SumerianGrammar

134 CHAPTER TWELVE
12.14.2.2. B-[ed]; B-[ed+copula]
12.14.2.2.1. B-[ed]
Nam-tar-re(-d) “(the god) is making a firm promise”, abbreviated PN,
SR 65 iii 4.
The same person occurs in the ergative in the same document:
Nam-tar-re-dè [namtar-ed-e] ibid. ii 3.
Note: In Yang Zhi 1989 no. A 661:3 an ergative Nam-tar-DU-e is noted (courtesy
W. Sallaberger). It is uncertain whether a secondary ergative formation of Namtare
is implied: Nam-tar-ré-e, or whether we have to do with a different name.
ma“kim-di(-d) “functioning as a inspector” Ukg. 4–5 vi 35.
gà-la nu-dag-ge(-d) “not dilatory” I“mè-Dagàn A 33.
12.14.2.2.2. B-[ed+copula]
d
En-líl húl-le(-d)-me-en “you are one who pleases Enlil” ”ulgi D 31.
ní∞g-nu-kúr-ru-dam “it is something that will not be altered” Ninurta
C iii 9.
kù má“ ∞gá-∞
gá-dam [∞ga∞
ga-(e)d-am] “it is silver yielding interest”
NG no. 135:2.
B-[edam] not unfrequently has a modal connotation: “has to ...”,
“is to . . .”, but it sometimes is a matter of subjective interpretation
how a given form should be classified.
èn-bi tar-re-dam “to be (asked =) re-examined”, final note in Ur
III accounts when the calculation made by the scribe still has to be
checked.
su-su-dam “to be replaced” UET 3, 37:6.
dah-he-dam “to be added” YOS 4, 18:10.
dam-A. ù M. ge-né-dam “A.’s wife and M. will (have to) prove
it” NG no. 214:42.
Note: [gen-ed-am] is in the sing. in spite of the pl. subject. There probably was no
form *ge-né(-d)-me-é“ *[gen-ed-me-(e)“]. Maybe usage of the conjunction ù “and”
caused the form to be understood in a distributive way: “A.’s wife and M. will
each (have to) prove it”. Or there is an anakoluthon: “A.’s wife and M.—(by
them) it is to be established” (suggestion of J. N. Postgate). Edzard 1967, 36–40.
12.14.3. B-[ede], B-[eda], B-[ada]
The Sumerian verb has no infinitive form which serves for citation,
corresponding to the Akkadian pattern paràsum. In lexical lists, verbs
are quoted with their base, simple or reduplicated (cf. above 12.14.1).