SumerianGrammar

92 CHAPTER TWELVE
12.8. DIMENSIONAL INDICATORS
The Sumerian verb is characterized by a series of up to six prefixed
particles. Their main and original—but no longer exclusive—function
is to indicate arrest and movement, direction, separation, company
and related notions.
These indicators frequently correspond to case particles 4–9 (see
5.4.2.4–9) to suffixed nouns in the same phrase. The dimensional indicators
are arranged in a string within which the individual elements
have their fixed and inalterable rank.
Many dimensional indicators can be segmentized into a pronominal
head and a case element, e.g., [na] “for, to him/her”, consisting
of 3 rd sg. person-class [n] and the (dative-)locative element [a],
or -(e)ne-da [(e)ne-da] “with them”, where pl. [(e)ne] is combined
with comitative [da].
Note to -da-: Due to the uncertainties of Sumerian spelling, esp.
with regard to the frequent non-notation of syllable-closing consonants,
we sometimes cannot know whether -da- was meant for [nda],
[bda], [mda], or [da] alone, and similarly for -“i-, -ta-, etc.
See 12.8.3 for the question whether dimensional indicators could
also occur without reference to a person.
For each dimensional indicator there exists a variant with prefixed
[m(u)], e.g., -na- : (-)mu-na-; (-)ba- : (-)V-m-ma-. Following the grammatical
terminology of Akkadian, Foxvog 1974 and 1975, 400 f. with
fn. 17, proposed “Sumerian ventive” for the m-forms; see Attinger
1993, 270–80 with lit. p. 270.
If one wonders about the coincidence of both languages using an
[m] element for ventive, it should be borne in mind that the Akkadian
ventive marker is (historically) [aC] (before -k, -n, -“ ), and it is only
[am] before -m or in word-final position. There is no need, in
Akkadian, to construe ad hoc assimilation rules like “am-kum” > akkum
etc. Rather, the ventive (as opposed to affirmative) function of Akkadian
[aC/am] may have been a re-interpretation of this morpheme under
Sumerian influence, at the beginning of the Sumero-Akkadian areal
interaction. See Pedersén 1989, 434 for derivation of the Akkadian
ventive from common-Semitic affirmative (energetic) [an].
Note: The [m] of the Akkadian dative pronouns -kum, -“um, -nim, etc., has, most
probably, to be kept separate from the [m] of the ventive final form -am.