SUMERIAN

LESSON 15
In causatives of intransitive verbs, the underlying S becomes P:
Table 15.1
INTRANSITIVE
CAUSATIVE
A
S P
Ex. (447) below is a hypothetical intransitive clause that may form the basis of
the actual ex. (448). In ex. (447) the person “I” is the verbal participant who
steps on a bed. In ex. (448) the same person does the actual stepping, but the
clause has an additional verbal participant, the goddess Inana, who causes “me”
to step on the bed. The causer functions as the A of ex. (448) and is marked
accordingly in S11 with a 3rd ps. sg. human FPP. The S of ex. (447) functions as
the P in ex. (448). Since in the preterite the pronominal suffix in S14 crossreferences
the participant in the absolutive, both the S in ex. (447) and the P in
ex. (448) is cross-referenced with the same morpheme. In other words, the two
verbal forms in exx. (447) and (448) differ only in the presence of a further
verbal participant, the causer; and no other morpheme indicates its causative
meaning.
(447) * ŋeš nu₂ gi-rin-na ḫe₂-ib₂-gub-en
nu girin-ø=ʾa S1 ḫa- S2 i- S5 b- S10 (i>)ø- S12 gub- S14 en
bed flowery-TL=L2.NH MOD-FIN-3.SG.NH-L2.SYN-stand-1.SG.S
“I indeed stepped onto the flowery bed.”
(448) Ishme-Dagan A 105 (ETCSL 2.5.4.01)
ŋeš nu₂ gi-rin-na he₂-bi₂-in-gub-en
nu girin-ø=ʾa S1 ḫa- S5 b- S10 i- S11 n- S12 gub- S14 en
bed flowery-TL=L2.NH MOD-3.SG.NH-L2-3.SG.H.A-stand-1.SG.P
“She (= Inana) indeed made me step onto the flowery bed.”
In causatives of transitive verbs, the underlying A will be marked with the
locative3 case:
Table 15.2
TRANSITIVE
CAUSATIVE
A
A L3
P P
224