Experiments in Synthetic Sumerian

[dingo]

'Experiments in Synthetic Sumerian' may be an odd title for a thread but I think it sums up what I have been trying to develop in my own private researches. I have always been fascinated by the concept of a 'Magical language' and have recently been experimenting trying to 'translate' or 'reformulate' some of the simpler examples of omens from ancient texts.
The current progress of these studies is represented by the attached word doc where I have reformatted some Old Babylonian omens from Summa Izbu concerning malformed births. I have recast the signforms in earlier styles, removed all the grammar, reformed the word order and introduced a system of 'cartouches' to provide some punctuation - basically isolating the noun-adjective chains and thus differentiating them form the verbal roots.
I have found this style a good way of studying the symbolism and semiotics of omen lore. By reducing the omens to a mnemonic format I have found that I can reconstruct the original meanings quite easily even after several weeks absence. It also strikes me that this approach, or something similar, may be a good basis for beginners to start learning basic cuneiform.

The english translations (slightly modified) from the originals are as follows:
1, If the anomaly has two tails: the reign will end
2, If the horn of the anomaly protrudes from the belly of its mother: there will be a despotic king in the land.
3, If the anomaly is like a brick: hard times will seize the land; the gur-measure will decrease.
4, If the mouth of the anomaly is already solid (ie has no opening): the god will decree the death of the king; a noble will rule the land.
5, If the anomaly has no bladder: the floods will be cut in the river; rain will be scarce in heaven.
6, If the anomaly is like a wolf: there will be plague (lit 'Wild Sheep') in the land.
7, If the ears of the anomaly cover its eyes: that man will disappear.
8, If the face of the anomaly is like a pig: the land will live undisturbed.
9, If the buttocks of the anomaly are closed: hard times will seize the land; there will be famine.
10, If the anomaly is full of wind like a bladder: the palace will become empty; Adad will flood an irrigated area.
11, If the eye of the anomaly is on its forehead: pestilence (lit 'Nergal will devour'); a despotic king will be in the land.

I have purposefully not included Sumerian readings for the signs as I want to emphasise the potential for reading these omens in English or whatever else your native language may be.

Have fun, Dingo

Attachments:

[us4-he2-gal2]

Dingo:




If I am interpreting this correctly, you have started with English translations of Sumerian omen texts - so essentially you are not so much attempting to produce an alternative reading of the texts, but in fact a way of learning cuneiform signs and so forth.

This must be, honestly, the most bizarre approach to this task that I have ever witnessed 0_0 Don't take that as an outright criticism however, in fact we all make somewhat bizarre uses of our time here at enenuru. But yes, this is weird.

If your science is correct as far as the linguistics end of it goes, distinguishing between nouns and adjectives and verbal roots and all that, that's a commendable effort. I have to confess I am interested but can't spend the time right now to check if what you have here is correct in those regards. If you have made the effort to convert an OB orthography to an archaic orthography , this is again a weird effort but a great one especially if your outside the university as I think you are - I haven't checked to see if this is correct at present. I'm going to say that the integrity of your text is likely quite severally compromised with these modifications which would drive most academics nuts.


What you are doing therefore, assuming you are careful and observe as much as you can of the academic technique, is great, and I hope you are able to develop technique, learning and understanding. I will say however, that this is an entirely individualized approach to problems of cuneiform study and suited for your ambitions in particular - I would recommend the learner and new comer attend the conventional guides that have been worked out over the decades, as these offer exercises with graduating degrees of difficulty etc. I hope to see where you go with this however - if you stick with it long enough you could become a real freak of learning. Which is good around here (but make sure you learn from the field!)



P.S. I hope you don't mind, but as your dealing with omens, I have moved this thread into the general discussion section - the Mesopotamian Magic section mainly revolves around the incantation texts.


Cheers.

[dingo]

Hi US4,
Yes, alongside a more conventional sign-list it is intended as a way to learn the signs and their commonest combinations. It is also intended as a way of exploring the semiotic system underpinning the omens, god-names etc. I am well aware that it is not 'sound' in any linguistic, graphic or grammatical sense.

In some ways this is an experiment in how to introduce the Sumerian writing system into a foreign world!! Afterall that's what the Akkadians, Hurrians and Hittites and various others ancient peoples (who did not speak Sumerian) did when they adapted the cuneiform writing system for their own purposes.

I also want to develop cuneiform as a magical symbol system, and to explore its potential as a religious and ritual tool. More than anything I'm aiming it at those with occult tendencies who want to create original written text but who do not have the time or inclination to do a language degree.

Dingo

[enkur]

Us4-he2-gal2,

Sorry it was me who misled Dingo to post his thread in the Mesopotamian Magic sub-board.

Dingo,

I find your approach as great. My own approach to learning the cuneiform signs is by turning certain transliterated Sumerian phrases into cuneiform signs - first in their ePSD variant, and then I search for the archaic forms of certain key words of them. This process takes time, so I will need time to identify some of the signs you have given above. Some transliteration could be of help to me but I will soon write to you privately. My faculty for expressing myself in English is near to expire for now.

[dingo]

Hi Enkur, here is a list of readings for these examples and a couple of corrections!
Dingo.

Omen 1 – NIGIN3 GAR KUN 2 = BALA TIL
MISCARRIAGE – TAILS 2 = REIGN – TO END.

Omen 2 – SI–NIGIN3 GAR E3 ŠAG4–AMA = LUGAL–ŠAR2 GAL2 KUR
HORN-MISCARRIAGE – TO GO FORTH – INTERIOR-MOTHER = KING-TOTALITY – TO BE – LAND.


Omen 3 – NIGIN3-GAR GIM SIG4 = KI-KAL DIB KUR = GUR ŠUB
MISCARRIAGE – IS LIKE – MUD BRICK = HARD EARTH – TO SEIZE – LAND = GUR-MEASURE – TO FALL.


Omen 4 – KA– NIGIN3-GAR GUR4 = DINGIR NAM-TAR UŠ–LUGAL = IDIM EN KUR
MOUTH-MISCARRIAGE - TO BE THICK = GOD – TO DECREE FATE – DEATH-KING = IMPORTANT PERSON – TO RULE – THE LAND.
(Note GUR4 –to be thick- could be improved)


Omen 5 – NIGIN3-GAR NU BUN = A-DE2 KUD ID2 = ŠEG3 LA2 AN
MISCARRIAGE – NO – BLADDER = FLOOD – TO CUT/WITHHOLD – RIVER = RAIN – TO WEIGH/METE OUT – HEAVEN.

Omen 6 – NIGIN3-GAR GIM UR-BAR = deity UDU-IDIM GAL2 KUR
MISCARRIAGE – IS LIKE – WOLF = (Divine) WILD SHEEP – TO BE – LAND

Omen 7 – GEŠTUG–NIGIN3-GAR DU6 IGI-MEŠ = LU2 ZAH2
EARS - MISCARRIAGE – TO COVER – EYES = MAN – TO BE LOST/DISAPPEAR
(Note DU6 a mistake! – should have used DUL or ŠU2)

Omen 8 – IGI–NIGIN3-GAR GIM ŠAH = KUR DIB INIM-DUG3
FACE/APPEARANCE – MISCARRIAGE – IS LIKE – PIG = LAND – TO SEIZE – PEACE/RECONCILIATION

Omen 9 – DUR2–NIGIN3-GAR UŠ = KI-KAL DIB KUR = SU-GU7 GAL2
BUTTOCKS – MISCARRIAGE – BLOCKED = HARD-EARTH - TO SEIZE – LAND = FAMINE/SHORTAGE – TO BE
(Another mistake! Should be UŠ2 instead of UŠ)

Omen 10 – NIGIN3-GAR DIR IM GIM BUN = E-GAL SUD = dingir IM (=ADAD) RA KI-A
MISCARRIAGE – TO BE FULL – WIND – IS LIKE – BLADDER = deity WIND – TO STRIKE – EARTH-IRRIGATED

Omen 11 – IGI–NIGIN3-GAR GAR UGU = deity GIR3-UNU-GAL (=NERGAL) GU7 = LUGAL-ŠAR2 GAL2 KUR
EYE – MISCARRIAGE – TO PLACE – TOP OF HEAD – PESTILENCE (Nergal devours) – KING – TOTALITY – TO BE – LAND

[enkur]

Thank you very much, Dingo!