***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.
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