Di (cuneiform)



The cuneiform di sign, also de, ṭe, ṭi, and sumerograms DI and SÁ is a common-use sign of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the 1350 BC Amarna letters, and other cuneiform texts. In the Akkadian language for forming words, it can be used syllabically for: de, di, ṭe, and ṭi; also alphabetically for letters d, ṭ, e, or i. (All the four vowels in Akkadian are interchangeable for forming words (a, e, i, u), thus the many choices of scribes is apparent for composing actual 'dictionary-entry' words.) Some consonant-pairs (d/t), are also interchangeable (for example the d, t, and ṭ).

Epic of Gilgamesh usage
The usage numbers for di/de in the Epic of Gilgamesh are as follows: de-(8) times, di-(161), ṭe-(7), ṭi-(19), DI-(1), SÁ-(2) times.

Besides ša usage in word components of verbs, nouns, etc., it has a major usage between words. In Akkadian, for English language "who", it is an interrogative pronoun; in the Akkadian language as ša, (as "that", "what"; ("that (of)", "which (of)" ), in English it used for who, what, which, etc..

Ša, and Ka, the stroke differences
The difference in the construction of the signs ka and ša are as follows: "ka" when scribed in the Amarna letters often shows the distinctiveness of the right section of the sign, versus the left section. For ša, the right section is constructed with two wedge strokes (one scribed above the other), between the two verticals, at right. For ka, the right side mostly, in the Amarna letters has two verticals, with two horizontals  that cross both of them; (the right side is like a two-step ladder shape—(for Hittite ka:—)). A good example of ša, is shown for EA 365, Reverse (top half), where the 2-wedge strokes of ša between the 2-right verticals is clear. (Note, the ša of EA 365 appears to have 3-horizontals at left (differing lengths), then the 2-verticals with the 2-wedge strokes, at right.)

Epic of Gilgamesh
The usage numbers for ša in the Epic of Gilgamesh are as follows: ša-(66) times. There are no other sub-uses or sumerogramic uses for ša in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Amarna letters
Cuneiform ša is common in the Amarna letters, found easily between words (as the pronoun), and especially in word constructs. Since it is similar in appearance to cuneiform ka, the large difference is that ka can easily be found as a suffix to words, for example in the Canaanite sub-corpus of letters as "Servant-Yours",, (ARAD-ka).

<!--The ša sign is identical to the ka signexcept the two-horizontal strokes,

Cuneiform "ka" is nearly identical to a similar 'mid-size' to larger cuneiform sign, ša (cuneiform); because both ka, and ša have two separate specific uses, once these usage sites are identified on a specific Amarna letter, for example, the difference between the two can be followed.

Cuneiform ka has a secondary use as the pronoun suffix, -yours. For Ayyab's letter, EA 364 (pictured), after addressing the Pharaoh, part of the Introduction, is to state "...Servant-yours, ...." Specifically, Ayyab is from one of the vassal states/city-states/towns in Canaan, thus the relationship to the Pharaoh in the Amarna letters often state a relationship of being the Pharaoh's servant. This is dramatically juxtaposed against the Amarna letters from Tushratta of Mitanni, (letters EA 19, EA 23, EA 26, EA 28, EA 30-(only a passport-type, short letter), etc.), or from Babylon, or the King of Alashiya. The letter's from those kings have long lists, as part of the Introduction stating: May you (King, pharaoh) ''have peace (health), ... for, wives-yours, for sons-yours, for magnates-yours-("sa-meš"), etc.''

For cuneiform ša, its specific sub-usage (besides as a syllabic, or alphabetic), is as a segue form of a conjunction typically at the beginning of a statement, ==Ka, and Ša, the stroke differences== The difference in the construction of the signs ka and ša are as follows: "ka" when scribed in the Amarna letters often shows the distinctiveness of the right section of the sign, versus the left section. For ša, the right section is constructed with two wedge strokes (one scribed above the other), between the two verticals, at right. For ka, the right side mostly, in the Amarna letters has two verticals, with two horizontals  that cross both of them; (the right side is like a two-step ladder shape—(for Hittite ka:—)).translated as: "which...", "what...", etc., with the rest of text to follow.

Usage numbers
The usage numbers for ka in the Epic of Gilgamesh are as follows: ka-(372), and sumerograms: DUG4-(18), KA-(9), ZÚ-(4).

Multiple "ka" listing usage, the Brother-King letters


In contrast to the vassal Amarna letters from the Canaanite city-states, or equivalent, which use the subservient prostration formula in its many variations, the letters from the brother-kings, namely the King of Babylon, Burna-Buriash, Tushratta, the King of Mitanni, and the "King of Alashiya", (Assyria had only EA 15, and EA 16, with very short introductions), sometimes had very long lists of "good wishes for 'possessions' of the Pharaoh". Each item, (often), when addressing the Pharaoh ended with the suffix -yours (ka). The list often ended with ...for chariots-yours, for army-yours, for land-yours, and for everything-yours...." An example of the usage can be seen in EA 19, with a focus on the beginning of the last line (no. 8) of Paragraph I, (high res, extremely high res ). The beginning of line 8, Para I is as follows:


 * a-na KUR-ka ..(space) ("for LAND-yours..(segue)..")

and continues:


 * ù a-na mim-mu-ka ''...(segue)...." ("and for Everything-yours..(space)....")

The cuneiform characters being:

--, __-- (...for Land-yours ..)

and continues:

--((~)And)(--)--, __(--)-- (..."And"--for "EveryThing"-yours ....!) -->