SUMERIAN

LESSON 8
NON-VERBAL PREDICATION
AND OTHER USES OF THE COPULA
In Sumerian there exist two kinds of non-verbal predicates. The more common
type is the one in which the predicate contains a verbal copula. If the S of the
non-verbal predicate is in the 3rd ps. sg. then the non-verbal predicate may
occur without a copula in certain contexts. This lesson describes both kinds of
non-verbal predicates, and the various other uses of the copula.
8.1 Copular clauses
The Sumerian copular clause is an intransitive clause which consists of two
main parts: a) the subject and b) a non-verbal predicate. The predicate itself
consists of two parts: i) a structural unit functioning as the predicate
complement (= PC) and ii) a copula.
The Sumerian copula is a verbal copula formed from the verb me “to be”.
It has two forms: the independent and the enclitic copula. The independent
copula is a finite verb with at least one verbal prefix, while the enclitic copula
is attached to the last word of the clause without any prefix. As a rule, the
predicate complement is situated next to the copula; if the copula is enclitic,
then it cliticizes to the predicate complement. In copular clauses, where the
constituent next to the copula is the predicate complement, the predicate
complement as a rule predicates a property about a referential S. Ex. (132)
contains a 3rd ps. sg. enclitic copula cliticized to the last unit of the predicate
complement:
(132) En-metena 7 21–22 (RIME 1.9.5.7) (Lagash, 25th c.) (P222539)
ud-ba du-du, saŋŋa d nin-ŋir₂-su₂-ka-kam
ud=be=ʾa S [dudu=ø] PC [saŋŋa ninŋirsuk=ak=ø]=am-ø
day=DEM=L1 S [PN=ABS] PC [official DN=GEN=ABS]=COP-3.SG.S
“At that time Dudu was the temple administrator of the god Ningirsu.”
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