Sumerian, Etruscan, Uralic, Altaic, Dravidian Cases & Verbal suffixes & modifiers
updated August 21, 2009

(Corrections, additions and comments are welcomed.   shaman92647@hotmail.com )

Noun Cases


Modern Romance languages retained little of the former noun cases and complex tense-aspect verbal morphology which Latin had. What survived was the mixed "kitchen language" of the servants of the Romans and not the real classical Latin. The Etruscan forms are still highly controversial. Much of these I wrung out from the definitions of the relationships that were decoded by linguists. Most of the Sumerian forms are generally accepted forms, but there are still some grammatical particles that aren't definite. For lack of space the variations due to sound harmony aren't shown in these tables at all.

Noun Case

Meaning

Latin

Etruscan

Finnish

Estonian

Hungarian

Turkish

 Tamil

Hurrian

Sumerian

single/plural

 

puell=girl

aesa=god

jal=foot

jal=foot

hajó=ship

kapu=gate

 

-

ka=door,entrance

plural

-s

puell-as
xhia=non pers

aesa-r

-t


-d

-k

-lar
(anc - n, t)

 -kal

-na

-ene (human )
-h (non human)

nominative s
subject.

subject

puell-a

-ca

jal-_

jal-_

hajó-_

kapu-_

 _

-s'th

-a / -ga

accusative
direct object

object

puell-am

-ca

jal/-n/-t/-

was!  -n

hajó-t

kapu-nu

 -ai

-n

ka-ni

accusative p

-

puell-as
libr-os

 

jala-t

-

hajó-k-at

kapu-lar-u

.

-

-

locative

-

 .


-na

-

 .

i-tt
-n

-de, -da

 -il (place)
-itam (persn)

-

-ta11, -da,
-a, -na

genitive 1 s

of the

puell-ae

ais-na

jal-an

jal-a

hajó-nak

kapu-nun

 -in,
 -utaiya

-(w)ei

ka-ka & -na

possesive
 genitive 2 s

-

-

 

-

 .

hajó-é

-

.

-(w)ei

ka-a

dative #1 s
indirect object

(give) to/for

puell-ae

-nac
ras-na
man-in

-

 .

hajó-nak

kapu-ya

-(u)kku "to"
-(u)kkaka"for"

-

ka-ma (1st p)
ka- ra(2nd p)
ka -na (3rd p)

dative #2 s

(give)to/for

 

 

-

 .

számá-ra

kapu- ya?

.

-

ra, še

dative #2

(give) to/for

 

 

-lle

 .

számunk-ra

kapu-lar-ya ?

.

-

-

dative-agentive

from/of
to do with

Alsa-shi, -i

 .

 .

 .

társ-i

 .

.

 

 

partitive s

 out of
/from

 .

 .

jal-tä/ta/a

jala-t

hajó-ból

kapu-dan

.

-ta

ka-ta

lative s

 .

 .

klumi-e

-s

 .

 .

 .

.

 

 

illative s

into, to

 .

-apl ?
-vels?

-n/-hn/seen

jal-ga

hajó-ba

kapu-da ?

.

-

ka-ku
(bar=in, ib=middle)

illative 2 s

to

 .

 ..

-

jal-asse

Pest-re /-hoz

-

 -ukku

-

-še

elative p

out of

 .

eleiv-ana ?

jaloi-sta

jalgad-est

hajók-bol

kapu-lar-dan

.

-

-

allative s

up to, to

 .

 .

jala-lle

jal-ale

hajó-hoz

kapu-y-a

.

-(a)se

ka-ku, - še

sublative s

onto top

 .

tame-ra

-alle/-nne

(ära=up)

hajó-ra

kapu-üst-ün-de

.

-heá

ka-ra-

ablative s

away from

puell-a:

arithi-ale,
Uni -al
Rasn-al

jala-lta

jal-alt

hajó-tól
Pest -röl

kapu-dan

  -il,
  -ininru
  -iliruntu,
  -iruntu

-ne

ka- ta
ka- ra11

delative s

off of

 .

 . lu -ri ?
& ablaitive

-alta/-ältä

 

.

hajó-ról
le-

--

.

-

ka-ri - /L86
-ra 11

prolative s

 .

 .

 .

-tse

 .

 .

 .

.

 .

 .

innesive s

inside of,in

 .

api-ase
 acal-vi
kelu-ben

jala-ssa


jal -as

hajó-ban

kapu-da

.

-

ka-ta
(bar=inside)
ka-bi-a?

essive s

being as

 .

.

jalka-na/nä

jala-na

hajó-ul

kapu-tek

.

-

-

adessive s

at, next to

 .

kl-umi-e

jala-lla

jal-al

hajó-nál

kapu-jan-in-da

-il (place)
- itam (persn)

-

ka-ni/ri
ka-la

abessive s

without

 .

 .

jala-tta

jala-ta

hajó-tlan

kapu-suz

.

-

-

superessive s

on, upon

 .

 .

-alla/-ällä

 .

hajó-n

kapu-üst-ün-de

.

-

an-ka

instrumental

by way of

 .use the
ablaitive

 .

- -ten?

 .

hajó által

kapu-la

 -al

-

ka-ta/-da
- li, -le

translative s

change to

 .

 .

jalka-ksi

jala-ks

hajó-vá

-

.

-

ka-ba

comitative s

with

 .use the
ablaitive

 .

-x

jala-ga

hajó-val/-al

kapu-ile

.

-ra

ka-da

terminative s

as far as

 .

ar-ce
avil-x-val

-


jala- ni

hajó-ig

-

.

-

ka-šć (arch)
, ég, íg, ik,
ka -še

terminative s

to, up to

.

.

-

 

város-ig

-

.

-

uru-aš,-še, - eše

locative terminal

-

 .

 .

-

 

-ni, -nyé

-

.

-

-ni-, -e

equitative s

be like

 .

 .

-

-

hajó-ként

kapu-gimi

 

-

ka-gin 7

  vocative

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 -e, -ä

 

 

matches

 

 

8 ?

9

7

33

7

3

 

21

For Sumerian Thompson claims only the Genetive (-ak), absolutive (ø), ergative (-e), dative (-ra, -na), locative (-a, -ni), comitative (da),
terminative (še), ablaitive-instrumental (-ta), ablaitive (-ra-) locative-terminative(-e, -ni), equitative (gin 7) for Sumerian.

 

Language

Etruscan

Finnish

Hungarian

Turkish

  Tamil

Hurrian

Sumerian

        infinitive "to"

    .

.

        ir-ni

   ver-mek

.

.

   .

verb> noun
deverbal #1

mulu-ven-e
zelar-ven-as
tiur -uni-as

 .

nö-vény
tör- vény
kér-vény
kor-mány
véle-mény

 .

-vi, -ppu

 .

 .

verb>noun
&  formative
(archaic)

pul-um

 .

foly-am
üz-em
ár - am
hal-om
ter -em

 .

.

 .

 gal-am
 gaš-am
gid-im 2
gil-im
gur -um
in-im
kil-im
kur -um
lir -um
par-im

verb>noun
also collective
bal #2

 .

-

ura-lom
 féle- lem

 -

.

-sa

nam-gal
nam-tar

verb>noun
deverbal #3

 .

-

törme-lék
föze-lék
 haj -lék
tarta-lék

kapu-luk

.

-

nig-sag
nig-dug

verb>noun
deverbal #4

zil-at

      -

keres-et
üzen-et
köszön-et

 .

 -tu

 .

 lug-ud
 maš- da
sab- ad 2,3

adj. >noun
& collective

cexa-se
 tana-sha

(sukku=family)

úr-ság
kun-ság
boldog-ság
gyorsa- ság

-

 -tanam

-

 

verbative
noun,adj>verb
& Causative "makes, does"

 .

 .

kész-ül
gyász-ol
szav-al
gond-ol

 ..

 -pi(n>v)

 ..

 .

 verbative
 adj, noun >verb
& verb formative
& causative
"makes,does"

..

..

vil-og
for-og
csill-og
mor-og
dad-og

öl-dür-mek
  pis-ir-t-mek

 -aakku (adj >v)
(to make)

.

sil-ag
ŋeš-tu-g ?
dir-ig
dad-ag

 

noun>adj.
& adjectival

calu-su
tur -za

 .

kegy-es
tév-es
gyor-s
hev-es
világ-os =light

     tarih-sel
     - ki

 -aana

 .

 .

      Verbal  
    Causative  
    "does/doing"

.

.

         it-at
        világ-it
         tan-it

   öl-dür-mek
  pis-ir-t-mek

 -tt

.

  -du
  -ug, -uk

Adverbial (adj+ly)

alp-an
avil -an

 .

gyors-an
keves-en

 .

.

 .

 -an

opposite
not,unlike ( un-)

.

-tusten/
-tysten

hajó-tlan
hajlék-talan

kapu-ar-ka-sIn-da

.

-ma, -we

ne-ka
la-

 past tense

.

.

ül -t =past

.

 -t, -tt, -nt,-n

.

.

 

Note: no other Ural Altaic, northern agglutinative language has prefixes any longer, except Hungarian!
and Sumerian has them . Over time Sumerian moved some prefixes to be suffixes also.

Hungarian form directional prefix + Verb+frequentive/causative + cohortive or precative + pronoun
All suffixes have vowel harmony, but aren't illustrated in the table below!

 

CONDITIONALS & MODALS

Meaning

Hungarian Verb Prefix

Sumerian

Turkish

ergative case
(definition below)

.

subj+e . + verb

.

     .

        .

..

.

       conditional  (if)

  ha  megy-ek

.

 git- se-m= If I were to go

.

.

.

.

      subjunctive (might)

   me-het-n-ék

.

 gid-e-yim = I might go

precative (may,can)

ir+hat + sz=you may write
jö-het=he may come

ha-, he-, hu- +verb+pronoun

 gid-eler
      conditional (let)              hagy -    ha-

        conditional (could)

me-het-né-k

.

.

        necessity (must)

kel men-ni

.           

.

        conditional (would)

 ir-ná-m

                 ná-

.
             if only,               nus-              nosza= go on
             will              ga = I shall             fog =will

no, dont

ne=don't,
nem =no, not
se,
sem = neither,

nu-=don't,
nam- = not,don't be;
ša - (of affirmative type, but
not understood)

.

imperative (command)
cohortive

-j, -s, -l, -d
men-j=go
ir -j=write
halga - s=listen
 vigy-áz =pay attention

 

- yi ?

 .

.

 .

.

Ergative: Thompson writes that "Sumerian is a 'so called'  ergative language. This means that
the intransitive subject(1) is treated in the same manner as a transitive object (2).
Zolyomi writes that in only certain cases does Sumerian use ergative constructions.

1) lú-e (ergative) saŋ-ø (abs) mu-n-zìg =the man raised the head. "man head lifted"
2) lú-ø (transitive-perfect) í-ku 4. r-ø =the man entered.

?! So how is that different from Hungarian?, where the subject or object are identical.
1) az ember a fej-et emel-te =the man the head lifted. "man head lift-ed "
2) az ember be-jöt =the man entered. (man into-came )


In Sumerian nouns serving as intransitive and transitive subjects are morphologically treated differently only in
the addition of 'e'. Intransitive subject and intransitive object have no modifier, the verbal pronoun is different.
Transitive subjects receive a suffix -e. Pronouns do not receive this modifier in any case.

verbal directional prefixes, only Hungarian, Sumerian have verbal prefixes.

 meaning

Hungarian

Sumerian

 Tamil

Turkish

negation

 ne =don't
  sem =also not
  nem = no, not

nam
nu-

.

 -me (suffix)

into

be -ir =write into
bele-ir=writes into it

ba -
ba-ni-du

.

.

out of

ki -ir =write out of

-

.

.

upward

fel -ir =write up

al-, il- , la -, mu-

.

.

onto, up to

rá- ir =writes on to

-ra or ra -

.

.

down,
from above

le -jön =comes down

-ri - (L86) ?
-è, -i

.

.

from

el -jön=comes away

-ta

.

.

across or through

át -ir=copies over

-

.

.

certain action
completive

meg -telik=fills up (certainty)

nu -til=fills up

-(v)iDu

.

apart

szét -ir=write apart

.

.

.

place of 

.

-ki -( l usually lost )

.

.

to it 

.

-su-, sa, zi

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

verbal "frequentive" formatives create differentiation among a large number of homonym root words, even though at times these don't have a very specific meaning.

Frequentive Formatives

formative?creative
modifiers

Hungarian
follows the verb
root

Sumerian
preceeds the verb root, but also some
postpositional

     Tamil

        Turkish

verb formative
(frequentive)

-og , -ong (doing )

-ag (makes)

 -koo

.

verb formative
(frequentive)

-gat (on and off does, slowly)

.

.

.

verb formative (frequentive)

-tat (itterative)

[Akkadian tat ]

-vaa

.

verb formative
(frequentive)

-gál (stative)

gal =to be?

-kiTTiru

.

verb formative

-t, -d, -nd

-du (to do)

.

  -t-  =causative (to do)

verb formative

-al, -él

ul- (to lead)

.

.

verb formative

-ar

-ar (appear)

.

.

verb formatives

-oz,-áz

-us (to follow)

.

.

infinitive

ir-ni =to write

-ní (??)

.

-mak

future tense

-end / -and

-e-dè

-vayyi

.

past tense

ir -t (suffix)  /modern/

-e, -i, -in

.

-tü- =past definite


adverbial suffixes (verbal & adj. modifier of how, when, where , degree)

Adverbial suffix

how (adj)

when

where

who

Hungarian

adj +an

-an, -kor

-en

 ki

Sumerian

-bi, -na

-eš (+šè)

-en

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

Interrogatives

Language

What, why

Who

Where

How

Uralic

*me-

*ken

 *kil ?

.

Lapp

 mí

 gi

 .

.

Estonian

 mis,mi,me

 kes

 .

.

Finnish.

 mikä

 ken, kuka

 .

.

Cheremis

 ma

 ke

 ku-ssa

 kuin-ka

Samoyed

 mî, má

.

 .

..

Hungarian

 mi

 ki

  hol

 hogy

Chuvash.Turk

.

 kam

 .

.

Old Turk

.

 kim

 .

.

Uigur

.

 kim

 .

.

Turkish

 mi,mü

 kim

 
ne-re

na-sil
kac'

Tatar

.

 kem

 .

.

Mongolian

.

 khen

 .

.

Ewenki

.

.

 .

.

Dravidian

.

 aka

 .

.

Sumerian

 me

 aba

 -ki

-a-na /EG, -ta/ES

                              English basically has the  wh+  words and the how words.