“Schizzo grammaticale della lingua Hurrica,”
La civilità dei Hurriti = La parola del passato 55, pp. 171-277.
Napoli: Macchiaroli editore.
Webpage
This brief but omni-comprehensive grammar of the Hurrian language offers a complete overview on all the aspects of this topic; the grammar is mostly based on the features on the so-called “Letter of Mittani”, the longest (500 lines) and better understandable Hurrian document, surely written directly by Hurrian scribes.
Chapter 1 represents a general introduction to this language: previous studies are summarized, the denomination of the language is explained (together with its typology and genealogy), the textual sources and the working tools are presented; also, diachronic (phases) and synchronic (dialects) variations of the language are briefly sketched.
Chapter 2 deals with writing and phonology, explaining variations in the cuneiform set of signs and (morpho)-phonological processes.
Chapter 3 introduces the main aspects of morphology, starting from the basic word structure, word classes, radicals, morphemes, adjectives, ‘article’ (suffix correlator), suffix pronouns, cases, enclitic and non-enclitic pronouns, deixis, numerals, verbs and verbal morphemes, particles, adverbs, interjections and postpositions.
Chapter 4 displays some aspects about syntax, defining the different types of sentence (ergative and non-ergative), different constructions (such as the ‘Suffixaufnahme’).
Chapter 5 offers the analysis (cuneiform transcription, transliteration and translation) of a passage from the aforementioned “Letter of Mittani”, a dispatch sent to pharaoh Amenhotep III, probably on the occasion of the arrival in Egypt of Tadu-ḫeba, the daughter of king Tušratta of Mittani.
Back to top: Mauro Giorgieri 2000