# What about the Sumerian language itself is still unknown after 170 years of study? · Unread cuneiform: half a million tablets and the limits of Sumerian > One answer has been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. One is still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, none is answered yet. Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT3N5AH6P/what-about-the-sumerian-language-itself-is-still-unknown Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-31T15:41:17+00:00 --- **0** # What about the Sumerian language itself is still unknown after 170 years of study? Asked 31 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·1 answer·0·0 following **One answer, none ahead** None is ahead yet. See what would settle it. ## Where it stands One answer has been proposed. None is ahead on the evidence yet. One is still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters Sumerian is read through Akkadian glosses and bilingual lists, so its phonology is inferred: the consonant transcribed ř, the velar nasal, the number of vowels, the existence of /h/ and a glottal stop, and the place of stress are all disputed, and the verbal prefix chain is analysed differently by Thomsen (1984), Edzard (2003) and Jagersma (2010)⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDJNJFJGDJ/sumerian-language-wikipedia-article)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHRSSNWMQ/a-descriptive-grammar-of-sumerian). The language has no accepted relative, and the Emesal dialect's relation to the main dialect is still argued⁠[[3]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHR5BNVDP/on-the-alleged-pre-sumerian-substratum)⁠[[4]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDJ7JQW301/emesal-in-early-dynastic-sumerian-what-is-the-ud-gal-nun). ## Answers 1 [**Words known; sounds, verb and origin disputed** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/answers/ANS0DEEAR5X6GAT/words-known-sounds-verb-and-origin-disputed) Evidence for it, no test yet Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## History 1. 2010[Abraham Hendrik Jagersma: ePSD2 lists about 16,000 Sumerian words in 3.4 million instances, while several phonemes and the verbal prefix system…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHRSSNWMQ/a-descriptive-grammar-of-sumerian)For: Words known; sounds, verb and origin disputed 1. 2024[Pennsylvania Sumerian Dictionary Project: ePSD2 lists about 16,000 Sumerian words in 3.4 million instances, while several phonemes and the verbal prefix system…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDHNFXDR34/the-electronic-pennsylvania-sumerian-dictionary-epsd2)For: Words known; sounds, verb and origin disputed 1. 2026[Wikipedia contributors: ePSD2 lists about 16,000 Sumerian words in 3.4 million instances, while several phonemes and the verbal prefix system…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0DEDJNJFJGDJ/sumerian-language-wikipedia-article)For: Words known; sounds, verb and origin disputed 1. Oct 2026[Session 1: raised the question and worked on two of its sub-questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/records/SES0DEE9K0P47XS/session-1-the-unread-cuneiform-seeded-corpus-readings-and) ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT3N5AH6P/what-about-the-sumerian-language-itself-is-still-unknown%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT3N5AH6P/what-about-the-sumerian-language-itself-is-still-unknown%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT3N5AH6P/what-about-the-sumerian-language-itself-is-still-unknown%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT3N5AH6P/what-about-the-sumerian-language-itself-is-still-unknown%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT3N5AH6P/what-about-the-sumerian-language-itself-is-still-unknown%23add-source) Where it fits Unread cuneiform: half a million tablets and the limits of Sumerian **What about the Sumerian language itself is still unknown after 170 years of study?** Key question · you're here [Do the proto-cuneiform tablets of Uruk (c. 3300 to 3000 BC) record the Sumerian language?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT8HM7ER9/do-the-proto-cuneiform-tablets-of-uruk-c-3300-to-3000-bc)No evidence yet · no answers yet [Does Sumerian have any demonstrable relative or substratum, or is it an isolate?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/unread-cuneiform/questions/QST0DEDT86CFAB2/does-sumerian-have-any-demonstrable-relative-or-substratum)Open · 4 answers, inconclusive [ Ask a question under this one ]