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

56
Ugaritic <strong>Primer</strong>
/la}ika/), but Akkadian provides examples of the type qatal- (e.g.,
sa-ma-ta < smt “to transfer property”).
G Singular dual plural
3m mlk /malaka/ mlk /malakaœ/ mlk /malakuœ/
3f mlkt /malakat/ mlkt /malak(a)taœ/ mlk /malakaœ/
2m mlkt /malakta/ mlktm
mlktm
/malaktum(uœ)?/
2f mlkt /malakti/ /malaktumaœ/ mlktn
/malaktina?/
1c mlkt /malaktu/ mlkny /malakniya ?/ *mlkn /malaknuœ?/
Figure 3.7 G Suffix Conjugation
All three vowel types existed in Ugaritic, but we have used the
qatal- type in the chart in Figure 3.7, which outlines the
distinguishing suffixes of the suffixed verb forms. 12
You should notice the similarity between the words h˙t}i and
nh˙t}u (lines 7–8). We have understood h˙t}i as /h˙it}eœ/, a nominal
bound form before the verbal nh˙t}u. When the noun and verb are
formed from the same root, we may refer to this as a cognate
formation. Though the morphology does not specify whether h˙t}i is
dual or plural bound, a dual would coincide with the reference to
the two gentlemen in lines 5 and 6.
The precise meaning of the root h˙t} remains elusive. The search
for meaning begins with the context, which suggests some type of
catastrophic event. Next, we turn to etymology as a secondary but
important guide to meaning. From Arabic, one might suggest
“order of arrest” based on the root h˙t} “to prevent,” but Arabic is
chronologically too distant to be a reliable guide. Mishnaic Hebrew
and Aramaic have atj, “to put down, rest.” Closer
chronologically, Akkadian has the verb h˙atu®, “to smite.” The noun
would mean something like “ruins, smitings, defeats.” From the
contemporary Akkadian El-Amarna letters, note the letter from
12 ? in the chart indicates forms about which scholars are uncertain.