#determinatives

[sumerianlanguage]

I have had occasion to look real close at 𒀭𒄑𒉋𒂵𒎌, and I get why 𒀭[DIĜIR] is there, and 𒉋𒂵𒎌 [BIL₂.GA.MEŠ] are clearly phonetic components---but what the hell is 𒄑 [GIŠ] doing there? it's not pronounced (evidently), but as a determiner it doesn't seem to make much sense to me (used for wooden objects and trees), and 𒄑𒉋𒂵 [(GIŠ) BIL₂.GA] as "male ancestor" with a determiner for wooden objects/trees *haunts* me, but I can't find a source for that. What's going on with 𒄑 in this name?

You know, I can't find a good source on why 𒄑 appears in this name, as I don't think scholars agree on why it's there. The most common theory seems to be that the bilga element may derive from pabilga 𒉺𒉋𒂵 "paternal grandfather, paternal uncle". Halloran lists bilga as being "a plant-breeder's terminology for a human ancestor", as pa 𒉺 has "branch" as its most basic meaning, like the branch of a family tree. Somewhere along the line, the 𒉺 sign of (pa)bilga got reinterpreted as the similar-looking 𒄑 (and related meaning, branch > tree), and thus got stuck in the name of Bilgamesh and presumably others derived from the same root.

However, not all sources agree on pabilga as being a proven etymology for bilga at all, so take all this with a grain of salt. And check out this prior post on the meaning of Gilgamesh's name.

[heywriters]

btw the majority of your life will be lived as a adult. yeah i don't make the rules. go have fun in your 40s or 70s or whatever. no one expects you to accomplish everything at 17 or 27. you've got time and in the meantime get some life experience, it will pay off

[dragongirlbunny]

stop calling the arrested guy the shooter. stop laundering the cops' narrative. the man who was arrested is a suspect until proven otherwise.

[tam--lin]

r/Murderbot mods really said "if you can't use it/its for a fictional character, get over yourself".

[aroaceleovaldez]

one of my favorite subtle implications in the series is that it seems the Titan Army was fully banking on Percy being the host of Kronos. Why else would they make their main base a cruise ship if their primary enemy is a son of Poseidon? Named after Andromeda, the wife of Perseus? Why would they work on Oceanus specifically being free so much? Side notably with other children of Poseidon? Why plant Zeus and Hades' items of power on Percy when Luke already had them? Why only Zeus and Hades' items, not Poseidon's? Well because they really need Percy as Kronos' host, that's why. (and Poseidon siding with them because of that would be a bonus as well)

I like to imagine Luke's cabin on the Princess Andromeda is fully decked out with like "WELCOME PERCY" and sea-themed sheets and everything and he hates it so much cause it's a constant reminder he failed and he was Kronos' second choice. Also then he gets his super special pegasus not even exactly stolen by Percy, but the pegasus willingly defects to be Percy's personal steed instead, which must just be insult to injury. Luke has immense one-sided beef with Percy and Percy has no idea.

[clowniconography]

drawing of a nightmare situation i may or may not currently be in

[casserpillarr]

Spy what have you done..

[evercelle]

brother, i'll set us both free

[paintedcrows]

Nooo little Stanley watch out! Your striped shirt, bandage, and sad backstory are too Fallen Human Coded!! The Undertale narrative is going to get you!!!

[sumerianlanguage]

Is there a toponymic suffix in Sumerian, similar to the Akkadian -āya/ia? I want to make a name that means "from Abzû" . Any info/suggestive would be appreciated. Thank you in advance and for this amazing blog. It's very informative ^u^

Hello! There isn't a specific toponymic suffix - instead toponyms (geographic places) are generally marked with a determinative, a written-only (unpronounced) sign that classifies what is being talked about. The geographical determinative is 𒆠, written after the noun in question, so the city of Uruk (Unug) is written 𒀕𒆠 rather than just 𒀕 unug which means "dwelling" or "fortress".

However, the abzu primordial sea, being only quasi-geographic, is written simply 𒍪𒀊 and doesn't take this determiner. Instead, to say "from [place]", we use the ablative case ending -ta 𒋫. So "from abzu" would be simply abzuta 𒍪𒀊𒋫.

Thanks for the kind words, and let me know if that's clear!

[humanjarvis]

tantrum

synopsis: what makes sylus snap?

tags: fluff, sylus is tired and grumpy bc he misses you, he obliterates his phone with his evol, sunshine reader probably, cartoonish luke and kieran appearance (sorry boys) word count: 842

a/n: after that magnum opus line i really wanted to see sylus throw a tantrum and i kept mulling over what would actually make him do that because i can’t see him doing anything much worse than this. i think he’d find Actual grown man tantrums lame. anyway i don’t like this and will maybe delete? nvm but i had the writing urge so i sacrificed this concept from my wips. 

When you arrived at the base after your three-week business trip, your long-awaited homecoming was…tame, to say the least. You’d been expecting a teasing “How nice of you to join us, sweetie,” or a cocky yet vulnerable “I was beginning to think you’d run away.” But once you’d stepped through the front door, Sylus had barely said a word. A soft “Welcome home” and a kiss on the forehead, and before you knew it, you were cradled in his arms as he carried you to his office.

He’d sat you both down in his leather armchair, making you face him in a straddle. His tired eyes had searched yours, and a moment later, he’d buried his face into your neck, inhaling deeply. 

“I missed you,” you’d murmured into his ear, pressing a kiss to his hair. With a quiet groan, he’d tightened his grip on your hips and nuzzled into you even deeper.

That’d been 15 minutes ago. Basking in the comfortable silence, you’d traded kisses all the while—yours on his hair, his on your neck. 

But suddenly, a low buzzing noise cuts your reunion short: his phone is ringing.

When he makes no effort to answer, still breathing heavily in your embrace, you twist in his arms and accept the call before he can protest. 

A familiar voice crackles over the line. “Boss?” Kieran asks. “Next meeting’s in 10. The one about those stolen shipments from Linkon—we’ve been waiting to hear back for months. You coming?”

Sylus doesn’t answer.

“…Boss?” Kieran repeats. “Boss, you there? You oka—”

Red and black mist shreds the phone into pieces. 

“Sylus!” you yelp, jumping in his lap. “What’d you do that for? He’ll probably be worried. And how will I text you now?”

You pout up at him, and as you study his chronically calm expression, you see something unusual: Sylus’s eye twitches. Just for a millisecond, only moving a millimeter, but you catch it.

“I’ll have a new one delivered tomorrow. As for the meeting, I’ll stay here,” he says lightly, a tight, closed-lip smile on his face.

“But Kieran said it was important,” you reply in confusion. “Why don’t you want to go? Are you feeling sick?” you frown, starting to lift off of him.

“No,” comes his too-quick reply. “It’s just…the twins can go in my stead,” he decides simply, moving to lean into you again.

But before he can move an inch, a rhythmic sequence of knocks sounds at the door.

“Come in!” you chirp happily, too excited to see the faces you’d missed the last few weeks to notice Sylus stiffening under you.

Immediately, the door swings open, revealing two masked figures. 

“Hi Luke, hi Kieran!” you beam, and they wave back at you eagerly.

“Long time no see,” Kieran begins. “Boss, did you lose signal or something? I tried calling you about the meeting, but I think it disconnected. Anyway, we’re about to head down and—”

“Cancel it,” a frustrated growl rings out.

You all freeze.

Somehow, you’d been too wrapped up in your excitement to feel Sylus's body shaking—no, quaking—beneath you.

“W-what? But they’re already here!” Luke sputters.

“Cancel. It.” Sylus grits out the words as if holding back a snarl, and the power in his voice leaves no room for argument. 

“O…kay,” the boys say in unison, and as they back away slowly, you shoot them a sympathetic look.

Red tendrils wrench the door shut behind them, and when you’re alone once more, it’s like the man under you deflates.

His head returns to the crevice of your neck with a soft but unceremonious thud, and his deep exhales and burning hot skin tell you he’s trying to calm himself down. 

Uncertain and a little amazed—you’d never seen him lose his composure—you give his cheek a gentle poke. “Sylus,” you whisper. Nothing. 

“Psst. Sylus,” you try again, and there’s some force behind your poke this time. With bated breath, you watch as your finger sinks into the space under his cheekbone, sighing in relief when the corner of his mouth twitches upwards. 

Lifting his head up to make eye contact, you smile at him softly. “Hi.”

“…Hi,” he rumbles, and as his crimson gaze softens, the remaining annoyance dissolves from his face.

“Are you upset?” you prod gently. 

A brazen scoff precedes the dry chuckles that fall from his lips. “And what makes you say that, kitten?”

A squint and a slight tilt of your head is all it takes. 

“I haven’t had you to myself in a while,” he begins cautiously. “Three weeks is…a long time. The longest we’ve been apart. And then the moment I have you in my arms, well…” he trails off, gesturing to the shards of phone on the table. “I just want to enjoy you right now. Undisturbed.”

“Oh, I see,” you coo, cupping his face in your hands. “Is this your way of saying you missed me too?” you quirk a brow.

“Yes,” he responds through squished cheeks, honest and unabashed. “Now, won’t you stay with me like this for a little longer?”

[pop-squeak]

i am fucking blown away by this panel i need you all to look at it

[celestialalpacaron]

Raise your hand if you are a believer that FatNuggets doesn’t immediately like Husker and will try to protect his daddy Angel and bites Husker in defense after he gets found out 🙋🏻‍♀️

anyways big W for tiny protector FatNuggets goodnight yall

[polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup]

Outie Dylan, swallowing his pride and deciding to tell his innie that he’s actually pretty cool despite the wife smooching debacle: I’m proud of you and while I’ll respect your decision if you want to resign I think you should make it work there because I don’t want you to die

Dylan G: *immediately hits his boss with a vending machine*

[keplerspacecraftofficial]

electing to believe this is what griddlehark looks like to everyone else