Sounds of The Akkadian Language (Phonology)
Jul 7, 2011 0:27:56 GMT -5
Post by us4-he2-gal2 on Jul 7, 2011 0:27:56 GMT -5
Thread Orientation: On this thread we discuss the sounds of the Akkadian language - those relatively simply units of language that the cuneiform writing system spends hundreds of signs in expressing.
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Huehnergard's chapter 1.1 makes it clear that the sounds of Akkadian cannot be definitively reconstructed as the language is long dead; and yet, based on "educated guesses" and the help of known Semitic languages, scholars have come to the following determinations. Surprisingly enough, this abc's of Akkadian turn out to be pretty easy and straight forward!
The Vowels/
Here is an example of how it's simple: the vowels of Akkadian are just 4: a, e, i, u
However, there is a slight complicating factor in that the four vowels are known in short and long form. The following chart is taken directly from Huehnergard pg.18:
Therefore, encountering a vowel without an accent mark, one should pronounce the short vowel sound. Encountering a vowel with a macron (ā) or circumflex (â) one pronounces the same long vowel sound (the circumflex vowel distinguishes those long vowels which resulted from the loss of some consonants in Akkadian from proto-semitic - beyond that distinction, the circumflex and macron vowel sound and function in the same way).
What is important to note, stresses Huehnergard, is that short (a) and long vowels (ā, â) are phonemic; that is, they not only sound different but whether a vowel is long or short will distinguish one word from another. Whether a vowel is long or short in Akkadian can and will make it a different word. So always pay attention to long vowel markings!
mutum - "husband"
mūtum - "death"
The Consonants/
The consonants are more simple than you may expect - there is no /c/ as the English /c/ makes either the /k/ or /s/ sound. Further Akkadian has no /f/,/v/, or /x/ sound. The remaining and relevant Akkadian consonants then, make only one sound and these sounds are the same as in English; with the following exceptions and notes - - -
/ḫ/ makes the Scottish "loch" or German "Bach" sound.
/š/ makes the sh sound.
The emphatics: q, ṣ, and ṭ
No one knows how the Akkadians pronounced these for sure, and so, Huehnergard states, modern students pronounce these letters simply as follows:
/q/ as k
/ṣ/ as ts
/ṭ/ as t
Note on j(y): There is no English j (as in judge) in Akkadian; Instead j is pronounced as a y (y as in yak) ; This is the German pronounciation of j. There j(y) = y sound. The j(y) occurs only between vowels, i.e. elīya
Note one w: /w/ occurs only before vowel - it does not occur at the end of words.
Note on consonants: Consonants may be doubled as in wuššurum; doubled consonants should be held longer.
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Sounds and Signs/
While the subject of syllabification (how Akkadian forms its syllables) will come up in the next thread, and cuneiform writing will be dealt with elsewhere, I hope the below chart will show some of the relation between sign and sound. This graph has been borrowed fro Eleanor Robson, whose excellent "Cuneiform Revealed" resource can be found at the Knowledge and Power website. You will need to download and install the cuneiform fonts available with instructions here.
Here is Robson's chart showing CV "open" cuneiform signs; that is, consonant/vowel (in example, /ba/). Cuneiform signs may be CV, others are "closed" that is CVC. A smaller number can be just V and so on. This chart is useful for illustration but as some of the sign thereon are rare, it is not a sign list to start with when learning; notice going down all of the consonants mentioned above are featured (excepting j/y) and going across, they are paired with the four vowels:
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The ABC's of Akkadian
a, b, d, e, g, ḫ, i, j(y), k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, ṣ , š, t, ṭ , u, w, z
Huehnergard's chapter 1.1 makes it clear that the sounds of Akkadian cannot be definitively reconstructed as the language is long dead; and yet, based on "educated guesses" and the help of known Semitic languages, scholars have come to the following determinations. Surprisingly enough, this abc's of Akkadian turn out to be pretty easy and straight forward!
The Vowels/
Here is an example of how it's simple: the vowels of Akkadian are just 4: a, e, i, u
However, there is a slight complicating factor in that the four vowels are known in short and long form. The following chart is taken directly from Huehnergard pg.18:
| Short Vowels | Long Vowels |
| a as in swap | ā, â as in father |
| e as in pet | ē, ê as in rein |
| i as in pit | ī, î as in marine |
| u as in put | ū, û as in rule |
Therefore, encountering a vowel without an accent mark, one should pronounce the short vowel sound. Encountering a vowel with a macron (ā) or circumflex (â) one pronounces the same long vowel sound (the circumflex vowel distinguishes those long vowels which resulted from the loss of some consonants in Akkadian from proto-semitic - beyond that distinction, the circumflex and macron vowel sound and function in the same way).
What is important to note, stresses Huehnergard, is that short (a) and long vowels (ā, â) are phonemic; that is, they not only sound different but whether a vowel is long or short will distinguish one word from another. Whether a vowel is long or short in Akkadian can and will make it a different word. So always pay attention to long vowel markings!
mutum - "husband"
mūtum - "death"
The Consonants/
b, d, g, ḫ, j(y), k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, ṣ , š, t, ṭ , w, z
The consonants are more simple than you may expect - there is no /c/ as the English /c/ makes either the /k/ or /s/ sound. Further Akkadian has no /f/,/v/, or /x/ sound. The remaining and relevant Akkadian consonants then, make only one sound and these sounds are the same as in English; with the following exceptions and notes - - -
/ḫ/ makes the Scottish "loch" or German "Bach" sound.
/š/ makes the sh sound.
The emphatics: q, ṣ, and ṭ
No one knows how the Akkadians pronounced these for sure, and so, Huehnergard states, modern students pronounce these letters simply as follows:
/q/ as k
/ṣ/ as ts
/ṭ/ as t
Note on j(y): There is no English j (as in judge) in Akkadian; Instead j is pronounced as a y (y as in yak) ; This is the German pronounciation of j. There j(y) = y sound. The j(y) occurs only between vowels, i.e. elīya
Note one w: /w/ occurs only before vowel - it does not occur at the end of words.
Note on consonants: Consonants may be doubled as in wuššurum; doubled consonants should be held longer.
___________________________
_______
Sounds and Signs/
While the subject of syllabification (how Akkadian forms its syllables) will come up in the next thread, and cuneiform writing will be dealt with elsewhere, I hope the below chart will show some of the relation between sign and sound. This graph has been borrowed fro Eleanor Robson, whose excellent "Cuneiform Revealed" resource can be found at the Knowledge and Power website. You will need to download and install the cuneiform fonts available with instructions here.
Here is Robson's chart showing CV "open" cuneiform signs; that is, consonant/vowel (in example, /ba/). Cuneiform signs may be CV, others are "closed" that is CVC. A smaller number can be just V and so on. This chart is useful for illustration but as some of the sign thereon are rare, it is not a sign list to start with when learning; notice going down all of the consonants mentioned above are featured (excepting j/y) and going across, they are paired with the four vowels:
(Chart in OB Cuneiform)
