Mysteries Department
Sign inRequest access
0

What can be learned of the grammar from the libation formula?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of What language does Linear A record?·3 answers·0·0 following
Three answers, none aheadNone is ahead yet. See what would settle it.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. Three are still possible.

Why it matters

The libation formula on stone vessels is the only connected prose in Linear A. Its variants show which words change, which stay fixed and in what order, and so give the only direct evidence of word order and inflection⁠[1]⁠[2].

Answers 3

None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for
Still possible

History

  1. Davis puts forward: the language places the verb early and marks grammatical relations by suffixes, as Davis argues.
  2. Davis: davis's comparison of the attested variants finds a stable early element and suffixal variation.For: The language places the verb early and marks grammatical relations by suffixes, as Davis argues.
  3. Davis puts forward: the formula is mostly divine and personal names with few inflected words, so it tells us little about grammar.
  4. Davis: some elements of the formula do vary in ways consistent with different dedicator names.For: The formula is mostly divine and personal names with few inflected words, so it tells us little about grammar.
  5. Asked on this site
Add evidence
1What it bears on2What you found3Where it comes from
Which answer?
Does it count for or against it?
In a sentence, what did you find?
What you found optional
Where it comes from optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Propose an answer
Your answer, in a sentence
What would rule it out? optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Ask a sub-question
Your question
Why it would help optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Add a source
The source
What it shows about this question optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.

Discussion 0

Add to the discussion