A Primer on Ugaritic: Language, Culture, and Literature - enenuru

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Ugaritic <strong>Primer</strong>
After the opening segment, three possible elements occur as
standard salutations from the writer to the reader:
Obeisance (“Flopping Formula”)
Prepositional Phrase (Indicating Direction)
Suffixed Form Verb (Indicating Subject and Action)
Greeting of Peace
Type I
PN.ysûlm (“May Personal Name have peace”)
Type II
ysûlm.lk (“Peace to you”)
Divine Blessing
Subject Plural }ilm “deities”
Exhortation (Jussive verbs tgér “protect” and tsûlm “preserve”)
Object (Second person singular pronominal suffix)
The intervening Body may contain one to three different
message types, which deal with situation reports, information
messages, and inquiries. Due to the less stylized and, therefore,
less predictable, nature of the Body, we are forced to wrestle with
the problems of Ugaritic grammar and syntax here:
1. Situation Message
The Sender’s Report
Introductory Adverb (hnny, hlny) “here” / Prepositional Phrase
Declarative clause (including kll [+ midm] + sûlm)
The Directive
Parallel Adverb (tmny, tmn) “there” if a compound report
Subject (phrase identifying addressee + nominal clause)
An Extension: additional information about each person
2. Information Message
Factual Information
Dialogue Format
Persuasive Format
3. Inquiry Message