Editing Sumerian language (section)

==== Participles ====
Sumerian participles can function both as verbal adjectives and as verbal nouns. As verbal adjectives, they can describe any participant involved in the action or state expressed by the verb: for instance, 𒋧𒈠 ''šum<sub>2</sub>-ma'' may mean either "(which was) given (to someone)", "who was given (something)" or "who gave".<ref name=":2">Jagersma (2010: 628-629)</ref> As verbal nouns, they denote the action or state itself, so 𒋧𒈠 ''šum<sub>2</sub>-ma'' may also mean  '(the act of) giving' or 'the fact that X gave Y'.<ref name=":2" /> Participles are formed in the following ways:

* The bare ''ḫamṭu'' stem can function as a participle. It usually expresses timeless truths: 𒋧 ''šum<sub>2</sub>'' may be a person who regularly/constantly gives, something regularly given, or the regular act of giving.<ref>Jagersma (2010: 630-636)</ref>
* Another way to form participles is by means of adding the nominalizing marker -/a/ to the ''ḫamṭu'' stem:<ref name=":3">Jagersma (2010: 627)</ref><ref>Sallaberger (2020: 60)</ref> 𒋧𒈠 ''šum<sub>2</sub>-ma'' "given".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/epsd2/o0039914|title=Epsd2/Sux/šum&#91;give&#93;|access-date=2021-02-21|archive-date=2021-09-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926124654/http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/epsd2/o0039914|url-status=live}}</ref> The verb form constructed in this way characterizes an entity with a specific action or state in the past or a state in the present (𒋾𒆷 ''til<sub>3</sub>-la'' "alive").<ref>Jagersma (2010: 638-640)</ref> The verbs 𒌇 ''tuku'' "have" and 𒍪 ''zu'' "know" usually omit the ending -/a/, as does the verb 𒀝 ''ak'' "do".<ref>Jagersma (2010: 674-675)</ref> According to Jagersma, the nominalizing marker had the effect of geminating the preceding consonant (e.g. /šumːa/), which is evident from Akkadian loanwords, and this effect was due to its original form being /ʔa/ with a glottal stop that later assimilated to preceding consonants (/šumʔa/ > šumːa).<ref name="Jagersma 2010: 38"/>
* The ''marû'' stem can be combined with the suffix -/ed/ to form another participle, which often has a future and modal meaning similar to the [[gerundive#In Latin|Latin gerundive]], e.g. 𒁶𒈨 ''dim<sub>2</sub>-me(-d)'' "which will/should be made". Adding a locative-terminative marker /-e/ after the /-ed/ yields a form with a meaning similar to the [[Latin conjugation#The gerund|Latin ''ad'' + gerund (acc.) construction]]: 𒁶(𒈨)𒉈 ''dim<sub>2</sub>(-me)-de<sub>3</sub>'' = "(in order) to make".<ref>Jagersma (2010: 627-676)</ref> A similar meaning can be expressed by adding the locative marker: 𒁶(𒈨)𒁕 ''dim<sub>2</sub>(-me)-da'' = "(for it) to be made". The main difference is that in the construction with ''-''(''ed'')-''e'', the subject of the intended action is the same as the subject of the main clause, while it is different in the construction with ''-''(''ed'')-''a''.<ref>Edzard (2003: 135-136)</ref> The analysis of this participle is controversial along the same lines as that of the meaning of the suffix ''-ed'' in finite forms (see above). Some Sumerologists describe its meaning as primarily modal and distinguish it from a separate imperfective participle that consists of the ''marû'' stem alone, e.g. 𒁶𒈨 ''dim<sub>2</sub>-me'' 'which is/was making', 𒄄𒄄 ''gi<sub>4</sub>-gi<sub>4</sub>'' "returning".<ref>Foxvog (2016: 139-144)</ref> Others believe that it this is also the normal ''marû'' participle and that it has, in addition, the imperfective meanings "which is/was cutting" and "which is/was being cut".<ref>Jagersma (2010: 655-659)</ref>  Besides the allomorphy of the suffix -/ed/ already treated above, the verb 𒅗 ''dug<sub>4</sub>'' "do, say" has a suppletive participial stem in this form: 𒁲 ''di(-d)''.<ref name=":4">Jagersma (2010: 656-660)</ref>
* The ''marû'' stem can also occur with the suffix -/a/.<ref>Foxvog (2016: 144-145)</ref> Nonetheless, according to Jagersma, this form is rare outside the combination with a following possessive pronominal marker to express temporal meaning, as explained [[#Subordinate clauses|in the ''Syntax'' section]]: e.g. 𒁶(𒈨)𒁕𒉌 ''dim<sub>2</sub>(-me)-da-ni'' "when he makes (something)".<ref name=":3" />