A Manual of Sumerian Grammar and Texts (Aids and Research Tools in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, No 5)

Rating:
Summary: A truly superb manual, superbly produced.
Review: A MANUAL OF SUMERIAN GRAMMAR AND TEXTS. Aids and Research Tools in Ancient Near Eastern Studies No.5. Second Revised and Expanded Edition. By John L. Hayes. 471pp. Malibu : Undena Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-89003-508-1 (pbk.)

This is an introductory grammar, designed for readers with no previous knowledge of Sumerian or its writing system, and can be used either with or without a teacher. It contains a general description of Sumerian and its writing system, and a series of 22 lessons.

Each lesson includes a sign list and a vocabulary, cuneiform text/s, transliteration, transcription, and translation, and full grammatical commentary. Since emphasis has been placed on transliteration and transcription, the Manual can be used without learning the cuneiform signs. The texts used are royal inscriptions of the Ur III period, presented in photograph or autograph. A certain amount of historical, archaeological, and cultural background is also presented.

Also included are 80 pages of Appendices - History of Sumerian; Mesopotamian Sources; Glossary; General Structure and Alternate Explanations; Further Work; Bibliography; Concordances; Topical Index.

The Manual is in full quarto size (8.5 by 11 inches), is superbly printed in a large clear font on excellent paper, and is in fact one of the most beautifully printed books I've ever seen. It is richly illustrated with numerous large black-and-white photographs and drawings, and also with a large number of cuneiform texts. These have been specially drawn by John Carnahan, in a variety of styles and in large, bold and magnificent cuneiform that is a joy to behold.

Not only is the Manual visually and physically impressive, but the text itself is also of the highest quality. Hayes' lucid and engaging style, his attention to detail, his concern to include just about everything that might conceivably be of use or interest to the student, and his knack of making the grammar both intelligible and interesting, make this the most outstanding Manual of its kind that I've ever seen.

Anyone who is interested in beginning Sumerian would be very unwise to miss this book. Hayes' Manual strikes me as a true labor of love, and personally I can think of no way in which it could possibly have been made better. It's that good!

Rating:
Summary: I've been waiting for this.....
Review: Note: this review is for the updated, revised edition (Undena, 2000). Admission #1 - I'm not an Assyriologist, nor an academic, so I have no professional qualifications to judge this work. But I enjoy learning languages, and I know what works for me. Admission #2 - I've just begun studying it, and I'm only on lesson 2.

If I could have designed the ideal learning grammar for a "dead" language, it would look something like this. There are 26 lessons - each one starts with a vocabulary of 10 to 15 words, given in cuneiform and transliteration. These are followed by a short reading (mostly royal inscriptions from the Ur III period). All reading selections are given in cuneiform, transliteration, transcription, and English translation. No guessing about whether you've understood the text, or not! The grammatical explanations are complete and clear; no special linguistic knowledge is presupposed. When there is scholarly disagreement about grammar or syntax, this is noted as well. The grammar is presented inductively; a reading is presented, and the grammar necessary to understand it is explained. Each lesson builds on the previous ones, and there is a wealth of cultural and historical information provided.

In summary, whether you're learning with a teacher or on your own, it's hard to imagine a text better than this one.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent but Detailed
Review: While I agree with other reviewers that this is a fantastic book with a learning-friendly layout and good explanations for the texts, I think that those considering purchasing the book should realize a few points:

1. Controversy in the field over pronunciation, grammatical structure and syntax are at a high level. Even in comparison with other dead languages, such as Akkadian or Egyptian, there is less consensus among experts. Hayes, to his great credit, presents these viewpoints. However, the reader is left with issues to sort out for himself/herself.

2. I would recommend at least a modicum of linguistic understanding before tackling Sumerian. Hayes (again, to his great credit) does an excellent job of explaining topics such as ergativity, but at the same time, I think that some readers might become very confused and lose interest.

Personally, I am waiting for Hayes' second book, which is promised at the end of the first as having more advanced texts, including some of the principal literary texts which were written in Sumerian.