KUBABA 2, 2011 ISSN: 16477642 http://www.fcsh.unl.pt/kubaba THE SUMERIA EQUATIVE CASE: A STUDY OF ITS COSTRUCTIOS ∗ Szilvia Sövegjártó Friedrich Schiller University, Jena ABSTRACT The Sumerian equative morpheme is widely accepted as an adnominal case marker because it only occurs on the noun phrase without a corresponding verbal affix on the finite verb. In some cases, however, the equative obviously indicates a semantic relation with the verb and not with another noun phrase. Moreover, there are sporadic examples where two nonappositional noun phrases are marked with the equative morpheme which contradicts its function as a casemarker. In this paper I compare the syntax of the equative and the genitive case marker as well as the adverbial marker /eš/. I argue that the syntactical position of the noun phrase marked with the equative differs from that of a noun phrase marked with the genitive case, the other adnominal case in Sumerian. It is, however, similar to that of the adverbial marker /eš/. My aim is to prove that the equative morpheme is actually not a case marker but an adverbial marker of sentence adverbials. RESUME Le morphème du équatif sumérien est largement accepté comme un marqueur de dépendance adnominale, car il ne se produit que sur la phrase nominale, sans un affixe correspondant verbal sur le verbe fini. Cependant, on observe des situations où l’équatif indique évidemment une relation sémantique avec le verbe et non avec une autre phrase nominale. Par ailleurs, il y a des exemples sporadiques, où deux phrases nominales, qui ne sont pas en apposition, sont marquées par le morphème équatif, ce qui contredit sa fonction comme un cas. ∗ This paper is based on a conference talk held on the 57 th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale in Rome. I am indebted to Prof. Dr. Manfred Krebernik for his suggestions during the preparation of this paper. Needless to say, all errors are mine.