The Sumerian Problem
By Benno Landsberger
Translated by R. M. Ellis
I. The Sumerian problem is one of the most difficult and important problems in Assyriology.
It has been discussed for more than a century, but no solution has yet been found.
The main difficulty lies in the fact that we have no direct evidence for the language spoken by the Sumerians.
All our knowledge of Sumerian comes from texts written in Akkadian, which was the lingua franca of Mesopotamia during the second millennium B.C.
These texts are often difficult to interpret because they contain many loanwords and idiomatic expressions that are not easily understood.
Furthermore, the grammar and syntax of Sumerian are quite different from those of Akkadian, making it even harder to reconstruct the original language.
Despite these challenges, scholars have made significant progress in understanding Sumerian over the past few decades.
New discoveries and advances in linguistic theory have helped to shed light on some of the mysteries surrounding this ancient language.
However, much work remains to be done before we can fully understand the complexities of Sumerian culture and society.
In conclusion, while the Sumerian problem may never be completely solved, ongoing research continues to bring us closer to unraveling its secrets.