The Modal System Of Old Babylonian

236 Pages·2004·15.39 MB·English

by  Eran Cohen

HARVARD SEMITIC MUSEUM PUBLICATIONS
Lawrence E. Stager, General Editor
THE MODAL SYSTEM
Michael D. Coogan, Director of Publications
OF
HARVARD SEMITIC STUDIES
OLD BABYLONIAN
Jo Ann Hackett and John Huehnergard, editors
Syriac Manuscripts: A Catalogue Moshe H. Goshen-Gottstein
Introduction to Classical Ethiopic Thomas 0. Lambdin
The Poet and the Historian: Essays in
Literary and Historical Biblical Criticism RichardE lliott Friedman, Editor
The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice Carol Newsom
Non-Canonical Psalms from Qumran:
A Pseudepigraphic Collection Eileen M. Schuller
An Exodus Scroll from Qumran JudithE . Sanderson
You Shall Have No Other Gods .}effrey H. Tigay
Ugaritic Vocabulary in Syllabic Transcription John Huehnergard
The Scholarship of William Foxwell Albright ,Gus Van Beek
Features of the Eschatology of IV Ezra MichaelE . Stone
Studies in Neo-Aramaic Wolfhart Heinrichs, Editor
by
Lingering over Words: Studies in Ancient Near Eastern
Literature in Honor of William L. Moran
Eran Cohen
Tzvi Abusch, John Huehnergard, Piotr Steinkeller, Editors
A Grammar of the Palestinian Targum Fragments
from the Cairo Genizah StevenE . Fassberg
The Origins and Development of the Waw-Consecutive:
Northwest Semitic Evidence from Ugaritic to Qumran Mark S. Smith
Amurru Akkadian: A Linguistic Study, Volume I Shlomo Izre'el
Amurru Akkadian: A Linguistic Study, Volume II Shlomo Izre'el
The Installation of Baal's High Priestess at Emar DanielE . Fleming
The Development of the Arabic Scripts Beatrice Gruendler
The Archaeology of Israelite Samaria: Early Iron Age
through the Ninth Century BCE Ron Tappy
A Grammar of Akkadian John Huehnergard
Key to A Grammar of Akkadian John Huehnergard
Akkadian Loanwords in Biblical Hebrew Paul V. Mankowski
Adam in Myth and History: Ancient Israelite
Perspectives on the Primal Human Dexter E. Callender Jr.
West Semitic Vocabulary in the Akkadian Texts from Emar Eugen J. Pentiuc
The Archaeology of Israelite Samaria, vol. II:
The Eighth Century BCE RonE. Tappy
Leaves from an Epigrapher's Notebook: Collected Papers in
Hebrew and West Semitic Palaeography and Epigraphy Frank Moore Cross
Semitic Noun Patterns Joshua Fox EISENBRAUNS
Eighth-Century Iraqi Grammar: A Critical Exploration
Winona Lake, Indiana
of pre-!Jalilian Arabic Linguistics Rafael Talman
Amarna Studies: Collected Essays William L. Moran 2005
Narrative Structure and Discourse Constellations:
An Analysis of Clause Function in Biblical Hebrew Prose Roy L. Heller
HARVARD SEMITIC MUSEUM PUBLICATIONS
Lawrence E. Stager, General Editor
THE MODAL SYSTEM
Michael D. Coogan, Director of Publications
OF
HARVARD SEMITIC STUDIES
OLD BABYLONIAN
Jo Ann Hackett and John Huehnergard, editors
Syriac Manuscripts: A Catalogue Moshe H. Goshen-Gottstein
Introduction to Classical Ethiopic Thomas 0. Lambdin
The Poet and the Historian: Essays in
Literary and Historical Biblical Criticism RichardE lliott Friedman, Editor
The Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice Carol Newsom
Non-Canonical Psalms from Qumran:
A Pseudepigraphic Collection Eileen M. Schuller
An Exodus Scroll from Qumran JudithE . Sanderson
You Shall Have No Other Gods .}effrey H. Tigay
Ugaritic Vocabulary in Syllabic Transcription John Huehnergard
The Scholarship of William Foxwell Albright ,Gus Van Beek
Features of the Eschatology of IV Ezra MichaelE . Stone
Studies in Neo-Aramaic Wolfhart Heinrichs, Editor
by
Lingering over Words: Studies in Ancient Near Eastern
Literature in Honor of William L. Moran
Eran Cohen
Tzvi Abusch, John Huehnergard, Piotr Steinkeller, Editors
A Grammar of the Palestinian Targum Fragments
from the Cairo Genizah StevenE . Fassberg
The Origins and Development of the Waw-Consecutive:
Northwest Semitic Evidence from Ugaritic to Qumran Mark S. Smith
Amurru Akkadian: A Linguistic Study, Volume I Shlomo Izre'el
Amurru Akkadian: A Linguistic Study, Volume II Shlomo Izre'el
The Installation of Baal's High Priestess at Emar DanielE . Fleming
The Development of the Arabic Scripts Beatrice Gruendler
The Archaeology of Israelite Samaria: Early Iron Age
through the Ninth Century BCE Ron Tappy
A Grammar of Akkadian John Huehnergard
Key to A Grammar of Akkadian John Huehnergard
Akkadian Loanwords in Biblical Hebrew Paul V. Mankowski
Adam in Myth and History: Ancient Israelite
Perspectives on the Primal Human Dexter E. Callender Jr.
West Semitic Vocabulary in the Akkadian Texts from Emar Eugen J. Pentiuc
The Archaeology of Israelite Samaria, vol. II:
The Eighth Century BCE RonE. Tappy
Leaves from an Epigrapher's Notebook: Collected Papers in
Hebrew and West Semitic Palaeography and Epigraphy Frank Moore Cross
Semitic Noun Patterns Joshua Fox EISENBRAUNS
Eighth-Century Iraqi Grammar: A Critical Exploration
Winona Lake, Indiana
of pre-!Jalilian Arabic Linguistics Rafael Talman
Amarna Studies: Collected Essays William L. Moran 2005
Narrative Structure and Discourse Constellations:
An Analysis of Clause Function in Biblical Hebrew Prose Roy L. Heller

TabolfeC ontents
Pre.f.a.c.e. .....................x.i. .....................................................................................
Abbrev.i.a.t.i.o.n.s. ...............x.i.i.i. ........................................................................
1 GeneIrnatlr od.u.c.t.i.o.n. .........:.. .....1.. ....................... ...................................
1.M1e thodoplroignic.ci.ap.ll. e.s. .........1. ..................................................
1.C2o rpduesf in.i.t.i.o.n. .............6. ............................................................
1.M3o da.l.i.t.y. .................9. .........................................................................
1.3M.o1d ailngi etnye .r.a.l. ............9. .................................................
1.3M.o2d ailnOi Bt. y. ...............1.2. .....................................................
1.S4c oopfte h sitsu .d.y. ...............1.4. ........................................................
1.G5e neprraalc .t.i.c.e.s. ............1.5. ..........................................................
2 ThAes sevePraartaid.v.ie.g .m. ...........1.7. ....................................................
2.I0n trod.u.c.t.i.o.n. .............1.7. ..................................................................
2.0T.h1le i tnomk o da.l.i.t.y. ..........1.7. ...............................................
2.0l.u-2 a ni ndepeanddveeonrrptb a rt
ofv ermboarlp ho.l.o.g.y.?. .......1.8. .........................................
2.L1i terraetv.ui.re.ew. ...............2.0. ...........................................................
2.A2s sevefroar.tm.is.v .e. ..............2.3. .......................................................
2.2F.o1ri mn ven.t.o.r.y. ...........2.3. ....................................................
2.2T.h2pe a rad.i.g.m. .............2.5. .......................................................
2.T3h ter adivtailoounftea hsale s sev.e.r.a.t.i.v.e. .2.6. ...........................
2.3A.s1s eve.r.a.t.i.v.e. ............2.7. .......................................................
2.3O.a2.t .h. ..................2.7. .....................................................................
2.3C.o3n ce.s.s.i.o.n. .............2.8. ...........................................................
2.S4y nt.a.x.'.. . ............... ...........2.9. ..............................................................
2.4F.o1c. u.s. ..................2.9. ...................................................................
2.4N.e2x fuosc u.s.s.i.n.g. ..........3.8. ....................................................
2.4N.e3x fuosc usisnOi B.n .g. .............4.5. ..........................................
2.V5a loufte hsae s seveirnva iteoiwfnv eexf uosc u.s.s.i.n5.g6. ..........
2.5O.a1.t .h. ....................5.6. ...................................................................
2.5C.o2n ce.s.s.i.o.n. ......,.. ................5..9.. .................................. ...........
2.N6e xfuosc usasnmidon dga .l.i.t.y. ........6.5. .........................................
viii THEM ooALS YSTOEFMO w BABYLONIAN
2.C7o nclu.s.i.o.n.s. ................6.7. ................................................................
3 luF orimnsR oyIanls cri.p.t.i.o.n.s. .........6.9. ..............................................
3.T1h sey ntbaechtaiovcfli uof ro rimnrs o yianls cr.i.p.t.i6.o9.n .s. ......
3.l2uf orimnrs o yianls cricpotmipoanrse d
witahs sevefroart·mi·sv· e· ·····································"1·'···················71
3.C3o nclu.s.i.o.n.s. ................7.2. ................................................................
4 ThPer ecaPtairvaed .i.g.m.s. .............7.3. ......................................................
4.I0n trodauncldti itoenrr aetvu.ir.ee.w . ........7.3. ....................................
4.0G.A1G. .....................7.3. ..................................................................
4.0E.d2z a1r9d7. 3. .................7.4. .........................................................
4.0L.e3o 1n9g9. 4. .................7.5. ...........................................................
4.0B.u4c ce1l9l9.a6.t .i. ..........:.. .......7..6.. ....................... .......................
4.0H.u5e hne1r9g9a.7r. d. .............7.7. ................................................
4.P1r ecaftoir.vm.es. ...............;,..·:. · .·.7·.8·. ·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·. ..............................
4.P2a radigamnasdty inctsa g.m.a.t.i.c.s. ./.._.,.. .....7..9.. .................... ........
4.2P.a1r adig.m.a.t.i.c.s. ...........7.9. ......................................................
4.2S.y2n tag.m.a.t.i.c.s. ........�..;.. ....8..3.. .............. .................................
4.2R.e3s udlitfsf:se urbe-npta r.a.d.i.g.m.s. ...8.7. ..............................
4.F3u nctainovdna sl oufet shd ei ff(esruebn-t) pa.r.a.d.8i.7g. m.s. ......
4.3T.h1de i rescutbi-vpea r.a.d.i.g.m. .......8.9. ...................................
4.3T.h2we i spha rad.i.g.m. ............1.0.1. .............................................
4.3T.h3ie n terrsougba-tpiav.re.a .d.i.g.m. ...1.0.5. .............................
4.S4e quepnrceecda '..t .i.v.e.s. ...........1.1.2. .................................................
4.4G.e1n ecrhaalr actoefsr eiqsutepinrccesec da -tives
literraetvui.re.ew. .............1.1.3. .............................................
4.4T.h2se y ntnaacttouifrsc ee quepnrceecda .t.i.v.e.1s.1 .4. ..........
4.4C.o3n necatnitdvh eersie rl ationship
witthhs ee quepnrceecda. t.i.v.e. ......1.1.8. ............................
4.4M.o4d caoln gru-esnicgen ifaincidam npclei c.a.t1.i2.o3.n .s. .
4.I5n finciotnisvter. u.c.t.i.o.n.s. ........1.3.7. ...............................................
4.5p.a1r ii.s.a.m. ................1.3.8. ...........................................................
4.5a.n2pa a rii.s.i.m. ..............1.3.9. .....................................................
4.5a.s3s puamr ii.s.i.m. .............1.4.2. ..................................................
4.5C.o4n clurdeimna.gr. k.s. ...........1.4.2. ............................................
4.C6o nclu-stihopenr se captairvaed. i.g.m.s. .....1.4.2. .........................
5 ThCeo ncessive-Pcroencda.it.ti.iv.oe.n .a.l. ....1.4.4. ...................................
5.I0n trod.u.c.t.i.o.n. ..............1.4.4. ..............................................................
5.0T.h1ne o toifoc no nces.s.i.v.i.t.y. ......1.4.5. ..................................
5.0C.o2n cesisnAi kvkiatd.yi. a.n. .........1.4.6. ....................................
5.C1o ncescsoinvcee,s siveo-rcc oonnddiitt.ii.oo.nn.aa.1ll.4? .7 . ..........
5.1C.o1n ditciloan.ua.sl.e .s. ...........1.4.7. .............................................
5.1C.o2n ceasnscdio vnec essive.-.c.o.n.d.i.t.1i.4o.9n. a.l. .................
TABLOEFC ONTENTS ix
5.1C.o3n diatnicdoo nnacle ssive.-.c.:o.. n..d..i..1t..5i..0o.. n..a..l. .....
5.T2h sey ntaancsdte imca nnattiucr e
oft hceo ncessivep-rceocn.ad.ti.it.vi.eo. n.a.l.1 .5.2. ........................
5.T3h lei moiftt hcseo ncessivep-rceocn.ad.ti.it.vi.e1o. 5n.4a. l. ...........
5.C4o ncl.u.s.i.o.n.s. .............1.5.7. ...............................................................
6 The-Cmao nditPiaotn.ta.el.rn . ...........1.6.1. ................................................
6.I0n trod.u.c.t.i.o.n. ........:.. ........1..6..1.. ............................ ..........................
6.C1o nneccotneddi tiingoe nnaealrnsald li ,t erreavt.iu.er1.we6. 2. ...
6.T2h bea ssitcr uocf-tmucaro en ditiinto hcneoa rl.ps.u .s. 1.6.4. .........
6.S3t rucatnsuder maalmn etaincs
tod eftihnee- cmoan dit.i.o.n.a.l.s. .....1.6.9. ...................................
6.3P.o1ll aerx riecsaulm .p.t.i.o.n. .......1.6.9. ......................................
6.3V.e2r lbeaxle wmietoshp popsoiltaer ity
tow haitns o rm.a.l... ...........1.7.1. .............................................
6.3P.o3ll aerx riecsaulm pnteixfouonsc: u ssing
vs-.m cao ndit.i.o.n.a.l.s. .......1.7.2. .........................................
6.3T.h4se y ntagimnatteircr elationship
witthhp er ecpaatriav.de.i .g.m. ......1.7.3. ..............................
6.3a.r5b,a isss t rucdteuv.ri.ac.le. ........1.7.7. .....................................
6.C4o nclu.s.i.o.n.s. ..............1.7.9. ...............................................................
7 ThNeo minaloiftz haPetr ieocn.a .t.i.v.e. ......1.8.0. .....................................
7.P0r elim.i.n.a.r.i.a. .............1.8.0. ...............................................................
7.L1i terraetvuiprerewo ,b leimsasatunieodcsb je.c.t.i.v1.e8.s1. .........
7.T2h sey ntraocoltsafei p ca rii.s.i.m. ........1.8.3. ...................................
7.2s.apl a riiassri hme .m.e. ...........1.8.4. ...........................................
7.2s.ap2 a riiasspi amor ftt h see nt.e.n.c.e. ....1.9.0. ..........................
7.C3o ncl.u.s.i.o.n.s. .............1.9.8. ...............................................................
7.3R.e1s u.l.t.s. ................1.9.8. .............................................................
7.3T.h2pe l aocsfea p ariiisnti hmme o dsayls toefOm B. .1.9.9. .
8 GeneCroanlc lu.s.i.o.n.s. .............2.0.1. ..........................................................
Biblio.g.r.a.p.h.y. ................2.0.8. ..........................................................................
SubjIencd.te. x. ....................2.1.8. ...........................................................................
IndoefTx e x.t.s. ....................2.2.1. ........................................................................
,·-
Preface
Describing modality in any language is a delicate issue. Any semantic
domain, including modality, is extremely difficult to delimit, and therefore,
in many semantically-oriented works, one feels that there is no end to the
number of semantic distinctions and minute details to be found in a
language.
To avoid this trap, modality is here described according to the struc­
turalist method, which is syntactically oriented; the underlying, most
basic principle is that semantic value must be paired with a consistent
signal. This signal often turns out to be complex: a morphological unit
together with its syntactic environment. Any meaning not corresponding
to a consistent signal is thus left out of the description. The immediate
advantage is that one does not need to rely upon the Sprachgefiihl for a
long-dead language; linguistic information is arrived .at in a relatively
objective fashion. The structuralist method, being a sophisticated research
tool, enables us to expose many details which remain unnoticed to common
sense alone. This tool is also indispensable in highlighting the interrela­
tionships between the various groups inside a language, eventually reach­
ing a systemic understanding and consequently description.
This study is an adaptation of my Ph.D. dissertation. It has been
written with the deeply rooted conviction that Akkadian, the most ancient
Semitic language, can and should receive more linguistic attention; despite
its antiquity, this language, and especially the Old Babylonian dialect, is
attested in numerous texts of various genres. This rich documentation
can serve as the pasis of a deeper, more finely nuanced understanding of
this ancient language.
I would like, on this occasion, to thank Gideon Goldenberg, the most
important figure in Semitic linguistics today, who taught me Semitic lan­
guages, general linguistics, and most of all, critical thinking, indispensable
for the profession; Shlomo Izre'el, an expert in both Akkadian and Semitic
linguistics, whose knowledge and keen eye for potential pitfalls have
often saved me; Ariel Shisha-Halevy, a linguist of Egyptian: and Celtic
xii THEM ODALS YSTOEFMO LDB ABYLONIAN
langumaygg eusi,id nle i ngutihsetoMiracyxT ; a ubaene, x pienSr lta vic
languaangYdei sd dLiesSaha ;w iacnke ix,p ienrS tl aavniBdca lltainc­
guagaensfd;i naEliltGyar no ssamnae nx,p ienrE tg yptainagdne neral
linguistics.
Thanakrdseu teoJ ohHnu ehnearngMdai rcdh Caoeolg wahnow, e re
kinedn outgoah c ctehpbitos o fkop ru bliicnHa atrivoanr d'SSet:m.udiiteisc
anhda vbee evne rpya tiweintmthea se ditors.
Lasbtu nto t lIea amis ntd,e bttome ydw ifReu tahn dm yk ids,
YonatNaonga,an Odm rwih,o h ave abc eoenns stoaunrtoc fee n ergy
anidn spifroamrte i.o n
JerusDaelceemm,b er 2004
Abbreviations
AbB AltbabylBorniiiefens Um cshceh ruinfidUb ersetLzeuindge. n:
Br1i9l6l(4 d-esibgynn autmebodefv r o luomnel y)
1 Kra1u9s6 4
2 Fran1k9e6n6a
3 Fran1k9e6n8a
4 Kra1u9s7 0
5 Kra1u9s7 2
6 Fran1k9e47n a
7 Kra1u9s7 7
8 Cag1n9i8 0
9 St1o9l8 1
10 Kra1u9s8 5
11 St1o9l8 6
12 Sol1d9t9 0
13 Sol1d9t9 4
AHw Sod1e9n6 5-81
ARM Archirvoeysad leMae rsi P.a r1i9s4 6-
ARMl Dos1s9i4n6
ARM2 Je1a9n5 0
ARM3 .Kup1p9e.5r 0
ARM4 Dos1s9i5n1
ARMS Dos1s9i5n2
ARM6 Kupp1e9r5 4
ARMS Boy1e9r5 8
ARM15 BottaenFrdio n 1e9t5 4
ARM26 (pa1nr:ot 1s -.2 D8u3r)a 1n9d8 8
ARM26 (pa2rn:to 2 s8.4 -C5h5a0r)1p 9i8n8
ARM27 Bir1o9t9 3
ARM28 Kupp1e9r9 8
BrooklySnm i1t9h8 5
CAD The AssyrDiiacnt ioonfta hrOeyr ienItnaslt iotftu htee
UniverosfCi htiyc 1a9g5o.6 -
Catch Hel1l9e6r5
CH Codt[eaxm murabi