SUMERIAN

LESSON 12
With the verb zaḫ₃ “to be away, to run away” the comitative denotes the
participant from whom someone runs away.
(315) ECTJ 50 1–4 (Nippur, 23rd c.) (P020464)
⸢ m ⸣lugal-⸢a₂⸣-zid-da, arad₂ lugal-ki-gal-la, ensi₂-da, in-da-zaḫ₃
lugalazida arad lugalkigal=ak=ø ensik=da S2 i- S6 n- S8 da- S12 zaḫ- S14 ø
PN₁ servant PN₂=GEN=ABS ruler=COM FIN-3.SG.H-COM-flee-3.SG.S
“Lugal-azida, the servant of Lugal-kigal, ran away from the ruler.”
Further readings
For both cases one may consult the corresponding sections of Gragg 1973, Balke
2006, and Jagersma 2010, whose descriptions, however, differ in their approach
to cases in Sumerian. The approach of the present textbook’s author is
explained in Zólyomi 2010.
The comitative prefix expressing ability is discussed in detail by Gragg 1973:
53–55.
Exercises
12.1 Look up the new words used in the examples of this lesson in Foxvog’s (2016b) or
Volk’s (2012) glossary, and learn them.
12.2 Study the examples of this lesson carefully and make yourself familiar with their
grammatical analysis.
12.3 Compare exx. (301) and (302) above. How could you explain the graphemic
presence of the comitative in the former and its absence in the latter?
12.4 Go to the ETCSRI corpus (http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/etcsri/corpus) and
write “N3=ani.N5=ra” (without the quotation marks) in the Search Oracc box. What
orthographic change can be recognized? Can you identify the ruler under which
the change started?
12.5 Transliterate the text Gudea 4 (Lagash, 22nd c.) (P232332) (Volk 2012 no. 10)
(a copy of the text can be found at http://cdli.ucla.edu/P232332) with the help of
Volk’s sign list (2012). Translate the text with the help of either Volk’s (2012)
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