In this magnum opus, N. J. C. Kouwenberg presents a thoroughgoing, modern analysis of the Akkadian verbal system, taking into account all of the currently available evidence for the language during the course of the long period of its attestation. The book achieves this goal through two strategies: (1) to describe the Akkadian verbal system, as comprehensively as the data permit; and (2) to reconstruct its prehistory on the basis of internal evidence and reconstruction, comparison with cognate languages, and typological evidence. Akkadian has one of the longest documented histories of any language: data from nearly two-and-one-half millennia are available, even if the stream of data is sometimes interrupted and not always as copious as we would like. During the course of this history, numerous developments took place, illustrating how languages change over time and offering parallels for reconstruction of changes that occurred in poorly documented periods. As a result, this book will be of great interest, in the first place, for all students of Akkadian, both the language and the literature that is documented in that language; and in the second place, for all students of language and linguistics who are interested in the study of how languages are shaped, develop, and change during the course of a long history.

Biblical Semantic Logic first appeared in 1981, and seeks to show that the study of biblical and ancient Near Eastern languages and literatures can be established on a logical basis. In a new prologue for this edition, Gibson reviews some of the scholarly treatment of the topic since the appearance of the first edition. He addresses the topics of originality and infinity and also suggests that deep areas of literary creativity resemble cosmology and pure mathematics. Gibson then demonstrates how the central areas of biblical usage (names, predicates expressions of quantity, idioms) can be mapped employing some contemporary philosophy, logic and linguistics. There is criticism of some previous scholarly interpretations, expecially where these have led to the underestimation of the conceptual and logical sensitivity of biblical narrative.

Part 1 of this study is a glossary with comparative analysis of non-normative Akkadian forms, Hittite and Hurrian words, West Semitic lexemes, and words of uncertain origin, with special attention given to the West Semitic forms. Part 2 consists of grammatical observations pertaining to the West Semitic forms, under the headings orthography, phonology, and morphology.

The first comparative grammar of the Semitic languages, by H. Zimmern, was published a hundred years ago and the last original work of this kind was issued in Russian in 1972 by B.M. Grande. The present grammar, designed to come out in the centenary of the completion of Zimmern's work, fills thus a gap. Besides, it is based on both classical and modern Semitic languages, it takes new material of these last decades into account, and situates the Semitic languages in the wider context of Afro-Asiatic. The introduction briefly presents the languages in question. The main parts of the work are devoted to phonology, morphology, and syntax, with elaborate charts and diagrams. Then follows a discussion of fundamental questions related to lexicographical analysis. The study is supplemented by a glossary of linguistic terms used in Semitics, by a selective bibliography, by a general index, and by an index of words and forms. The book is the result of twenty-five years of research and teaching in comparative Semitic grammar.

Preliminary Material /JAN RETSÖ -- ABBREVIATIONS OF TERMS /JAN RETSÖ -- PREFACE /JAN RETSÖ -- INTRODUCTION /JAN RETSÖ -- THE APOPHONIC PASSIVE IN ARABIC /JAN RETSÖ -- THE APOPHONIC PASSIVE MARKER IN SEMITIC /JAN RETSÖ -- THE YUQTAL AS PASSIVE MARKER /JAN RETSÖ -- THE SEMITIC CAUSATIVE CONJUGATION /JAN RETSÖ -- THE CAUSATIVE CONJUGATION IN ARABIC /JAN RETSÖ -- THE IMPERFECT PASSIVE MARKER OF THE G-STEM IN SEMITIC /JAN RETSÖ -- THE OTHER PASSIVE MARKERS IN SEMITIC /JAN RETSÖ -- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS /JAN RETSÖ -- APPENDIX 1 /JAN RETSÖ -- APPENDIX 2 /JAN RETSÖ -- BIBLIOGRAPHY /JAN RETSÖ -- GENERAL INDEX /JAN RETSÖ -- INDEX OF FORMS /JAN RETSÖ.

Sixteen essays from the Albright conference held at the Johns Hopkins University charting the course of ancient Near Eastern studies in the twenty-first century. This landmark volume is essential reading for both students and scholars.