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THE ORIGIN AND PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SUMERIAN WRITING 23
used in a mathematical sense. Notice that 4. (umun) and both of the
gunified forms (gasan) are employed to express bélu, lord.
17. ~ -- ~T, in the classical period generalIy in the name for
Ininni 1. Gunified form ~ =~ ~T, apparently a late invention.
In the sylIabar CT. XII, 11 b, 25-85, both signs have the meaning
zlmu.
18. According to the grammarians ET' bur is the gunü of y, but
the ancient form of bur rli can scarcely be based upon rP- = y. If
however the sign ~ in RTC. 7, III, 3, be realIy bur, then the
eonnection of the two signs would seem to be assured. Cf. RTC. 7,
III, 3, bur (?)-sag with bur-sag, Uruk., -Tabletie de pierre IV, 2'.
19. ~ sir, general sense 'be long', araku 3. Gunified forms
~., ~, sir, in same sense.
20. A few gunified forms terminated in the same sign as the ori­
ginal, REC. 313, 394, 400.
§ 21. Oeeasionally ideas are expressed by the insertion of one sign into
another. For these signs the grammarians employed the formula nig­
X-ku-Z-i-gub, \vhich is to say, [signJ where in X, Z stands. A few
examples will suffice to illustrate this process.