Assimilation of n

  • n nearly always assimilates to the following consonant
  • the following consonant then doubles (called compensatory lengthening)
    • nC1 > C1C1
    • The verbal adjective of šakānum is šaknum. In the feminine singular, it is **šakintum > šakittum.
  • Exceptions:
    • frequently, verbal adjectives with a second radical of n
    • Sumerian loan words

Assimilation before Feminine Marker t

  • d and ṭ completely assimilate with the accompanying compensatory lengthening (e.g. **kašidtum > kašittum)
  • sibilants (s, ṣ, z) become š
  • exceptions are rare

Weak Verbs

  • Weak verbs contain one or more radicals that are prone to phonological change.
  • Weak verbs identified with a Roman numeral and the weak consonant
    • e.g. I-n, identifies a verb with a first radical of n
  • The weak radicals are ʾ, y, n, w.
    • n assimilates anywhere (not just verbs).
    • ʾ, y, w generally only adjust in verbs.
      • The generic designation “-weak”, refers to the consonants ʾ, w, y.

G Preterite I-n Verbs

  • always assimilate due to n always being followed by a consonant
    • Verbal adjective and Infinitive are always regular due to n always being followed by a vowel.
nadānum G Preterite Form
SingularPlural
3middiniddinū
3fiddiniddinā
2mtaddintaddinā
2ftaddinītaddinā
1caddinniddin

Verb Semantics

  • Double Accusatives: some Akkadian verbs take two direct objects.
    • Rarely occurs in English (She taught him Akkadian.)
    • More common but still not frequent in Akkadian. Pay attention to the vocabulary entries to identify which verbs take a double accusative.
  • Prepositions: prepositions can have particular meaning with (certain) verbs.
    • Pay attention to the vocabulary.
    • ina, normally instrumental or locative, can have the sense of “from” with verbs (amtum ina bītim iḫliq “the slave escaped from the house”, not “the slave escaped in/with the house”)
      • ina qātim ša not “in the hand of” but “from the hand of”

Anki Deck