SUMERIAN

Pronouns, adverbs, and numerals
(63) Gudea Statue B 9:6–7 (Lagash, 22nd c.) (P232275)
gud-gen₇, ud-ne-na ḫe₂-gaz
gud=gen P1 ud= P2 nēn= P5ʾa S1 ḫa- S2 i- S12 gaz- S14 ø
ox=EQU P1day= P2 DEM= P5 L1 MOD-FIN-kill-3.SG.S
“May he be slaughtered like an ox on the very day!”
(64) Enki and Ninhursaga 201 (ETCSL 1.1.1)
a-na-am₃
ne-e
ana=ø=am-ø
P1 nē= P5 ø
what=ABS=COP-3.SG.S P1 DEM= P5 ABS
“What is this?”
(65) FaoS 17, 45 10 (Nippur, 21st c.) (P123220)
ne-me arad₂ ḫa-me
P1 nē= P5 ø=me-eš arad=ø S1 ḫa- S12 me- S14 eš
P1 DEM= P5ABS=COP-3.PL.S slave=ABS MOD-COP-3.PL.S
“(Ipquša and Shu-Ninmug sold their sister Ala-NE. If she stops working,) it is these
(i.e., the brothers) who should be slaves (in her place).”
(66) The Debate between Grain and Sheep 20 (ETCSL 5.3.2)
nam-lu₂-ulu₃ ud-re-a-ke₄-ne
P1 namlulu P3 [ P1 ud= P2 re= P5 ak]= P4 enē= P5 e
P1 people P3 [ P1 day= P2 DEM= P5 GEN]= P4 PL= P5 ERG
“The people of those days”
It is likely that these demonstrative pronouns participated in a three-degree
set “this” (near the speaker), “that” (within view of the speaker), “that” (outside
of the view of the speaker). The following groupings are attested in grammatical
and lexical texts:
“this”
near the speaker
Table 5.3: The demonstrative pronouns
“that”
within view of the speaker
=/e(n)/ =/še/ =/re(n)/
(=)/n(n)/ =/še/ =/re(n)/
=/e(n)/ =/re(n)/ =/be/
“that”
outside of the view of the speaker
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