L0.5: Syllabification#

In order to transliterate correctly from cuneiform it is important to determine the syllables that make up a Akkadian word. There are three rules:

  • A syllable can only have one vowel.

  • A syllable may not begin or end with two consonants.

    Akkadian word

    Syllabification

    Translation

    balāṭum

    ba/la/ṭum

    to live

    narkabtum

    nar/kab/tum

    chariot

  • A syllable may not begin with a vowel:

    • Exception 1: At the beginning of a word 👉elûm.

    • Exception 2: Two succesive vowels 👉kīam.

      Akkadian word

      Syllabification

      Translation

      elûm

      e/lum

      upper

      kīam, kiʾam or kâm

      ki/am, ki/ʾam, kam

      so, thus

      Note

      For kīam there is also the writing kâm.