentences, identify the various words and elements in the sentence. The first one is done for you.
1. lugal ki-en-gi-ra-ke4 é-gal iri-a ì-ni-in-dù
𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏𒆤𒂍𒃲𒌷𒀀𒉌𒉌𒅔𒆕
The king of Sumer built a palace in the city.
- nominal chain: lugal ki-en-gi-ra-ke4 é-gal iri-a 𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏𒆤𒂍𒃲𒌷𒀀
- verbal chain: ì-ni-in-dù 𒉌𒉌𒅔𒆕
- agent: lugal ki-en-gi-ra 𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏
- patient: é-gal 𒂍𒃲
- ergative infix: in 𒅔
- locative infix: ni 𒉌
- location: iri 𒌷
- root verb: dù 𒆕
2. a-ne ereš-diĝir dnanna kur-a šu ba-ni-in-dab5
𒀀𒉈𒎏𒀭𒀭𒋀𒆠𒆳𒀀𒋗𒁀𒉌𒅔𒂉
He received (lit. took in hand) the priestess of Nanna in the mountains.
Hint: šu …dab5 𒋗 …𒂉is the verb.
- nominal chain:
- verbal chain:
- agent:
- patient:
- ergative infix:
- locative infix:
- location:
- root verb:
3. a-ne ereš-diĝir uz-ga é dnanna-ka ì-ni-in-tuku
𒀀𒉈𒎏𒀭𒊻𒂵𒂍𒀭𒋀𒆠𒅗𒉌𒉌𒅔𒌇
He married the priestess in the cella of the temple of Nanna.
Hint: The final /a/ of -ka 𒅗 is dropped and replaced with the locative -a 𒀀, resulting in an identical construction { /v/ + ak + ak = [a]ka[k] | ka + a = k[a]a}
- nominal chain:
- verbal chain:
- agent:
- patient:
- ergative infix:
- locative infix:
- location:
- root verb:
4. húl šà-ga ba-an-ĝál
𒄾𒊮𒂵𒁀𒀭𒅅
Joy was in [his] heart.
- nominal chain:
- verbal chain:
- agent:
- patient:
- ergative:
- locative infix:
- location:
- root verb:
5. lugal-le nin-da é-gal-la ba-(an)-da-ni-in-ti
𒈗𒇷𒎏𒁕𒂍𒃲𒆷𒁀(𒀭)𒁕𒉌𒅔𒋾
The king lived with the queen in the palace.
- nominal chain:
- verbal chain:
- agent:
- patient:
- ergative infix:
- locative infix:
- location:
- root verb:
6. nin-né dumu šu-nim-ma ì-ni-in-dú
𒎏𒉌𒌉𒋗𒉏𒈠𒉌𒉌𒅔𒆕
The queen gave birth to a son in the spring.
NOTE: né is written with the ni sign 𒉌
- nominal chain:
- verbal chain:
- agent:
- patient:
- ergative infix:
- locative infix:
- location:
- root verb:
Translate Sumerian into English
- ĝe26 lú é-kam: 𒂷𒇽𒂍𒄰
- munus-bi dam-ĝu10-àm: 𒊩𒁉𒁮𒈬𒀀𒀭
- a-ne ku6-duru5 sila-a ì-ni-in-sa10: 𒀀𒉈𒄩𒀀𒋻𒀀𒉌𒉌𒅔𒉚
- a-ne ku6 dìlim-ma ì-ni-in-šeĝ6: 𒀀𒉈𒄩𒇌𒈠𒉌𒉌𒅔𒉈
- kíĝ-sig kisal-la ba-ni-gu7: 𒆥𒋝𒆦𒆷𒁀𒉌𒅥
- a-ne ĝe26 ĝi6-a gaba-na ì-ni-in-tab: 𒀀𒉈𒂷𒈪𒀀𒃮𒈾𒉌𒉌𒅔𒋰
Translate English into Sumerian
Transliterate and Translate Cuneiform
- 𒂷𒎏𒌦𒈠𒈨𒂗
- 𒁮𒈬𒈗𒀀𒀭
- 𒌉𒀴𒈬𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏𒀀𒀭
Answer Key
Identify the Words and Elements
1. lugal ki-en-gi-ra-ke4 é-gal iri-a ì-ni-in-dù
𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏𒆤𒂍𒃲𒌷𒀀𒉌𒉌𒅔𒆕
The king of Sumer built a palace in the city.
- nominal chain: lugal ki-en-gi-ra-ke4 é-gal iri-a 𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏𒆤𒂍𒃲𒌷𒀀
- verbal chain: ì-ni-in-dù 𒉌𒉌𒅔𒆕
- agent: lugal ki-en-gi-ra 𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏
- patient: é-gal 𒂍𒃲
- ergative infix: in 𒅔
- locative infix: ni 𒉌
- location: iri 𒌷
- root verb: dù 𒆕
2. a-ne ereš-diĝir dnanna kur-a šu ba-ni-in-dab5
𒀀𒉈𒎏𒀭𒀭𒋀𒆠𒆳𒀀𒋗𒁀𒉌𒅔𒂉
He received (lit. took in hand) the priestess of Nanna in the mountains.
- nominal chain: a-ne ereš-diĝir dnanna kur-a 𒀀𒉈𒎏𒀭𒀭𒋀𒆠𒆳𒀀
- verbal chain: šu ba-ni-in-dab5 𒋗𒁀𒉌𒅔𒂉
- agent: a-ne 𒀀𒉈
- patient: ereš-diĝir dnanna 𒎏𒀭𒀭𒋀𒆠
- ergative infix: in 𒅔
- locative infix: ni 𒉌
- location: kur 𒆳
- root verb: šu …dab5 𒋗 …𒂉
3. a-ne ereš-diĝir uz-ga é dnanna-ka ì-ni-in-tuku
𒀀𒉈𒎏𒀭𒊻𒂵𒂍𒀭𒋀𒆠𒅗𒉌𒉌𒅔𒌇
He married the priestess in the cella of the temple of Nanna.
- nominal chain: a-ne ereš-diĝir uz-ga é dnanna-ka 𒀀𒉈𒎏𒀭𒊻𒂵𒂍𒀭𒋀𒆠𒅗
- verbal chain: ì-ni-in-tuku 𒉌𒉌𒅔𒌇
- agent: a-ni 𒀀𒉌 {a-ni + e = a-ne}
- patient: é 𒂍
- ergative infix: in 𒅔
- locative infix: ni 𒉌
- location: uz-ga é dnanna-ka 𒊻𒂵𒂍𒀭𒋀𒆠𒅗
- root verb: tuku 𒌇
4. húl šà-ga ba-an-ĝál
𒄾𒊮𒂵𒁀𒀭𒅅
Joy was in [his] heart.
- nominal chain: húl šà-ga 𒄾𒊮𒂵
- verbal chain: ba-an-ĝál 𒁀𒀭𒅅
- agent: none—(intransitive sentence)
- patient: none—(intransitive sentence)
- ergative infix: —(intransitive sentence)
- locative infix: an 𒀭
- location: ša-ni 𒊮𒉌 {ša + a-ni = ša-ni + a = ša-na}
- root verb: ĝál 𒅅
5. lugal-le nin-da é-gal-la ba-(an)-da-ni-in-ti
𒈗𒇷𒎏𒁕𒂍𒃲𒆷𒁀(𒀭)𒁕𒉌𒅔𒋾
The king lived with the queen in the palace.
- nominal chain: lugal-le nin-da é-gal-la 𒈗𒇷𒎏𒁕𒂍𒃲𒆷
- verbal chain: ba-(an)-da-ni-in-ti 𒁀(𒀭)𒁕𒉌𒅔𒋾
- agent: lugal 𒈗
- patient: none—(intransitive sentence)
- ergative infix: in 𒅔
- locative infix: ni 𒉌
- location: é-gal 𒂍𒃲
- root verb: ti 𒋾
6. nin-né dumu šu-nim-ma ì-ni-in-dú
𒎏𒉌𒌉𒋗𒉏𒈠𒉌𒉌𒅔𒆕
The queen gave birth to a son in the spring.
- nominal chain: nin-né dumu šu-nim-ma 𒎏𒉌𒌉𒋗𒉏𒈠
- verbal chain: ì-ni-in-dú 𒉌𒉌𒅔𒆕
- agent: nin 𒎏
- patient: dumu 𒌉
- ergative infix: in 𒅔
- locative infix: ni 𒉌
- location: šu-nim 𒋗𒉏
- root verb: dú 𒆕
Translate Sumerian into English
- ĝe26 lú é-kam: I am the man of the house. 𒂷𒇽𒂍𒄰
- munus-bi dam-ĝu10-àm: 𒊩𒁉𒁮𒈬𒀀𒀭 That woman is my wife.
- a-ne ku6-duru5 sila-a ì-ni-in-sa10: 𒀀𒉈𒄩𒀀𒋻𒀀𒉌𒉌𒅔𒉚 She bought a fresh fish in the market.
- a-ne ku6 dìlim-ma ì-ni-in-šeĝ6: 𒀀𒉈𒄩𒇌𒈠𒉌𒉌𒅔𒉈 She cooked the fish in the oven.
- kíĝ-sig kisal-la ba-ni-gu7: 𒆥𒋝𒆦𒆷𒁀𒉌𒅥 The afternoon meal was eaten in the courtyard.
- a-ne ĝe26 ĝi6-a gaba-na ì-ni-in-tab: 𒀀𒉈𒂷𒈪𒀀𒃮𒈾𒉌𒉌𒅔𒋰 She held me to her breast in the night.
Translate English Into Sumerian
1. The king of Sumer lived in the palace:
lugal ki-en-gi-ra-ke4 é-gal-la ì-ni-in-ti
𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏𒆤𒂍𒃲𒆷𒉌𒉌𒅔𒋾
2. He married the priestess of Nanna in the temple:
a-ne ereš-diĝir dnanna é-a ì-ni-in-tuku
𒀀𒉈𒎏𒀭𒀭𒋀𒆠𒂍𒀀𒉌𒉌𒅔𒌇
3. The king of Sumer lived with the priestess of Nanna in the royal palace:
lugal ki-en-gi-ra ereš-diĝir dnanna-da é-gal lugal-la ì-da-ni-in-ti
𒈗𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏𒎏𒀭𒀭𒋀𒆠𒁕𒂍𒃲𒈗𒆷𒉌𒁕𒉌𒅔𒋾
Transliterate and Translate Cuneiform
1. 𒂷𒎏𒌦𒈠𒈨𒂗
ĝe26 nin kalam-ma-me-en
I am queen of (the Land of) Sumer.
2. 𒁮𒈬𒈗𒀀𒀭
dam-ĝu10 lugal-àm
My husband/spouse is king.
3. 𒌉𒀴𒈬𒆠𒂗𒄀𒊏𒀀𒀭
dumu-níta-ĝu10 nun ki-en-gi-ra-àm.
My son is prince of Sumer.
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Lesson 9
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