Sumerian

Phonetic and Morphological Features

Spoken Sumerian is a very simple language in initial structure and pronounciation. This section will give a basic overview of Sumerian sounds and the formation of simple words. Knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet will be useful in learning the sounds.

Consonants

Sumerian comprises of fourteen phonemic consonants:

• /b/ Initial consonant sound in 'bike' (Voiced Bilabial Plosive)
• /m/ Initial consonant sound in 'map' (Boiced Bilabial Nasal)
• /d/ Initial consonant sound in 'dam' (Voiced Alveolar Plosive)
• /t/ Initial consonant sound in 'tank' (Voiceless Alveolar Plosive)
• /s/ Initial consonant sound in 'stick' (Voiceless Alveolar Fricative)
• /z/ Initial consonant sound in 'zoo' (Voiced Alveolar Fricative)
• /sh/ Final consonant sound in 'dash' (Voiceless Postalveolar Fricative)
• /j/ Final consonant sound in 'sing' (Voiced Palatal Nasal)
• /r/ Final consonant sound in 'car' (Voiced Alveolar Approximant)
• /l/ Initial consonant sound in 'light' (Voiced Alveolar Latteral Approximate)
• /n/ Initial/Final consonant sound in "noun" (Voiced Alveolar Nasal)
• /k/ Initial consonant sound in 'cat' (Voiceless Velar Plosive)
• /g/ Initial consonant sound in 'gun' (Voiced Velar Plosive)
• /x/ Final consonant sound in Scottish 'Loch' (Voiceless Uvular Plosive)

Vowels

Sumerian has only four phonemic vowels, with plenty of allophonic variation (see below) between speakers.

• /i/ As in 'hip' (Close Front Lax Unrounded)
• /e/ As in 'peg' (Close-mid front Unrounded)
• /u/ As in 'pull' (Close back lax)
• /a/ As in 'father' (Open-mid back unrounded)

Allophonic Variation

Allophonic variation in spoken Sumerian is tied exclusivly to the production of vowel sounds. The seperate allophonic variants are all considered the same distinct sound in the spoken language and are treated equal to that base phoneme that they replace. Variation exists solely within the individual speaker and is not strongly tied to regional or social differences. The fllowing chart can help distinguish allophonic variations:

• /e/ is considered allophonic with all Close-mid Front and Central vowels, rounded or unrounded, as well as the central vowel (schwa).
• /u/ is allophonic with the Close-mid back rounded vowel.
• /a/ is allophonic with all Open and Open-mid vowels.

Syllabic Structure and Word Formation

Sumerian words are formed by stringing together smaller words and morphemes into larger units. The size of the unit is generally limited to three-five morphemes/syllables in conjunction before it is considered a Complex, or Compound word.

Simple morphological structures in Sumerian are listed using Consonant (C), and Vowel (V):

• V
• CV
• CVC
• CVCV

Semantical features and Lexograph

Nouns

in sumerian nouns are typically simple words constructed from one or two syllabic structures for basic meanings. More advanced nouns may then be built upon base nouns by the creation of compound nouns (the combining of two nouns into one), or the addition of an affix to create the desired meaning. Affixisation accounts for most of the nominal modifications in Sumerian and is accounted for in the listing of Affixes below.

Personal Pronouns

• je - I, myself.
• ju - my, mine.

Verbs

Verbs, like Nouns, are typically simple one or two syllable units known as a base verb. These simple base verbs, denoting simple concepts and actions, can then be combined with other verbs or with a noun to create a more complex verb form.

Numerian verbs often have multiple meanings attributed to a single phonetic value, therefore it is nessecary to pay careful attention to the

Base Verb Forms:

| width="33%"|

Important Affixes

Here are stated a number of important Suffixes and their usage in Sumerian.

Suffixes:

• "-a": Nominalising suffix.
• "-am": Suffix attacked to a Noun to act as the verb 'to be'.
• "-a": Suffix attached to a Prepositsion to denote movement towards or infavour of the following Subject-Noun.
• "-a": Definite Article suffix for Nouns or Noun Clauses, denoting 'the'.
• "-eg": Prepositional suffix indicating direction, 'in', 'toward'.
• "-ak": Genetive suffix, 'of'.
• "-ba": Posessive suffix.
• "-bi": Inanimate posessive suffix, 'its'.
• "-bi": Demonstrative Suffix, 'this', 'that'.
• "-da": Prepositional suffix, 'with', 'and'.
• "-de": Present-Participle suffix, '-ing'. Connotes Future sense.
• "-me": Posessive suffix, 'our'.
• "-ra": Dative suffix, 'for'.
• "-zu": Posessive suffix, 'your'.
• "-eshe": Adverbial suffix, 'much'.
• "-gim": Prepositional equative suffix, 'like', 'instead of', 'just as', 'during'
• "-jishen": Suffix denoting non-realistic.
• "-meesh": Plural suffix.

Prefixes:

• "al-": Verbal prefix before stative verbs. Indicated either distance, disenvolvement of the speaker, or lack or transitivity.
• "ba-": Conjugation prefix for inanimate or intransitive subject.
• "ga-": Conjugation prefix, 'also', 'and then'.
• "xa-": Affirmative verbal prefix, 'may', 'let', 'indeed'.
• "mu-": Conjection prefix denoting involvement of speaker.
• "na-": Past tense prefix.
• "nu-": Pronominal prefix for compound nouns describing a person.
• "nij-": Concrete Noun forming prefix.
• "nam-": Abstract or collective noun forming prefix.

Infixes:

• "-bi-": Accusative infix.