L3.4: Pronominal Suffixes on Verbs#

When a sufix is attached to a verb only the dative or accusative are used.

Example

  • ašpur “I wrote → ašpurkum “I wrote to you”

  • iṣbat “He has seized” → iṣbatni “He seized me”

Rules for the Suffixes#

  • All conjugated forms can have a personal suffix.

  • Both (dative and accusative) can be used in the same verb.

  • Order: Verb + dative + accusative

    Example

    • iṭrudū + kunūšim + šunūti > iṭrudūkunūšiššunūti “They (masc. plu.) sent them (masc. plu.) to you (masc. plu.)”

  • When the final consonant of the root is a dental (d, t, ṭ) or a sibilant (s, ṣ, š, z), it changes to ss before the š of the 3rd person.

    Example

    • imhaṣ + šu > imhassu “He hit him”

    • taṭrud + šu > tatrussu “You sent him”

  • The consonant m of some suffixes in final position assimilates to the next consonant.

    Example

    • iṭrudū + kunūšim + šunūti > iṭrudūkunūšiššunūti “They (masc. plu.) sent them (masc. plu.) to you (masc. plu.)”

Good-to-know 🤓

After the old Babylonian the accusative begins to replace the dative.

The Ventiv#

The pronominal suffix of the 1st. singular -am, -m, -nim can be used to enlarge the forms with suffixes. It expresses originally the directional idea “to me”, but it is understood in the widest meaning of an action in direction of the speaker. This is called ventiv. It occurs chiefly with verbs of movement and of sending, often corresponds to English “here” versus “there”.

Example

wabālu “to carry, bring” + ventive = to bring to a destination.

  • ubbal “he bings” ⇔ ubbal-am “he brings to a destination”. alāku “gehen” + ventive = to go to a destination.

  • illik “he went” ⇔ illik-am “he went to a destination” = “he came”.

Nevertheless this distinction is not always possible or necessary, because sometimes the ventive seems to be used rather for emphasising. The dative and accusative suffixes are placed after the ventive forms.

Important

The consonant -m is assimilated to the next consonant.

  • -am + kum → akkum

  • -am + ni → anni

  • -nim + ni → ninni

Verbs with Pronominal Suffixes in Dative#

Suffix

Verb + (ventiv -am) + 3 masc. sing

Verb + (ventiv -m) + 2 fem. sing.

Verb + (ventiv -nim) + 3 masc. plu.

Translation

3 sing. masc.

išpur(aš)šum

tašpurī(š)šum

išpurū(niš)šum

He/You/They sent to him

3 sing. fem.

išpur(aš)šim

tašpurī(š)šim

išpurū(niš)šim

He/You/They sent to her

2 sing. masc.

išpur(ak)kum

išpurū(nik)kum

He/You/They sent to you

2 sing. fem.

išpur(ak)kim

išpurū(nik)kim

He/You/They sent to you

1 sing. com.

išpuram

tašpurīm

išpurūnim

He/You/They sent to me

3 plu. masc.

išpur(aš)šunūšim

tašpurī(š)šunūšim

išpurū(niš)šunūšum

He/You/They sent to them

3 plu. fem.

išpur(aš)šināšim

tašpurī(š)šināšim

išpurū(niš)šināšum

He/You/They sent to them

2 plu. masc.

išpur(ak)kunūšim

išpurū(nik)kunūšim

He/You/They sent to you

2 plu. fem.

išpur(ak)kināšim

išpurū(nik)kināšim

He/You/They sent to you

1 plu. com.

išpur(an)niāšim

tašpurī(n)niāšim

išpurū(nin)niāšim

He/You/They sent to us

Warning

When the verb in plural ends with a wowel the form -nim is used.

Verbs with Pronominal Suffixes in Accusative#

Suffix

Verb + (ventiv -am) + 3 masc. sing

Verb + (ventiv -m) + 2 fem. sing.

Verb + (ventiv -nim) + 3 masc. plu.

Translation

3 sing. masc.

išpur(aš)šu

tašpurī(š)šu

išpurū(niš)šu

He/You/They sent him

3 sing. fem.

išpur(aš)ši

tašpurī(š)ši

išpurū(niš)ši

He/You/They sent her

2 sing. masc.

išpur(ak)ka

išpurū(nik)ka

He/You/They sent you

2 sing. fem.

išpur(ak)ki

išpurū(nik)ki

He/You/They sent you

1 sing. com.

išpuranni

tašpurīnni

išpurūninni

He/You/They sent me

3 plu. masc.

išpur(aš)šunūti

tašpurī(š)šunūti

išpurū(niš)šunūti

He/You/They sent them

3 plu. fem.

išpur(aš)šinati

tašpurī(š)šināti

išpurū(niš)šināti

He/You/They sent them

2 plu. masc.

išpur(ak)kunūti

išpurū(nik)kunūti

He/You/They sent you

2 plu. fem.

išpur(ak)kināti

išpurū(nik)kināti

He/You/They sent you

1 plu. com.

išpur(an)niātim

tašpurī(n)niāti

išpurū(nin)niāti

He/You/They sent us