Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Arnaud Fournet" <fournet.arnaud AT wanadoo.fr>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nir cohen - Prof. Mat." <nir AT ccet.ufrn.br>

> > This is not necessarily a change that happened within Semitic languages.
> >
> > It seems that the contrast between Sumerian g and k, corresponds to
> > some extent to a contrast between k/g (weakly voiced) and kH
> > (aspirated). As a consequence Sumerian g may be perceived as being
> > equivalent to Semitic k rather than a really voiced g.
> >
> > As a rule Sumerian renders all Semitic stops as being voiceless C,
> > be they voiced, voiceless and emphatic, and never as CH (aspirated).
> > The apparent "change" g > k is therefore probably to be accounted
> > for by the difference between the Sumerian system and the Semitic 
> > systems.
> >
> > Arnaud Fournet
> > ***
>
> arnaud,
>
> i do not know for sure how these words were pronounced, in either
> language. so i will stick to the way they were written. looking at
> words which are similar in hebrew/arabic and sumeric,
>
> www.ping.de/sites/systemcoder/necro/info/sumerian.htm
>
> my conclusion is that the G/K/Q distinction is identical:
>
> *** pagru (body), igisum (gift), genii (ghosts, arabic jin), negeltu 
> (awake),
> metal (zag, as in H. sag?), agaru (hire, see arabic, ajar and H agar),
>
> *** kalu (confine), alaku (go), kalbi (dog), kabitu (heavy), kappu (wing),
>    rakbu (messenger), zakaru (remind, see oath)
>
> *** nasaqu (kiss), baraqu (lightning), qerebu (near), lequ (take).
>
> i found no g(SUM)-->k(H) transformation except possibly one (barag-gal,
> holy of holies) which is unclear since i could not find barag (holy)
> in the same list. also, it is possible that the correct word was 
> barak-gal,
> and euphony changed k to g.
>
> i don't say uri's thesis is wrong. but maybe it needs some validation.
***

There are three layers of borrowings between Semitic / Akkadian and Sumerian
and specialists have a fairly good idea what these three layers reveal.
I can only recommend that you read what specialists of these issues have to 
say.
What I wrote is directly taken from them.

Best

Arnaud Fournet