SUMERIAN

LESSON 13
The adverbial ablative may also denote the participant that functions as the
tool or instrument with which an action is carried out as in exx. (328)–(330)
below.
(328) JCS 10, 28 no. 5 obv. 6 (Drehem, 21st c.) (P111899)
1 udu niga lugal-e ŋiri₂-ta in-gaz
1 udu niga=ø lugal=e ŋiri=ta S2i- S11 n- S12 gaz- S14 ø
1 sheep fattened king=ERG dagger=ABL FIN-3.SG.H.A-kill-3.SG.P
“One fattened sheep killed by the king with a dagger.”
(329) En-metena 1 1:8–12 (RIME 1.9.5.1) (Lagash, 25th c.) (Q001103)
me-salim, lugal kiš ki -ke₄, inim d ištaran-na-ta,
mesalim lugal kiš=ak=e inim ištaran=ak=ta
RN king GN=GEN=ERG word DN=GEN=ABL
eš₂-gana₂
ešgana=ø
measuring.line=ABS
be₂-ra,
S5 b- S10 i- S11 n- S12 ra- S14 ø
3.SG.NH-L2-3.SG.H.A-hit-3.SG.P
ki-ba na bi₂-du₃
ki-be-ʾa na=ø S5 b- S10 i- S11 n- S12 du- S14 ø
ki=DEM=L2.NH stone=ABS 3.SG.NH-L2-3.SG.H.A-build-3.SG.P
“By the order of the god Ishtaran, Mesalim, king of Kish, laid the measuring line
on it, and set up a stela on that place.”
(330) E-ana-tum 1 obv. 16:17 (RIME 1.9.3.1) (Lagash, 25th c. BCE) (P222399)
nam e-na-ta-kud
nam=ø S2 i- S6 nn- S8 a- S9 ta- S11 n- S12 kud- S14 ø
fate=ABS FIN-3.SG.H-DAT-ABL-3.SG.H.A-cut-3.SG.P
“(E-ana-tum gave the great battle-net of Enlil to the Ummaite, and) let him swear
a promissory oath by it.” 16
In ex. (331) below the adverbial ablative is used in the meaning “apart from, in
addition”.
(331) E-ana-tum 5 6:2–5 (RIME 1.9.3.5) (Lagash, 25th c.) (P222400)
nam-ensi₂, lagaš ki -ta, ⸢nam⸣-lugal kiš ki ,
namensik lagaš=ak=ta namlugal kiš=ak=ø
rulership GN=GEN=ABL kingship GN=GEN=ABS
16 On the causative interpretation of this example, see Lesson 15, section 15.4 below.
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