The secrets of Sumerian letters = ideograms

Sumerian Akkadian English

o 1' [a-ar]-ar-ra
[U!agargar"]#$ dro%%ings
o &' [a-ar]-ar-ra
[%i'annu]
o (' [a-ar]-ar-ra
)i-ni-[tum] roe
o *' [a]-ar-ar-ra
+U-,-[---]
o .'
[a] /ag
0
ar-
ra es-lum consti%ated
o 1' a-gal-la-ti-la
ka-/i im-tum dro%s2
o 3' a-gal-la-ti-la
ma-li-a me-e dro%s2
o 4' a a al
567!ma-li-a me-e#$ dro%s2
o 8' a ul -a
(!ma-li-a me-e#$ dro%s2
o 19' a )ar-ra
65-tum
o 11' a )ar-ra
li
:
-'u-u-tum ado%ti;e child
o 1&' a )ar-ra
tar-)i-tum rearling
o 1(' a )ar-ra
re- u -tum a- i -tum ado%ti;e offs%ring
o 1*' a )ar-ra
567!re- u -tum#$ na-kar-tum hostile offs%ring
o 1.' a )ar-ra
567!re- u -tum#$ %a-ra-su to )lock the insemination
o 11' a )ar-)ar-ra
nam-/u-u de<
o 13' a-)ar )ar-ra
=u
:
!SU#-tum i-ta'-ru-ur-rum rolling s<eat
o 14' a al - al
567!=u-tum i-ta'-ru-ur-rum#$ rolling s<eat
o 18' a gir-gir
(!=u-tum i-ta'-ru-ur-rum#$ rolling s<eat
o &9' a )ar dug
%e- u -u to )lock the <ater
o &1' a-)ar-dug
i=-)u-um malformed )irth
o &&' a-)ar-dug
ku-)u-um fetus
o &(' a-)ar-dug
a- u -um strange
o &*' a-)ar [,]
[=u-tum i-ta'-ru]-ur-rum rolling s<eat
o &.' a-)ar [,]
[---]-tum
o &1' a-)ar kur-,
[---]-tum
o &3' a-)ar kur-,
[---]
o &4' a-)ar a-,
[---]
r 1 a-ra-a
U!ara u #$ granar2
r & a-ra-a
na- al -lum <adi
r ( a ra-a
/u-um-'u-tum to )eat <ith <ater
r * a-ra-a
ne-le
:
-e%-tum a cu%
r . a-ra-a)
U!ara)"#$ a cu%
r 1 a-ra-a)
ne-le
:
-e%-tum a cu%
r 3 [a]-ra-a)
ra-a)-)u-u a cu%
r 4 [a]-ra-=u
su-u%-%u-u %ra2er
r 8 [a-ra]-=u
te-es-li-tum su%%lication
r 19 [a-ra]-=u
te-me-'um %etition
r 11 [---]
A
0
it-tu-ur-re
0

r 1& [a-ra-an-gi]
[a]-ra
:
-an-gu
r 1( [---]
[,]-a-an-nu
r 1* [---]
[,]-a-)u
0

!traces of 1 line#
Sumerian
Akkadian English
a-)ar )ar-ra
=u
:
!SU#-tum i-ta'-ru-ur-rum rolling s<eat
kir [>?@AEB] !1,C @ld Da)2lonian# <r- kir( Eto gro;elF roll aroundE Akk- qarru
[1]
kir
(
1 distinct form attestedG click to ;ie< forms ta)le-
1. to grovel, roll around (1x/100%)
H BEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJ7i%%ur [[girim]] = gi-ri-im = LAGAB = na-gar3-ru-rum @D Aa (1C1-
Akk- qarru Eto <ritheF gro;elE-
itaruru [!"LL#$G] (A%)
. instances
KeriodsC@ld Da)2lonian [1]G 5iddle Da)2lonian [*]-
Lritten formsCi-ta-ag-ru-ru-umG i-ta'-ru-ur-rum-
7ormali=ed formsCitagrurum !i-ta-ag-ru-ru-um#G ita'rurum !i-ta'-ru-ur-rum#-
1. rolling (&x/100%)
Akk- qarru Eto gro;elF roll aroundE $ Akk- ita'ruru [?@BB67>]
gur [M6?MBE] <r- gur& Eloo%F hoo%F circleE Akk- kippatuG umutu
[1]
gur
&
gur [?65] !&,C Ur 666F @ld Da)2lonian# <r-
Ne/
gur& E!circular# rimE Akk- kippatu
[1]
Ne/
gur
&
!
ge/
gur
&
#
gur [SO6EBP] !(.,C @ld Da)2lonian# <r- gur&1G
ku/
)uru*
mu/en
G
e
ur& EshieldE
[1]
gur
&1
[&]
ku/
)uru
*
mu/en
[(]
e
ur
&
19 distinct forms attestedG click to ;ie< forms ta)le-
1. '(ield ()&x/100%)
H BEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJ7i%%ur [[
*u+
*uru1,]] = *u-ru = -./-0.#B
1
= mi-si-ir-ru-um @D Piri 7i%%ur Seg-8F
*1G [[
*u+
*uru1,]] = = = a-i-i-tum @D Piri 7i%%ur Seg-8F *&- BEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJunkno<n [[
*u+
gur11]]
= = [-./]-[0].#B
1
= mi-i-si2-ir-ru-um @D Piri E@,fordE .3(G [[
*u+
gur11]] = = = ih-ze-e-tum @D Piri
E@,fordE .3*-
H IBEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJ7i%%ur
*u+
gur11(0.#B
1
) @D 7i%%ur Ura & *1.G
*u+
gur11 da-G.2 @D 7i%%ur
Ura & *11-
H hudu/[status]BEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJ7i%%ur
*u+
gur11 (udu+(3.) @D 7i%%ur Ura & *14-
H kun[tail]BEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJ7i%%ur
*u+
gur11 *un @D 7i%%ur Ura & *13-
H siki[hair] =i[cut]BEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJ7i%%ur
*u+
gur11 'i*i 4id-da @D 7i%%ur Ura & *18-
H ur[roof]BEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJ7i%%ur
*u+
gur11 ur)-ra @D 7i%%ur Ura & *&9-
[&99(] 5- Mi;ilF QMS .. .&-
[184*] D- EichlerF A@S 1. 199 <n(4-
[183(] 5- Mi;ilF Q7ES (& 19-
5ee 0365L7 gur
&1
=shield-
gir [SB6K] !1(,C @ld Da)2lonian# <r- gir. Eto sli% !in or through#F glideE
[1]
gir
.
19 distinct forms attestedG click to ;ie< forms ta)le-
1. to 'li8 (in or t(roug(), glide (1)x/100%)
H BEIJ@ld Da)2lonianJSi%%ar [[gigri1]] = = = na-pa-gum @D Piri Si%%ar Seg-&-&F 3- BEIJ@ld
Da)2lonianJunkno<n lu1 a gir&-gir& = e3-[e-bu]-um @D Bu-A=lag A 118G lu1 'a9 gir&-gir& =e3-e-bu-u2 @D Bu-
A=lag A 13.-
Le can see that the same <riter <rote in Sumerian and Akkadian simultaneousl2-
Sumerian cognates for <heelF circleF glideF round shield are kin to Akkadian cognates
for rollingF circulating-
6t is a solid %roof that Sumerian <as not an inde%endent language )ut rather a re)us
s2stem to con;e2 secret messages-
Le can also see that the scri)e created Sumerian <ords in )ulkF meaning these
<ords did not e,it )efore the2 <ere <riten do<n- These <ords <ere %ure in;entions-
Sumerian
gur [M6?MBE] <r- gur& Eloo%F hoo%F circleE
gur [?65] !&,C Ur 666F @ld Da)2lonian# <r-
Ne/
gur& E!circular# rimE
gur [SO6EBP] !(.,C @ld Da)2lonian# <r- gur&1G
ku/
)uru*
mu/en
G
e
ur& EshieldE
gir [SB6K] !1(,C @ld Da)2lonian# <r- gir. Eto sli% !in or through#F glideE
These cognates are all deri;ati;es of Akkadian i-ta-ag-ru-ru-umG i-ta'-ru-ur-rum
[rolling !s<eat#]-
E;er2 <riter actuall2 created his o<n Sumerian <ords )2 sim%l2 cutting Akkadian
<ords right in the middle- 6t is ;er2 eas2 to demonstrate this fact-
Sumerian
Akkadian English
a-)ar )ar-ra
=u
:
!SU#-tum i-ta'-ru-ur-rum rolling s<eat
Akakdian adRecti;e i-ta'-ru-ur-rum S rollingF <as cut in the middle and a ne<
Sumerian ideogram <as createdC
Sumerian <ord dag = ta' had ne;er e,isted )efore the Semitic scri)e cut the
Akkadian adRecti;e in se;eral s2lla)les and %icked one at random to create a ne<l2
found Sumerian <ord-
DAG
barag
2
(bara
3
par
3
para
3
bar
3
)
barag [SPREAD] (
ba
barag
2
).
dag (tag
2
dak tak
2
)
dag [DEMOLISH].
dag [DWELLING].
par
3

(see full ls!"g)
tag
2

A##ada" $%r#s&%'(
)ull ls!"g.
Als%( da
*
+ da,+ !a,
2
+ -a#.
Le can see that Sumerian a-)ar )ar-ra is associated to the <ord barag
2
(bara
.
'ar
.

'ara
.
bar
.
) a"d !% !&e r%%! da
*
+ da,+ !a,
2
+ -a#+ be/ause %f !&e Se0!/ e1'ress%"
=u!SU#-tum i-ta'-ru-ur-rum rolling s<eat
barag
2
(bara
3
par
3
para
3
bar
3
)
ba
barag
2
barag [SPREAD]
"2
2
3barag
2
"2barag [45IL6]
dag (tag
2
dak tak
2
)
dag dag [DEMOLISH]
dag dag [DWELLING]
dag3dug dagdug [PO6S6ANDS]
dag3g
7
dagg [45AR6ER]
dag3s dags [HOO8]
dag3s3ru3u0 dagsru0 [REPAIR]
2a
2
3la dag 2ala dag [9EASE]
:u dag :u dag [A;ANDON]
:u dag :u dag [ROAM ARO5ND]
g
a3dag adag [RA)6]
lu
2
3dag ludag [O))I9IAL]
par
3

2e:3'ar
.
2e:'ar [6RAP]
2
<
3'ar
.
2'ar [9LOIS6ER]
sa3'ar
.
sabar [NE6]
tag
2

"a03!ag
2
3ga "a0!aga [SIN]
"a03!ag
2
"a0!aga [SIN]
The Sumerian <ord ba3ra3ge= ba3ra3ga=
ba
barag
2
had ne;er e,isted )efore the moment it
<as <ritten do<n- 6t <as a %ure in;ention of the scri)e- 6t <as created after its
association <ith the e,%ressionC
a-)ar )ar-ra
=u
:
!SU#-tum i-ta'-ru-ur-rum rolling s<eat
barag [SPREAD] (><1( ED IIIb+ 5r III) $r. ;AD= ba3ra3ge= ba3ra3ga=
ba
barag
2
= 8ISAL
ra
?!%
s'read %u!? A##. u@@A= :u'arruru
[B] ;AD (bara
7
)
[2] ba3ra3ge
[.] ba3ra3ga
[7]
ba
barag
2

[C] 8ISAL
ra

7D ds!"/! f%r0s a!!es!ed= /l/# !% Ee$ f%r0s !able.
1. to spread out (76x/100%)
F LEGHOld ;abIl%"a"HN''ur [[bara
.
]] J [ba]3ra J DAG J u3pa3ru3ru3um O; Aa 2.>(B.
LEGHOld ;abIl%"a"HS''ar [[bara
.
]] J J DAG J e3e3u
2
3u
2
MSL B7+ B223B2> DK KBK=
[[bara
.
]] J J J wu3u
2
3u
2
3u
2
MSL B7+ B223B2> DK K2D= [[bara
.
]] J J J u3pa3ru3rum MSL B7+
B223B2> DK K2B. ELAH5r IIIHDre&e0 ba3;AD3;AD AfO 7D37B+ C2+ B B. ELAH5r IIIHGrsu u
7
3
de
.
;AD3a3b :u3gar3[1] ba
LM
3ab313N
O
3[1] AAS B>< *= e"gar :u#u3!a ;AD3a30e ASP D7+ BB>
B* r .= # u"u
.
3ba3#a ba3a3;AD 96 DK+ 27 ;M DBKD<* C. ELAH5r IIIHN''ur lu
2
:e :u "u3
;AD NA6N 2*> >. ELAH5r IIIH500a #"
LM
3EN3#e
7
ba3ra3g3"e A"Or D>+ B>C .=
Q5RLAGA; B(barg) gur :e su0u" e
2
;AD3;AD A596 B+ D2< .= su&u: g ba3ra3g3"e P9S
D2+ BK< N;9 B*C< 2= B(a:) gur ba3da3;AD :e N# 2+ 2C. 2= ;AD3a
2
3!a OrSP 7>37K+ .27 %
BC= du0u lu
2
3d"gr3ra ba3;AD30e OrSP 7>37K+ 7*. % >. ELAH5r IIIH5r [...] a0a
O
du
<

;AD3:e
.
5E6 K+ D.7D 2. u"#"%$"HED IIIbHu"#"%$" B(uS/)
ge:
#arad" ;AD3:e
.
"u3a# 6SA
2* r 7. u"#"%$"H5r IIIH500a N
.
3de
.
ba3ra3ga MTN B<+ B77. .= !ug
2
3ge ba3ra3g3"e
Pr"/e!%" B+ 2B< .= ba3ra3g3"e 56I 7+ 2K<D 7= #u
<
ba3ra3g3"e SA6 .+ B7<> 2= >(bur
.
) 2(e:e
.
)
GAN
2
:e gu
7
a 0 0 ;AD3a SA6 .+ 2BC> 2.
A##. u@@A ?!% s'read %u!+ %'e" $de?= :u'arruru ?!% s'read %u!?.
[BK<7] M. 9El+ S!udes O''e"&e0 *D.
See E69SL( barag
2
J!% s'read %u!.
3(e ideogram DAG
ser;es as a letter of the al%ha)etF )ut since it is a full s2lla)le it can )e used to
e,%ress <ords that ha;e the sound >
Le are used to al%ha)ets that started <ith the re'uired letter )ut Sumerian <riting
s2stem had no rules and o);iousl2 a letter could also mark the last consonant not
Rust the initial one as in modern al%ha)ets-
Dut t<o Sumerian ideogram letters could )e associated according to an e,%ression
<here the2 <ere usedF hence the Akkadian ta'
= barag be/ause !&eI &aEe !&e s%u"d ,Hg " /%00%" bu! als% be/ause !&eI $ere used " !&e
sa0e e1'ress%"(
a-)ar )ar-ra
=u
:
!SU#-tum i-ta'-ru-ur-rum rolling s<eat
Le can see the seeds of the Semitic al%ha)et in Sumerian )ut Akkadian <riters did
not o)e2 to a central go;ernment )od2 and each <riter could create his o<n
Sumerian al%ha)et and )2 default his o<n Sumerian tongue and grammar-
The Sumerian letters = ideograms are richer then the Semitic letters- The2 offer a
m2riad of %ossi)ilities unlike the strict Semitic &&-&8 letters- Semitic letters are <ords
that meet their res%ecti;e sounds the2 re%resent at the initial sound of the
re%resentati;e <ord- Sumerian letters can meet their sounds at their initial
consonantF middle ;o<el or final consonant- 7o< 2ou can make the calculations and
see for 2ourself that Sumerian ideograms are in fact Semitic in;entions-