SumerianGrammar

62 CHAPTER TEN
Ebla
1. (slanted vertical wedge)
2. mì-nu [min]
3. i“ 11 -“a-am [i“/e“ + copula]
4. li-mu [lim(m)u]
5. i [ia]
6. A-“u [A“]
7. ù-mi-nu [umin]
8. ù-sa-am [us + copula]
9. ì-li-mu [ilim(m)u]
10. u 9 -wa-mu [*haw() + copula]
later tradition
a“, deli, di“ (ge (4) )
min
e“ 5
limmu
ía
à“
umun 5 , imin
ussu
ilimmu
u
Diakonoff 1983, 83–93, cf. G. Pettinato, AIUON 41 (1981) 141–43 (“inspired” by
Edzard 1980).
Notes on the individual numbers 1 to 10:
For 1 and the following cardinal numbers, the most exhaustive
treatment still is that by Powell 1971, 13 ff.
1: for deli (di-li, de-e-li, du-li), a“ and di“ so far only an approximate
distribution pattern can be offered:
deli is “single, unique” (wèdum); cf. lú-sa∞g-deli, glossed sagdilû “(person,
single head =) bachelor”. Reduplicated deli: dedli indicates
detailed plurality (see 5.3.4). A”-ni “he/she all alone” is read delini
or a“(a)-ni by individual authors. The OS PN [A“ani “he alone”]
is spelled A-“a 4 (DU)-ni (DP 125 iv 6), or A“ x (GE 23 )-“a 4 -ni (DP 124
iv 2; 126 iv 3).
See J. Bauer, RA 64 (1970) 188, partly corrected by J. N. Postgate,
AfO 24 (1973) 77.
However, deli-du-ni “he is coming alone” might also be proposed.
A”(deli)-di∞gir-re-ne “the only one of the gods” VS 10, 199 iii 4 (cf.
Falkenstein 1959, 66). A similar uncertainty is found with the epithet
of the Moongod, d A”-im 4 /im-bar 6 -bar 6 /babbar (discussed by
M. Krebernik, RlA 8, 362 f. § 2.3; there is no var. “á“”).
It is difficult to differentiate a“ from deli. If 6 really were 5+1,
Ebla A-“u might be explained as *[ia+a“]. This is, however, quite
uncertain.
di“ may have been the regular counting word (“one, two, three”),
not bound to either person or non-person class. bandi“ “1 seah” (fol­