Editing Hurrian language (section)

===Verbal morphology===
The verbal morphology of Hurrian is extremely complex, but it is constructed only through the affixation of suffixes (indicated by '-') and [[clitic]]s (indicated by '='). Hurrian clitics stand for unique words, but are attached to other words as though they were suffixes. [[transitive verb|Transitivity]] and [[Intransitive verb|intransitivity]] are clearly indicated in the morphology; only transitive verbs take endings that agree with the person and number of their subject. The direct object and intransitive subject, when they are not represented by an independent noun, are expressed through the use of clitics, or pronouns (see below). Moreover, suffixes can be added to the verb stem that modify its meaning, including [[Valency (linguistics)|valency]]-changing morphemes such as ''-an(n)--'' ([[causative]]), ''-ant'' ([[Applicative voice|applicative]]) and ''-ukar'' ([[reciprocative]]). The meanings of many such suffixes have yet to be decoded.

The "morpheme chain" of the verb is as follows:<ref>{{harvnb|Wegner|2000|pp=75–79}}</ref> 
{| class="wikitable"
!1
!2
!3
!4
!5
!6
!7
!8
!9
!10
!11
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Root (linguistics)|Root]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Derivational morphology|Derivational Suffixes]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Tense–aspect–mood|Tense/Aspect]]
| rowspan="2" |Non-Present Intransitive
|''-imbu-''
|[[Valency (linguistics)|Valency]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Negation (linguistics)|Negation]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Agreement (linguistics)#Person|Ergative Person]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Agreement (linguistics)#Number|Ergative Number]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Clitic|Absolutive Pronoun Clitics]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Enclitic|Enclitic Particles & Conjunctions]]
|-
| colspan="2" |Ergative 3PL ''-it-'' (OH)
|}
As with the noun, not all of these elements must be present in each verb form, and indeed some of them are mutually incompatible. The marker -t- in position (4) may indicate intransitivity in non-present tenses. Position (5) may carry the suffix ''-imbu-'' (5) of unclear function or the ergative third-person plural suffix ''-it-'' , which is only attested in Old Hurrian.<ref name="wegnerOH" /> Valency suffixes (6) indicated the intransitive, transitive, or antipassive. The negative suffixes (7), the ergative person suffixes (8), and the ergative number suffixes (9) merge in ways which are not entirely predictable, so the person endings are usually listed in separate singular and plural versions. The absolutive person-number enclitics that may appear in slot (11) can also appear on other words in the sentence and are the same ones which were listed above in section ''[[Hurrian language#Personal pronouns|Personal pronouns]]''.

==== Indicative mood ====
After the derivational suffix come those marking [[Grammatical tense|tense]]. The [[present tense]] is unmarked, the [[preterite]] is marked by ''-ōš'' and the [[future tense|future]] by ''ēt''. The preterite and future suffixes also include the suffix ''-t'', which indicates intransitivity, but occurs only in truly intransitive forms, not in [[antipassive]] ones; in the present, this suffix never occurs. Another, separate, ''-t'' suffix is found in all tenses in transitive sentences – it indicates a 3rd person plural subject. In the [[indicative mood|indicative]] this suffix is mandatory, but in all other moods it is optional. Because these two suffixes are identical, ambiguous forms can occur; thus, ''unētta'' can mean "they will bring [something]" or "he/she/it will come", depending on the context.

After these endings come the vowel of transitivity. It is ''-a'' when the verb is intransitive, ''-i'' when the verb is in the antipassive and ''-o'' (in the Mitanni letter, ''-i'') in transitive verbs. The suffix ''-o'' is dropped immediately after the derivational suffixes. In transitive verbs, the ''-o'' occurs only in the present, while in the other tenses transitivity is instead indicated by the presence (or absence) of the aforementioned ''-t'' suffixes.

In the next position, the suffix of negation can occur; in transitive sentences, it is ''-wa'', whereas in intransitive and antipassive ones it is ''-kkV''. Here, the V represents a repetition of the vowel that precedes the negative suffix, although when this is /a/, both vowels become /o/. When the negative suffix is immediately followed by a clitic pronoun (except for ''=nna''), its vowel is /a/, regardless of the vowel that preceded it, e.g. ''mann-o-kka=til=an'' (be-''intr''-''neg''-''1.pl.abs''-and), "and we are not...". The following table gives the tense, transitivity and negation markers:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Transitivity
! &nbsp;
! Present
! Preterite
! Future
|-
| rowspan="2"| intransitive
| affirmative
| ''-a''
| ''-ōšta''
| ''-ētta''
|-
| negative
| ''-okko''
| ''-ōštokko''
| ''-ēttokko''
|-
| rowspan="2"| antipassive
| affirmative
| ''-i''
| ''-ōši''
| ''-ēti''
|-
| negative
| ''-ikki''
| ''-ōšikki''
| ''-ētikki''
|-
| rowspan="2"| transitive<br/>without derivational suff.
| affirmative
| Mari/Hattusha ''-o''<br/>Mitanni ''-i''
| Mari/Hattusha ''-ōšo''<br/>Mitanni ''-ōši''
| Mari/Hattusha ''-ēto''<br/>Mitanni ''-ēti''
|-
| negative
| Mari/Hattusha ''-owa''<br/>Mitanni ''-iwa''
| Mari/Hattusha ''-ōšowa''<br/>Mitanni ''-ōšiwa''
| Mari/Hattusha ''-ētowa''<br/>Mitanni ''-ētiwa''
|-
| rowspan="2"| transitive<br/>with derivational suff.
| affirmative
| ''-Ø''
| Mari/Hattusha ''-ōšo''<br/>Mitanni ''-ōši''
| Mari/Hattusha ''-ēto''<br/>Mitanni ''-ēti''
|-
| negative
| ''-wa''
| Mari/Hattusha ''-ōšowa''<br/>Mitanni ''-ōšiwa''
| Mari/Hattusha ''-ētowa''<br/>Mitanni ''-ētiwa''
|}

After this, in transitive verbs, comes the ergative subject marker. The following forms are found:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!&nbsp;
!1st person<br/>singular
!1st person<br/>plural
!2nd person<br/>singular
!2nd person<br/>plural
!3rd person<br/>sing/pl
|-
| with ''-i''<br/>(transitive)<br/>(only Mitanni)
| ''-af'',<br/>''-au''
| ''-auša''
| ''-i-o''
| ''-*aššo'',<br/>''-*aššu''
| ''-i-a''
|-
| with ''-wa''<br/>(negated)
| ''-uffu''
| ''-uffuš(a)''
| ''-wa-o''
| ''-uššu''
| ''-wa-a''
|-
| with other morphemes<br/>(no merging)
| ''-...-af'',<br/>''-...-au''
| ''-...-auša''
| ''-...-o''
| ''-...-aššo'',<br/>''-...-aššu''
| ''-...-a''
|}

The suffixes of the first person, both plural and singular, and the second person plural suffix merge with the preceding suffixes ''-i'' and ''-wa''. However, in the Mari and Hattusha dialects, the suffix of transitivity ''-o'' does not merge with other endings. The distinction between singular and plural in the third person is provided by the suffix ''-t'', which comes directly after the tense marker. In the third person, when the suffix ''-wa'' occurs before the subject marker, it can be replaced by ''-ma'', also expressing the negative: ''irnōhoš-i-ā-ma'', (like-''trans''-''3rd''-''neg'') "He does not like [it]".

In the Old Hurrian of Hattusha the ending of the third person singular ergative subject was ''-m''. A third person ''plural'' ergative subject was marked with the suffix ''-it-'', which, however, unlike the other ergative endings, occurred ''before'' instead of ''after'' the transitivity vowel: contrast ''uv-o-m'' "she slaughtered" with ''tun-it-o'' "they forced".<ref name=wegnerOH>{{harvnb|Wegner|2000|pp=110–113}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Wilhelm|2008|p=98}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Дьяконов|1967}}: [[Igor Diakonoff]] cites the suffix as ''-ido-'', but also located it before the slot of the transitivity vowel ''-o-'' – an interpretation which is also justified by the place of the corresponding suffix in the related [[Urartian language]].</ref> In the intransitive and antipassive, there was also a subject marker, ''-p'' for the third person but unmarked for the others. It is unknown whether this suffix was also found on transitive objects.

If a verb form is nominalised, e.g. to create a [[relative clause]], then another suffix is used: ''-šše''. Nominalised verbs can undergo Suffixaufnahme. Verb forms can also take other enclitic suffixes; see the section ''[[Hurrian language#Enclitic particles|Enclitic particles]]'' below.

For a list of the enclitics that mark the person and number of the absolutive participant, see the section ''[[Hurrian language#Personal pronouns|Personal pronouns]]'' above.

==== Other moods ====
To express nuances of [[grammatical mood]], several special verb forms are used, which are derived from the indicative (non-modal) forms. Wishes and commands are formed with an [[optative]] system, whose principal characteristic is the element ''-i'', which is attached directly to the verb stem. There is no difference between the form for transitive and intransitive verbs, there being agreement with the subject of the sentence. Tense markers are unchanged in the optative.

{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! Person
! Number
! Negation
! Ending
! Meaning
|-
! rowspan="3" | 1st person
! rowspan="2" | singular
! affirmative
| ''-ile'', after /l/ or /r/, ''-le'' and ''-re''
| "I want to..."
|-
! negative
| ''-ifalli''
| "I do not want to..."
|-
! plural
! 
| colspan="2" | unattested
|-
! rowspan="4" | 2nd person
! rowspan="2" | singular
! affirmative
| ''-i'', ''-e''
| "you will ([[Imperative mood|imperative]])
|-
! negative
| ''-ifa'', ''-efa''
| "you will not..."
|-
! rowspan="2" | plural
! affirmative
| ''-i(š)'', ''-e(š)''
| "you will..."
|-
! negative
| ''-ifa(š)'', ''-efa(š)''
| "you will not..."
|-
! rowspan="4" | 3rd person
! rowspan="2" | singular
! affirmative
| ''-ien''<sup>1</sup>
| "he/she/it can..."
|-
! negative
| ''-ifaen''<sup>1</sup>
| "he/she/it cannot..."
|-
! rowspan="2" | plural
! affirmative
| ''-iten''<sup>1</sup>
| "may they..."
|-
! negative
| ''-itfaen''<sup>1</sup>
| "may they not..."
|}

<sup>1</sup>&nbsp;In the optative forms of the third person, the /n/ ending is present in the Mari/Hattuša dialect when the following word begins with a consonant.

The so-called final form, which is needed to express a purpose ("in order to"), has different endings. In the singular, the suffixes ''-ae'', ''-ai'', ''-ilae'' and ''-ilai'' are found, which after /l/ and /r/ become ''-lae''/''-lai'' and ''-rae''/''rai'' respectively. In the plural the same endings are used, although sometimes the plural suffix ''-ša'' is found as well, but this is not always the case.

To express a possibility, the potential form must be used. For intransitive verbs, the ending is ''-ilefa'' or ''olefa'' (''-lefa'' and ''-refa'' after /l,r/), which does not need to agree with the subject. Transitive potential forms are formed with ''-illet'' and ''-allet'', which are suffixed to the normal endings of the transitive indicative forms. However, this form is only attested in Mitanni and only in the third person. The potential form is also occasionally used to express a wish.

The desiderative form is used to express an urgent request. It is also only found in the third person, and only with transitive verbs. The ending for the third person singular is ''-ilanni'', and for the plural, ''-itanni''.

==== Examples of finite verb forms ====
The following tables give examples of verb forms in various syntactic environments, largely from the Mitanni letter:

<section begin="list-of-glossing-abbreviations"/><div style="display:none;">
TRANS:transitive verb
</div><section end="list-of-glossing-abbreviations"/>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Ex.
!Form
|-
!(4)
| {{interlinear|koz-ōš-o|restrain-PRET-2SG|"You restrained"}}
|-
!(5)
| {{interlinear|pal-i-a-mā-šše{{=}}mān|know-TRANS-''3rd''-NEG-NOM{{=}}but|"..., but which he doesn't know"}}
|-
!(6)
| {{interlinear|pašš-ēt-i{{=}}t{{=}}ān šeniffuta|send-FUT-ANTIP{{=}}1SG.ABS{{=}}and to.my.brother|"and I will send to my brother"}}
|-
!(7)
| {{interlinear|tiwēna tān-ōš-au-šše-na-Ø|the.things do-PRET-1SG-NOM-ART.PL-ABS|"the things I've done"}}
|-
!(8)
| {{interlinear|ūr-i-uffu{{=}}nna{{=}}ān|want-TRANS-NEG+1SG{{=}}3PL.ABS{{=}}and|"and I don't want it"}}
|-
!(9)
| {{interlinear|itt-ōš-t-a|go-PRET-INTR-INTR|"I went, you went, ..."}}
|-
!(10)
| {{interlinear|kul-le|say-OPT.1SG|"I want to say"}}
|-
!(11)
| {{interlinear|pašš-ien|send-OPT.3SG|"may he send"}}
|-
!(12)
| {{interlinear|pal-lae{{=}}n|know-{{gcl|FINAL|final verbal aspect}}-3SG.ABS|"so he knows"}}
|-
!(13)
| {{interlinear|kepānol-lefa{{=}}tta{{=}}ān|send-POT{{=}}1SG.ABS{{=}}and|"and I might send"}}
|}

==== Infinitive verb forms ====
Infinitive forms of the verb in Hurrian include both nominalised verbs ([[participles]]) and a more conventional [[infinitive]]. The first nominalised participle, the present participle, is characterised by the ending ''-iri'' or ''-ire'', e.g. ''pairi'', "the one building, the builder", ''hapiri'', "the one moving, the nomad". The second nominalised participle, the perfect participle, is formed with the ending ''-aure'', and is only attested once, in Nuzi: ''hušaure'', "the bound one". Another special form is only found in the dialect of Hattusha. It can only be formed from transitive verbs, and it specifies an agent of the first person. Its ending is ''-ilia'', and this participle can undergo Suffixaufnahme.

{{interlinear|number=ex:|glossing2=no|glossing3=yes
|pailianeš šuḫnineš
|pa-ilia-ne-š šuḫni-ne-š
|build-I.PRET.PTCP-ART.SG-ERG.SG wall-ART.SG-ERG.SG
|"the wall built by me" (here in the ergative, so a subject of a transitive verb)
}}

The infinitive, which can also be found nominalised, is formed with the suffix ''-umme'', e.g. ''fahrumme'', "to be good", "the state/property of being good"