Editing Sumerian language (section)

==== The modal or imperfective suffix -/ed/ ====
Before the pronominal suffixes, a suffix -/ed/ or -/d/ can be inserted (the /d/ is only realized if other vowels follow, in which case the /e/ in turn may be elided): e.g. 𒉌𒀄(𒂊)𒉈𒂗 ''i<sub>3</sub>-zaḫ<sub>3</sub>(-e)-de<sub>3</sub>-en'' {i-zaḫ-ed-en} "I will/must escape", 𒉌𒀄𒂊 ''i<sub>3</sub>-zaḫ<sub>3</sub>-e'' {i-zaḫ-ed} "he will/must escape". This suffix is considered to account for occurrences of ''-e'' in the third-person singular ''marû'' of intransitive forms by those who do not accept the theory that ''-e'' itself is a ''marû'' stem formant.<ref name="Zólyomi 2005">Zólyomi 2005</ref>

The function of the suffix is somewhat controversial. Some view it as having a primarily modal meaning of "must" or "can"<ref>(Foxvog 2016: 126-127)</ref> or future meaning.<ref>Edzard (2003: 82)</ref> Others believe that it primarily signals simply the imperfective status of a verb form, i.e. a ''marû'' form,<ref>Jagersma (2010: 368-371), Sallaberger (2023: 103)</ref> although its presence is obligatory only in intransitive ''marû'' forms and in non-finite forms. In intransitive forms, it thus helps to distinguish ''marû'' from ''ḫamṭu'';<ref>Jagersma (2010: 368-371)</ref> for instance, in the above example, 𒉌𒀄𒂗 ''i<sub>3</sub>-zaḫ<sub>3</sub>-en'' alone, without -/ed/-, could have been interpreted as a ''ḫamṭu'' form "I escaped". In contrast, in the analysis of scholars who do not believe that -/ed/- is obligatory in ''marû'', many intransitive forms like ''i<sub>3</sub>-zaḫ<sub>3</sub>-en'' can be both ''ḫamṭu'' and ''marû''.{{efn|In some analyses, this is because the forms are morphologically identical: 1st and 2nd person singular is {i-zaḫ-en} and even 3rd person singular is {i-zaḫ} in both ''ḫamṭu'' and ''marû''.<ref>Edzard (2003: 81-82)</ref> In others, it is because the /-e/ of the imperfective stem suffix is not visible in front of the person suffixes: 1st and 2nd person singular ''ḫamṭu'' {i-zaḫ-en} and ''marû'' {i-zaḫ-e-en} are written identically.<ref>Thomsen (2001: 141-142), Hayes (2000: 431), Foxvog (2016: 121-122)</ref>}}

The vowel /e/ of this suffix undergoes the same allophonic changes as the initial /e/ of the person suffixes. It is regularly assimilated to /u/ in front of stems containing the vowel /u/ and a following labial consonant, /r/ or /l/, e.g. 𒋧𒈬𒁕 ''šum<sub>2</sub>-mu(-d)'' (< {šum-ed}). It is also assimilated and contracted with immediately preceding vowels, e.g. 𒄄 ''gi<sub>4</sub>-gi<sub>4</sub>'' /gi-gi-i(d)/ < {gi-gi-ed} "which will/should return". The verb 𒁺 ''du'' "go" never takes the suffix.<ref name=":4" />