Three forms of the non-finite verbal form can be distinguished on formal grounds:
PTSTEM-ø
(stem-TL) tenseless non-finite verbal form
PTSTEM-ʾa
(stem-PT) preterite non-finite verbal form
PFSTEM-ed
(stem-PF) present-future non-finite verbal form
The first two forms use the preterite stem, while the third form uses the present-future stem of the verb, supposing the verb has one. In all three forms the stem may undergo a plural-reduplication, see, e.g. ex. (118) below. Non-finite verbal forms can only be prefixed with the negative prefix /nu/-. The opposition between the preterite and the present-future is maintained only with verbs expressing an action. Non-finite verbal forms expressing a state always use the preterite form.
Future forms often express modal meanings. This is also true about the present-future non-finite verbal form which may express the modal meaning
of necessity, obligation, see e.g., ex. (99) below, ability or inability, see, e.g., ex.
(119) below:
(99) NG 209 obv. 2:16–17 (Lagash, 21st c.) (P134582) nam-erim2-be₂, ku5-ru-dam
namerim=be=ø kur-ed=ø=am-ø oath=3.SG.NH.POSS=ABS cut-PF=ABS=COP-3.SG.S
“This is to be taken an oath about.”
The preterite and the present-future non-finite verbal form consist of the verbal stem and a suffix which is the marker of tense. The tenseless non-finite verbal form consists only of the verbal stem without any material suffix, indicating iconically that it is a form which expresses the verbal state or action without any temporal reference point as permanent and essential. The expression lugal gabari nu-tukumeans, for example, “a king who has no rival”. The use of a preterite non-finite verbal form nu-tuku-awould refer to a king who until a given point of time has not had or at a given point of time does not have a rival.
Sumerian is a language without a distinguishable word class of adjectives.
Adjectival concepts are expressed with non-finite verbal stems or with structures like the modifying genitive construction, see Lesson 4, section 4.1 above.
Verbal stems with an adjectival meaning (e.g., dugud“heavy”, tur“small”, sukud“high”, dug3 “sweet”) occur most frequently as tenseless non-finite verbal forms. They occur in fewer contexts than a verb expressing an action.
This is, however, the consequence of their meaning which affects in which grammatical forms they can occur, but does not justify the postulation of a separate word class of adjectives in Sumerian.
Tenseless non-finite verbal forms are one of the main sources of compound nouns. The following compound nouns are based on headless tenseless non-finite verbal forms: dub-sar “scribe” < dub sar (dub=ø sar-ø : tablet=ABS
write-TL) “he who writes tablets”, ku₃-dim₂“goldsmith” < ku₃ dim₂ (kug=ø dim-ø: metal=ABSfashione-TL) “he who fashions metal”.
Adjective-like compound constructions are normally based on tenseless non-finite verbal forms: usu tuku (usu=ø tuku-ø : power=ABS have-TL)
“powerful”, igi ŋal2(igi=ø ŋal-ø: eye=ABSexist-TL) “wise”.
Compound verbs with nominal parts that derive from non-finite verbal forms also use tenseless non-finite verbal forms: šu-tag — dug₄“to decorate”
< šu=ø tag-ø=ø: hand=ABStouch=TL=ABS“to do hand touching”, see also ex. (175) below in Lesson 9, section 9.3.
LESSON7
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Sumerian non-finite verbal forms can function both as verbal adjectives and as verbal nouns. Unlike in many other languages, these two functions are not distinguished morphologically in Sumerian. Used as a verbal adjective they modify a head noun in P2 of a noun phrase, or form a predicate with the copula, see, e.g., ex. (99) above, exx. (100) and (131) below.
(100) BM 106451 7 (Umma, 21st c.) (P200743) lu₅-am₃
lu-ø=ø=am-ø
false-TL=ABS=COP-3.SG.S
“(Lu-Suena declared:) ‘This is false!’”
Used as a verbal noun, they function as nouns that take cases. In ex. (101) below the present-future non-finite form of the verb du₃“to build”, together with its object, e₂“house, temple”, functions as a verbal noun. It is the left-dislocated possessor of the word ŋiškim“sign”, and consequently is in the genitive.
(101) Gudea Cyl. A 9:9 (Lagash, 22nd c.) (ETCSL 2.1.7)
e₂-gu₁₀ du₃-da
e=ŋu=ø du-ed=ak
house=1.SG.POSS=ABS build-PF=GEN
ŋiškim-be₂ ga-ra-ab-šum₂
ŋiškim=be=ø S2ga-S6r-S7a-S11b-S12šum sign=3.SG.NH.POSS=ABS MOD-2.SG-DAT-3.SG.NH.P-give
“I promise to give you the ominous sign concerning the building of my temple.”
In ex. (102) below again the present-future non-finite form of the verb du₃“to build”, together with its object, e₂“house, temple”, functions as a verbal noun.
Here, however, it functions as a non-finite complement clause of the verb “to say”, and is in the locative2 case.
(102) Gudea Cyl. A 4:20 (Lagash, 22nd c.) (ETCSL 2.1.7)
e₂-a-ne₂ du₃-da ma-an-dug₄
e=ane=ø du-ed=ʾa S4m-S7a-S11n-S12dug-S14ø house=3.SG.H.POSS=ABS build-PF=L2.NH VEN-DAT-3.SG.H.A-speak-3.SG.P
“He ordered me to build his temple.”
In ex. (103) below the preterite non-finite form of the verb sa₁₀“to barter”, together with its object saŋ “slave”, functions as a verbal noun. It is the possessor of the expression lu₂ inim-ma“witness”, and consequently is in the genitive.
Non-finite verbal forms and relative clauses
(103) NG 51 rev. 3 (Umma, 21st c. BCE) (P131780)
lu₂ inim-ma saŋ sa₁₀-a-še₃ mu-ne-ra-e₃
P1[lu inim=ak] P3[saŋ=ø sa-ʾa=ak]=še S4mu-S6nnē-S8a-S9ta-S12e-S14ø
P1[man word=GEN] P3[head=ABS buy-PT=GEN]=TERM VEN-3.PL-DAT-ABL-leave-3.SG.S
“(Two persons) came forward as witnesses against them that the slave had been bought.”
Non-finite verbal forms that function as a verbal adjective and modify a head noun in P2 of a noun phrase are discussed in section 7.3 of this lesson as examples of non-finite relative clauses.