Editing Sumerian language (section)

====== Case usage ======
The uses of the ergative and absolutive case are those typical of ergative languages. The subject of an [[intransitive verb]] such as "come" is in the same case as the object of a [[transitive verb]] such as "build", namely the so-called ''absolutive'' case. In contrast, the subject of a transitive verb has a different case, which is termed ''ergative''. This can be illustrated with the following examples:

{{interlinear|lugal-∅ i-m-g̃en|king-ABS FIN-VEN-come|"The king came."
| top = 𒈗𒉌𒅎𒁺<br />
<small>lugal i<sub>3</sub>-im-g̃en</small>
| indent = 4
| glossing = link
}}

{{interlinear|lugal-e e-∅ i-n-du|king-ERG house-ABS FIN-3.AN.A-build|"The king built a house."
| top = 𒈗𒂊𒂍𒅔𒆕<br />
<small>lugal-e e<sub>2</sub> in-du<sub>3</sub></small>
| indent = 4
| glossing = link
}}

In contrast with the verbal morphology, Sumerian nominal morphology consistently follows this ergative principle regardless of tense/aspect, person and mood.

Besides the general meanings of the case forms outlined above, there are many lexically determined and more or less unpredictable uses of specific cases, often [[Government (linguistics)|governed]] by a certain verb in a certain sense:

* The comitative is used to express:<ref name=":36">Jagersma (2010: 452-454)</ref>
** "to run away" (e.g. 𒀄 ''zaḫ<sub>3</sub>'') or to "take away" (e.g. 𒋼𒀀 ''kar'') ''from'' somebody; 
** 𒍪 ''zu'' "to know/learn something ''from'' somebody";
** 𒁲 ''sa<sub>2</sub>'' "to be equal ''to'' somebody" (but the same verb uses the directive in the phrasal verb ''si'' ...''sa<sub>2</sub>'' "be/put something in order", see ''[[#Phrasal verbs|Phrasal verbs]]'');
** the meaning "ago" in the construction 𒈬𒁕...𒋫 ''mu-da X-ta'' "X years ago" ({{lit|since X with the years}})<ref>Jagersma (2010: 202)</ref>
* The directive is used to express:<ref>Jagersma (2010: 435-438)</ref>
** the objects of 𒍏 ''dab<sub>6</sub>'' "surround", 𒊏 ''raḫ<sub>2</sub>'' "hit", 𒋛 ''si'' "fill",{{Efn|The substance someone fills something ''with'' is in the absolutive.}} 𒋳 ''tag'' "touch"
** ''𒈭 daḫ'' "add something ''to'' something" 
** 𒄄 ''gi<sub>4</sub>'' in the sense "bring back something ''to'' something"
** 𒍑 ''us<sub>2</sub>'' "be next ''to'' something, follow something"
** 𒅗 ''dug<sub>4</sub>'' "say something ''about''/''concerning'' something" ({b-i-dug} "say something ''about this''" often seems to have very vague reference, approaching the meaning "say something ''then''")<ref>Attinger (1993: 287), Jagersma (2010: 328)</ref>
* The locative with a directive verbal prefix, expressing "on(to)", is used to express:<ref>Jagersma (2010: 439-443)</ref>
** 𒆕 ''řu<sub>2</sub>'' "hold on ''to'' something"
** 𒄷𒈿 ''sa<sub>4</sub>'' "give (as a name)" ''to'' somebody/something
** ''𒁺 tum<sub>2</sub>'' "be fit ''for'' something"
* 𒉚 sa''<sub>10</sub>'' "to barter" governs, in the sense to "to buy", the terminative to introduce the seller ''from'' whom something is bought, but in another construction it uses the locative for the thing something is bartered ''for;''<ref>Jagersma (2010: 394, 464)</ref>
* 𒋾 ''ti'' "to approach" governs the dative.<ref>Jagersma (2010: 413)</ref>

For the government of phrasal verbs, see [[#Phrasal verbs|the relevant section]].