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THE VERB 131
be internally modified 01' externally augmented to render a considerable
number of the moods and tenses. In Sumerian, howeyer, the verbal root
remains constant. It is true, as we shall see (§ 225), that the language
makes a slight attempt to distinguish the present from the past, and the
indicative from the subjunctive, but apart frorn this there is no modifica­
tion of the verbal root either internally 01' externally. Sumerian has on
the ot11erhand developed an intricate system of prefixes primarily with
the intention not only of indicating the connection between the verb,
which almost invariably ends the sentence, and the subject, but of indi­
cating its connection with the object, if the verb be active, and with the
principal adverbial element which precedes. The language in fact has
a profound psychological feeling for local relations and modal influences
underwhich an action takes place. 1t has developed a system of
prefixes which perfectly describe the material and abstract conditions
under \vhich an action transpires 01' a state exists.
§ 186. To render such service Sumerian selects three demonstrative
elements 711, n, b, inflectirig all three in both the status rectus and
obliquus. They thus obtained the series; a) mu, mi, me and ma 1,
b) ni, ne, and na, cl bi and bao In the early period a fourth element e
completed the system. If we grant the principIe here set forth, that the
vowels of these elements represent the inflections of the cases rectus and
obliq uus then the forms with prefixed vowels wn, im, am, in, en, un,
ib, ab, ub would be impossible, since the vowels here have clearly no
connection with inflectional endings. If for instance the prefix ib can
be shown to be primitive and with the same force as bi, 01' that in and
ni are both original and identical in meaning then we must seek for the
special sense of each prefix in the consonant alone and disregard the
voweI. In this case the choice of vowel would depend upon principIes
of harmony simply. Several reasons induce me to defend the principIe
1. The elements nw etc. have no connection whatsoever with the pronoun
oí lhe firsl persono It is highly improbable that lhe otl1er prefixed elements il and
ó are identical with the prono un s ni and bi.
Prefixes
inflected.