SumerianGrammar

THE VERB 153
If, on the other hand, we see the relation between head (u 4 ) and
phrase as a connection of substantive (u 4 ) + adjective (nominalized
phrase), there is no need to postulate the deletion of a case particle
after u 4 .
By the time of the Ur III dynasty, the separate notation of nominalizer
[a] and locative case particle [a] often coalesced so that a
single written [a] may stand for both. But note still Hammu-rapi bíin-du
11 -ga-a RIME 4, 335 no. 2:20.
The u 4 . . . -a construction is extremely popular. In Akkadian it
has an exact parallel in the sequence inu/inùma . . . Moreover, the
sometimes very elaborate construction u 4 ...(1)...-a, (2) ...-a,
(3)...-a (etc.) u 4 -ba...“when . . ., (at that day =) then ...” (e.g.,
En. I 20 i 9–iii 2) has its counterpart in Akkadian inu...inùmi“u ...
“when . . ., then . . .”, e.g., Hammu-rapi RIME 4, 335 no. 2:1–
25//1–28.
mu bala∞g u“umgal-kalam-ma ba-dím-ma [ba-dim-a-a] “the year
(when) the harp (called) ‘Dragon of the Land’ was fashioned”, year
name Gudea of Laga“ 3; see Edzard 1997, 27.
The construction of the year date formulae exactly follows the
pattern u 4 . . . -a (see before). The nominalized phrase is in the locative
and so is—virtually—the head mu.
However, as against the u 4 . . . -a construction, the mu . . . -a construction
was often reduced to a formula where [a] has been deleted
!
after the verbal form, e.g., mu Lugal-Ba-gára é-a ba -ku 4 “the year
(when) the Lord of Bagara entered (his) house” Gudea year 16; see
Edzard 1997, 27. The head mu here behaves like a subjunction.
bar “e-bi nu-da-sù-sù-da-ka [nu-n-da-n-su(d)sud-a-(a)k-a] “because
he (= Ur-LUM-ma of Umma) no longer was willing to (lengthen,
extend =) restore that grain (with =) to him” Ent. 28–29 A ii 27.
Note: The syntagma is bar-Noun-ak-a, lit. “at the side of Noun” with the noun
here represented by a verbal phrase + nominalizing [a], which we have to understand
as “because of . . .”; see PSD B 109 f. bar C, esp. p. 110: 3.
12.16.4. The nominalized phrase is in the ablative
ba-dú-ud-dè-en-na-ta [ba-dud-en-a-ta] ninta-kal-ga-me-en “I am a
mighty king since I was born” ”ulgi A 2.
Ba-gára . . . im-ti-a-ta “after he had come close to the Bagara (sanctuary)”
Gudea Cyl. A ii 7.