Contents

A. Preface 1

B. Introduction 4
I The Akkadian language 4
II From Proto-Semitic to Akkadian 4
A. The lexicon 4
A.1 Generalities 4
A.2 The Semitic vocabulary from Ebla 6
A.3 Lexical specificity of Akkadian dialects, chronological periods and text corpora 7
B. Phonology 8
B.1 Generalities 8
B.2 PS consonants in OB: the regular correspondences 9
B.3 PS consonants in OB: irregularities 10
B.3.1 The sibilants 10
B.3.2 The gutturals 10
B.3.2.1 Irregular e-colouring 11
B.3.2.2 PS *ḥ > Akkadian ḫ 11
B.3.2.3 PS *ġ in Akkadian 11
B.4 PS consonants in Sargonic and at Ebla 12
B.4.1 The sibilants 12
B.4.2 The gutturals 13
B.4.3 The glides 14
B.5 Phonological aspects of Sumero-Akkadian lexical interaction 15
III The history of Akkadian etymology 17
A. The inherited Semitic vocabulary 17
A.1 Synchronic (descriptive) dictionaries of Akkadian 17
A.2 Descriptive and etymological dictionaries of other Semitic languages 17
A.3 Reference tools for Semitic etymology 18
A.4 Special studies dealing with the Semitic background of the Akkadian lexicon 18
B. The contact vocabulary 19
B.1 Loanwords into Akkadian 19
B.2 Loanwords from Akkadian 20
IV The scope of the EDA 20
A. The goals of the EDA 20
B. Lexical data included in the EDA 21
C. The volumes 22
V How to use the dictionary 22
A. Signs and symbols 22
A.1 Characters 22
A.1.1 Cover symbols 22
A.1.2 Special characters 23
A.2 Principles of transliteration and transcription 23
A.2.1 Transliteration 24
A.2.2 Transcription 24
B. Organization of the volumes 24
B.1 The internal division 24
B.2 Ordering of the articles 25
vi Contents

C. Structure of individual articles 25

C.1 The internal division of an article 25
C.2 The heading 26
C.3 Order of lexical items in an article 27
C.3.1 Representation of patterns 27
C.3.2 Ordering of patterns 27
C.4 Organization of individual lexical items 29

C. Etymological dictionary 31