| Type: | Package |
| Title: | Sumerian Cuneiform Text Analysis |
| Version: | 1.0.0 |
| Description: | Provides functions for converting transliterated Sumerian texts to sign names and cuneiform characters, creating and querying dictionaries, and analyzing the structure of Sumerian words. Includes a built-in dictionary and supports both forward lookup (Sumerian to English) and reverse lookup (English to Sumerian). |
| License: | GPL-3 |
| Encoding: | UTF-8 |
| Depends: | R (≥ 4.0.0) |
| Imports: | stringr, officer, xml2, dplyr, cli |
| RoxygenNote: | 7.3.3 |
| Maintainer: | Robin Wellmann <ro.wellmann@gmail.com> |
| NeedsCompilation: | no |
| Packaged: | 2026-01-19 18:17:13 UTC; rowel |
| Author: | Robin Wellmann [aut, cre] |
| Repository: | CRAN |
| Date/Publication: | 2026-01-23 14:20:02 UTC |
Tools for Working with Sumerian Cuneiform Texts
Description
A toolkit for analyzing and translating Sumerian cuneiform texts. The package provides functions for converting sign names to cuneiform characters, creating and querying dictionaries, and analyzing the structure of Sumerian words.
Getting Started
Load the package and explore the built-in dictionary:
library(sumer)
# Load the built-in dictionary
dic <- read_dictionary()
# Look up a Sumerian word
look_up("d-suen", dic)
# Search for a term in translations
look_up("water", dic, "en")
Cuneiform Conversion and Analysis
Functions for converting sign names to cuneiform and analyzing sign structure:
as.cuneiform-
Converts Sumerian text to cuneiform characters.
as.cuneiform("lugal") as.cuneiform("AN.EN.ZU") as.sign_name-
Converts Sumerian text to sign names.
as.sign_name("lugal") split_sumerian-
Splits compound sign names into individual components.
split_sumerian("AN.EN.ZU") info-
Displays detailed information about a Sumerian text.
info("jic-tukul")
Dictionary Creation
Functions for creating dictionaries from annotated translation files:
read_translated_text-
Reads annotated translation files (.docx or .txt) and extracts sign names, grammatical types, and meanings.
filename <- system.file("extdata", "text_with_translations.txt", package = "sumer") translations <- read_translated_text(filename) convert_to_dictionary-
Converts translation data into dictionary format, adding cuneiform representations and phonetic readings.
dictionary <- convert_to_dictionary(translations)
make_dictionary-
Convenience function that combines reading and conversion in one step.
dictionary <- make_dictionary(filename)
Dictionary Input/Output
Functions for saving and loading dictionaries:
save_dictionary-
Saves a dictionary to a text file with metadata header.
save_dictionary(dic, "my_dictionary.txt", author = "John Doe", version = "1.0") read_dictionary-
Loads a dictionary from file. Without arguments, loads the built-in dictionary.
dic <- read_dictionary() dic <- read_dictionary("my_dictionary.txt")
Dictionary Lookup
look_up-
Interactive dictionary search. Supports both forward lookup (Sumerian to English) and reverse lookup (English to Sumerian).
# Forward lookup: Sumerian sign name look_up("AN", dic) look_up("AN.EN.ZU", dic) # Reverse lookup: search in translations look_up("king", dic, "en") look_up("Gilgamesh", dic, "en") skeleton-
Creates a structured template (skeleton) for translating Sumerian text.
skeleton("e-ta-na an-ce3 ba-ed3-de3")
Typical Workflows
Workflow A: Analyze and translate a text
library(sumer)
# Convert sign name to cuneiform
as.cuneiform("d-en-líl")
# Load dictionary
dic <- read_dictionary()
# Look up the meaning
look_up("d-en-líl", dic)
# Get information about individual signs
info("d-en-líl")
info("lil")
info("lil2")
Workflow B: Create your own dictionary
library(sumer)
# Read annotated translations from file
filename <- system.file("extdata", "text_with_translations.txt", package = "sumer")
translations <- read_translated_text(filename)
# Convert to dictionary format
dictionary <- convert_to_dictionary(translations)
# Save for later use
save_dictionary(dictionary, "my_dictionary.txt",
author = "My Name",
year = "2025",
version = "1.0")
# Load and use
my_dic <- read_dictionary("my_dictionary.txt")
look_up("ki", my_dic)
Author(s)
Maintainer: [Robin Wellmann] ro.wellmann@gmail.com
See Also
Core functions:
info,
read_dictionary,
look_up
Dictionary creation:
read_translated_text,
convert_to_dictionary,
make_dictionary,
save_dictionary
skeleton
Analysis tools:
split_sumerian,
as.cuneiform,
as.sign_name
Convert Transliterated Sumerian Text to Cuneiform
Description
Converts transliterated Sumerian text to Unicode cuneiform characters. This is a generic function with a method for character vectors.
Usage
as.cuneiform(x, ...)
## Default S3 method:
as.cuneiform(x, ...)
## S3 method for class 'character'
as.cuneiform(x, mapping = NULL, ...)
## S3 method for class 'cuneiform'
print(x, ...)
Arguments
x |
For For |
mapping |
A data frame containing the sign mapping table with columns |
... |
Additional arguments passed to methods. |
Details
The function processes each element of the input character vector by:
Calling
infoto look up sign information for each transliterated sign.Extracting the Unicode cuneiform symbols for each sign.
Reconstructing the cuneiform text using the original separators, but removing hyphens and periods which are only used in transliteration to indicate sign boundaries.
The default method throws an error for unsupported input types.
Value
as.cuneiform returns a character vector of class cuneiform with the cuneiform representation of each input element.
print.cuneiform displays a character vector of class cuneiform.
Note
The cuneiform output requires a font that supports the Unicode Cuneiform block (U+12000 to U+12500) to display correctly.
See Also
info for retrieving detailed sign information,
split_sumerian for splitting Sumerian text into signs,
as.sign_name for converting transliterated Sumerian text intos sign names
Examples
# Convert transliterated text to cuneiform
as.cuneiform(c("na-an-jic li-ic ma","en tarah-an-na-ke4"))
# Load transliterated text from a file
file <- system.file("extdata", "transliterated-text.txt", package = "sumer")
x <- readLines(file)
cat(x, sep="\n")
# Convert transliterated text to cuneiform
as.cuneiform(x)
# Using a custom mapping table
path <- system.file("extdata", "etcsl_mapping.txt", package = "sumer")
my_mapping <- read.csv2(path, sep=";", na.strings="")
as.cuneiform("lugal", mapping = my_mapping)
# Error for unsupported types
as.cuneiform(123)
# Error in as.cuneiform.default(123) : Cannot coerce to cuneiform
Convert Transliterated Sumerian Text to Sign Names
Description
Converts transliterated Sumerian text to canonical sign names in uppercase notation. This is a generic function with a method for character vectors.
Usage
as.sign_name(x, ...)
## Default S3 method:
as.sign_name(x, ...)
## S3 method for class 'character'
as.sign_name(x, mapping = NULL, ...)
## S3 method for class 'sign_name'
print(x, ...)
Arguments
x |
For For |
mapping |
A data frame containing the sign mapping table with columns |
... |
Additional arguments passed to methods. |
Details
The function processes each element of the input character vector by:
Calling
infoto look up sign information for each transliterated sign.Extracting the canonical sign names for each sign.
Reconstructing the text using the original separators, but replacing hyphens with periods to follow standard sign name notation.
The default method throws an error for unsupported input types.
Value
as.sign_name returns a character vector of class c("sign_name", "character") with the sign name representation of each input element.
print.sign_name displays a character vector of class "sign_name".
See Also
as.cuneiform for converting to cuneiform characters,
info for retrieving detailed sign information,
split_sumerian for splitting Sumerian text into signs
Examples
# Convert transliterated text to sign names
as.sign_name(c("lugal-e", "an-ki"))
# Load transliterated text from a file
file <- system.file("extdata", "transliterated-text.txt", package = "sumer")
x <- readLines(file)
cat(x, sep="\n")
# Convert transliterated text to sign names
as.sign_name(x)
# Using a custom mapping table
path <- system.file("extdata", "etcsl_mapping.txt", package = "sumer")
my_mapping <- read.csv2(path, sep=";", na.strings="")
as.sign_name("lugal", mapping = my_mapping)
# Error for unsupported types
as.sign_name(123)
# Error in as.sign_name.default(123) : Cannot coerce to cuneiform names
Convert Translation Data to a Sumerian Dictionary
Description
Converts a data frame of Sumerian translations into a structured dictionary format, adding cuneiform representations and phonetic readings for each sign.
Usage
convert_to_dictionary(df, mapping = NULL)
Arguments
df |
A data frame with columns |
mapping |
A data frame containing sign-to-reading mappings with columns
|
Details
Processing Steps
Aggregates translations and counts occurrences of each unique combination in
dfLooks up phonetic readings and cuneiform signs for each sign component
Combines cuneiform, reading, and translation rows into a single data frame
Sorts the result by sign name and row type
Reading Format
Phonetic readings are formatted as follows:
Multiple possible readings are enclosed in braces:
{a, dur5, duru5}For compound signs, readings of individual components are joined with hyphens
If a sign has more than three possible readings in a compound, only the first three are shown followed by
...Unknown readings are marked with
?
Value
A data frame with the following columns:
- sign_name
The normalized Sumerian text (e.g.,
"A","AN","A2.TAB")- row_type
Type of entry:
"cunei."(cuneiform character),"reading"(phonetic readings), or"trans."(translation)- count
Number of occurrences for translations;
NAfor cuneiform and reading entries- type
Grammatical type (e.g.,
"S","V","A") for translations; empty string for other row types- meaning
The cuneiform character(s), phonetic reading(s), or translated meaning depending on
row_type
The data frame is sorted by sign_name, row_type, and
descending count.
See Also
read_translated_text for reading translation files,
make_dictionary for creating a complete dictionary with
cuneiform representations and readings in a single step.
Examples
# Read translations from a single text document
filename <- system.file("extdata", "text_with_translations.txt", package = "sumer")
translations <- read_translated_text(filename)
# View the structure
head(translations)
#Make some custom unifications (here: removing the word "the")
translations$meaning <- gsub("\\bthe\\b", "", translations$meaning, ignore.case = TRUE)
translations$meaning <- trimws(gsub("\\s+", " ", translations$meaning))
# View the structure
head(translations)
#Convert the result into a dictionary
dictionary <- convert_to_dictionary(translations)
# View the structure
head(dictionary)
# View entries for a specific sign
dictionary[dictionary$sign_name == "EN", ]
# With custom mapping
path <- system.file("extdata", "etcsl_mapping.txt", package = "sumer")
mapping <- read.csv2(path, sep=";", na.strings="")
translations <- read_translated_text(filename, mapping = mapping)
dictionary <- convert_to_dictionary(translations, mapping = mapping)
head(dictionary)
Retrieve Information About Sumerian Signs
Description
Analyzes a transliterated Sumerian text string and retrieves detailed information about each sign, including syllabic readings, sign names, cuneiform symbols, and alternative readings.
The function info computes the result and returns an object of class "info". The print method displays a summary of different text representations in the console.
Usage
info(x, mapping = NULL)
## S3 method for class 'info'
print(x, flatten = FALSE, ...)
Arguments
x |
For For |
mapping |
A data frame containing the sign mapping table with columns |
flatten |
Logical. If |
... |
Additional arguments passed to the print method (currently unused). |
Details
The function info performs the following steps:
Splits the input string into signs and separators using
split_sumerian.Standardizes the signs.
Looks up each sign in the mapping table based on its type:
Type 1 (lowercase): Searches for a matching syllable reading.
Type 2 (uppercase): Searches for a matching sign name.
Type 3 (cuneiform): Searches for a matching cuneiform character.
Returns a data frame with the results, along with the separators stored as an attribute.
The mapping table must contain the following columns:
- syllables
Comma-separated list of possible syllabic readings for the sign. The first reading is used as the default.
- name
The canonical sign name in uppercase.
- cuneiform
The Unicode cuneiform character.
The print method displays each sign with its name and alternative readings, followed by three text representations: syllables, sign names, and cuneiform text.
Value
info returns a data frame of class c("info", "data.frame") with one row per sign and the following columns:
reading |
The syllabic reading of the sign. For lowercase input, this is the standardized input; for other types, this is the default syllable from the mapping. |
sign |
The Unicode cuneiform character corresponding to the sign. |
name |
The canonical sign name in uppercase. |
alternatives |
A comma-separated string of all possible syllabic readings for the sign. |
The data frame has an attribute "separators" containing the separator characters between signs.
print.info prints the following to the console and returns x invisibly:
- Sign table
Each sign with its cuneiform symbol, name, and alternative readings.
- syllables
The text with syllabic readings, using hyphens as separators within words.
- sign names
The text with sign names, using periods as separators within words.
- cuneiform text
The text rendered in Unicode cuneiform characters, with hyphens and periods removed.
Note
If no custom mapping is provided, the function loads the internal mapping file included with the sumer package.
See Also
split_sumerian for splitting Sumerian text into signs,
Examples
library(stringr)
# Basic usage - compute and print
info("lugal-e")
# Store the result for further processing
result <- info("an-ki")
result
# Access the underlying data frame
result$sign
result$name
# Print with and without flattened separators
result <- info("(an)na")
print(result)
print(result, flatten = TRUE)
# Using a custom mapping table
path <- system.file("extdata", "etcsl_mapping.txt", package = "sumer")
my_mapping <- read.csv2(path, sep=";", na.strings="")
info("an-ki", mapping = my_mapping)
Look Up Sumerian Signs or Search for Translations
Description
Searches a Sumerian dictionary either by sign name (forward lookup) or by translation text (reverse lookup).
The function look_up computes the search results and returns an object of class "look_up". The print method displays formatted results with cuneiform representations, grammatical types, and translation counts.
Usage
look_up(x, dic, lang = "sumer", width = 70)
## S3 method for class 'look_up'
print(x, ...)
Arguments
x |
For
For |
dic |
A dictionary data frame, typically created by
|
lang |
Character string specifying whether |
width |
Integer specifying the text width for line wrapping. Default is 70. |
... |
Additional arguments passed to the print method (currently unused). |
Details
Search Modes
The function operates in two modes depending on the input:
Forward Lookup (Sumerian input detected):
Converts the sign name to cuneiform
Retrieves all translations for the exact sign combination
Retrieves translations for all individual signs and substrings
Reverse Lookup (non-Sumerian input):
Searches for the term in all translation meanings
Retrieves matching entries with sign names and cuneiform
Output Format
The print method displays results with:
Sign names with cuneiform representations
Occurrence counts in brackets (e.g.,
[29])Grammatical type abbreviations (e.g.,
S,V)Translation meanings with automatic line wrapping
Search term highlighting in blue for reverse lookups (only for ANSI-compatible terminals)
Value
look_up returns an object of class "look_up", which is a list containing:
search |
The original search term. |
lang |
The language setting used for the search. |
width |
The text width for formatting. |
cuneiform |
The cuneiform representation (only for Sumerian searches). |
sign_name |
The canonical sign name (only for Sumerian searches). |
translations |
A data frame with translations for the exact sign combination (only for Sumerian searches). |
substrings |
A named list of data frames with translations for individual signs and substrings (only for Sumerian searches). |
matches |
A data frame with matching entries (only for non-Sumerian searches). |
print.look_up prints formatted dictionary entries to the console and returns x invisibly.
See Also
read_dictionary for loading dictionaries,
make_dictionary for creating dictionaries,
as.cuneiform for cuneiform conversion.
Examples
# Load dictionary
dic <- read_dictionary()
# Forward lookup: search by phonetic spelling
look_up("d-suen", dic)
# Forward lookup: search by Sumerian sign name
look_up("AN", dic)
look_up("AN.EN.ZU", dic)
# Forward lookup: search by cuneiform character string
AN.NA <- paste0(intToUtf8(0x1202D), intToUtf8(0x1223E))
AN.NA
look_up(AN.NA, dic)
# Reverse lookup: search in translations
look_up("Gilgamesh", dic, "en")
# Adjust output width for narrow terminals
look_up("water", dic, "en", width = 50)
# Store results for later use
result <- look_up("lugal", dic)
result$cuneiform
result$translations
# Print stored results
print(result)
Create a Sumerian Dictionary from Annotated Text Files
Description
Parses Word documents (.docx) or plain text files containing annotated Sumerian translations and creates a structured dictionary data frame. The function extracts sign names, their cuneiform representations, possible readings, and translations with grammatical types.
Usage
make_dictionary(file, mapping = NULL)
Arguments
file |
A character vector of file paths to .docx or text files. Files must contain translation lines that are formatted as described below. |
mapping |
A data frame containing sign-to-reading mappings with columns
|
Details
Input Format
The input files must contain lines starting with | in the following format:
|sign_name: TYPE: meaning
or
|equation for sign_name: TYPE: meaning
For example:
|a2-tab: S: the double amount of work performance |me=ME: S: divine force |AN: S: god of heaven |na=NA: Sx->A: whose existence is bound to S
Lines not starting with | are ignored. Only the first entry in an equation of sign names is used for the dictionary. The following notation is suggested for grammatical types:
-
Sfor substantives and noun phrases, (e.g., "the old man in the temple") -
Vfor verbs and decorated verbs (e.g., "to go", "to bring the delivery into the temple") -
Afor adjectives, attributes and subordinate clauses that further define the subject (e.g., "who/which is weak", "whose resource for sustaining life is grain") -
Sx->Afor a symbol that transforms the preceding noun phrase into an attribute (e.g., "whose resource for sustaining life isS"). Other transformations are denoted accordingly. -
Nfor numbers, -
Dfor everything else.
Processing Steps
Extracts text from .docx files or reads plain text
Filters lines starting with
|Normalizes sign names and looks up possible readings from the mapping table
Aggregates translations and counts occurrences
Output Structure
For each unique sign, the output contains:
One
cunei.row with the cuneiform character(s)One
readingrow with possible phonetic readingsOne or more
trans.rows with translations, sorted by frequency
Value
A data frame with the following columns:
- sign_name
The normalized Sumerian sign name (e.g., "A", "AN", "ME")
- line_type
Type of entry:
"cunei."(cuneiform),"reading"(phonetic readings), or"trans."(translation)- count
Number of occurrences for translations;
NAfor cuneiform and reading entries- type
Grammatical type (e.g., "S", "V", "Sx->A") for translations; empty for other line types
- meaning
The cuneiform character(s), reading(s), or translated meaning depending on line_type
See Also
Examples
# Create a dictionary from a single text document
filename <- system.file("extdata", "text_with_translations.txt", package = "sumer")
dict <- make_dictionary(filename)
# Use the dictionary
look_up("an", dict)
Read a Sumerian Dictionary from File
Description
Reads a Sumerian dictionary from a semicolon-separated text file, optionally displaying the metadata header with author, version, and update information.
Usage
read_dictionary(file = NULL, verbose = TRUE)
Arguments
file |
A character string specifying the path to the dictionary file.
If |
verbose |
Logical. If |
Details
File Format
The function expects a semicolon-separated file with a metadata header.
Lines starting with # are treated as comments. The expected format is:
###---------------------------------------------------------------
### Sumerian Dictionary
###
### Author: Robin Wellmann
### Year: 2026
### Version: 0.5
### Watch for Updates:
### https://founder-hypothesis.com/en/sumerian-mythology/downloads/
###---------------------------------------------------------------
sign_name;row_type;count;type;meaning
A;cunei.;;;<here would be the cuneiform sign for A>
A;reading;;;{a, dur5, duru5}
A;trans.;3;S;water
Encoding
The file is read with UTF-8 encoding to properly handle cuneiform characters.
Value
A data frame with the following columns:
- sign_name
The Sumerian sign name (e.g.,
"A","AN","ME")- row_type
Type of entry:
"cunei."(cuneiform character),"reading"(phonetic readings), or"trans."(translation)- count
Number of occurrences for translations;
NAfor cuneiform and reading entries- type
Grammatical type (e.g.,
"S","V") for translations; empty string for other row types- meaning
The cuneiform character(s), phonetic reading(s), or translated meaning depending on
row_type
See Also
save_dictionary for saving dictionaries to file,
make_dictionary and convert_to_dictionary for
creating dictionaries.
Examples
# Load the built-in dictionary
dic <- read_dictionary()
# Load a custom dictionary
filename <- system.file("extdata", "sumer-dictionary.txt", package = "sumer")
dic <- read_dictionary(filename)
# Look up an entry
look_up("d-suen", dic)
Read Annotated Sumerian Translations from Text Files
Description
Reads Word documents (.docx) or plain text files containing annotated Sumerian translations and extracts sign names, grammatical types, and meanings into a structured data frame.
Usage
read_translated_text(file, mapping=NULL)
Arguments
file |
A character vector of file paths to .docx or text files. Files must contain translation lines that are formatted as described below. |
mapping |
A data frame containing sign-to-reading mappings with columns
|
Details
Input Format
The input files must contain lines starting with | in the following format:
|sign_name: TYPE: meaning
or
|equation for sign_name: TYPE: meaning
For example:
|a2-tab: S: the double amount of work performance |me=ME: S: divine force |AN: S: god of heaven |na=NA: Sx->A: whose existence is bound to S
Lines not starting with | are ignored. Only the first entry in an equation of sign names is extracted. The following notation is suggested for grammatical types:
-
Sfor substantives and noun phrases, (e.g., "the old man in the temple") -
Vfor verbs and decorated verbs (e.g., "to go", "to bring the delivery into the temple") -
Afor adjectives, attributes and subordinate clauses that further define the subject (e.g., "who/which is weak", "whose resource for sustaining life is grain") -
Sx->Afor a symbol that transforms the preceding noun phrase into an attribute (e.g., "whose resource for sustaining life isS"). Other transformations are denoted accordingly. -
Nfor numbers, -
Dfor everything else.
Processing Steps
Reads text from .docx files or plain text files
Filters lines starting with
|Parses each line into sign name, type, and meaning components
Normalizes transliterated text by removing separators and looking up the sign names from the
mappingCleans meaning field by removing content after
;or|delimitersIssues a warning for entries with missing type annotations
Excludes empty sign names from the result
Value
A data frame with the following columns:
- sign_name
The normalized sign name with components separated by hyphens (e.g.,
"A","AN","X-NA")- type
Grammatical type (e.g.,
"S","V","A","Sx->A")- meaning
The translated meaning of the sign
Note
If any translations have missing type annotations, the function prints a warning message listing the affected entries.
See Also
convert_to_dictionary for converting the result into a dictionary,
make_dictionary for creating a complete dictionary with
cuneiform representations and readings in a single step.
Examples
# Read translations from a single text document
filename <- system.file("extdata", "text_with_translations.txt", package = "sumer")
translations <- read_translated_text(filename)
# View the structure
head(translations)
# Filter by grammatical type
nouns <- translations[translations$type == "S", ]
nouns
#Make some custom unifications (here: removing the word "the")
translations$meaning <- gsub("\\bthe\\b", "", translations$meaning, ignore.case = TRUE)
translations$meaning <- trimws(gsub("\\s+", " ", translations$meaning))
# View the structure
head(translations)
#Convert the result into a dictionary
dictionary <- convert_to_dictionary(translations)
# View the structure
head(dictionary)
Save a Sumerian Dictionary to File
Description
Saves a Sumerian dictionary data frame to a semicolon-separated text file with a metadata header containing author, year, version, and URL information.
Usage
save_dictionary(dic, file, author = "", year = "", version = "", url = "")
Arguments
dic |
A dictionary data frame, typically created by
|
file |
A character string specifying the output file path. |
author |
A character string with the author name(s) for the metadata header. |
year |
A character string with the year of creation for the metadata header. |
version |
A character string with the version number for the metadata header. |
url |
A character string with a URL where updates can be found. |
Details
Output Format
The output file consists of two parts:
A metadata header with lines starting with
###, containing author, year, version, and URL informationThe dictionary data in semicolon-separated format with columns:
sign_name,row_type,count,type,meaning
Example output:
###---------------------------------------------------------------
### Sumerian Dictionary
###
### Author: Robin Wellmann
### Year: 2026
### Version: 1.0
### Watch for Updates: https://founder-hypothesis.com/sumer/
###---------------------------------------------------------------
sign_name;row_type;count;type;meaning
A;cunei.;;;<cuneiform sign for A>
A;reading;;;{a, dur5, duru5}
A;trans.;3;S;water
Value
No return value. The function is called for its side effect of writing the dictionary to a file.
See Also
make_dictionary and convert_to_dictionary for
creating dictionaries, read_dictionary for reading saved
dictionaries.
Examples
# Create and save a dictionary
filename <- system.file("extdata", "text_with_translations.txt", package = "sumer")
dictionary <- make_dictionary(filename)
save_dictionary(
dic = dictionary,
file = "sumerian_dictionary.txt",
author = "John Doe",
year = "2024",
version = "1.0",
url = "https://example.com/dictionary"
)
Create a Translation Template for Sumerian Text
Description
Creates a structured template (skeleton) for translating Sumerian text. The template displays each word and syllable with its sign name and cuneiform representation, providing a framework for adding translations.
The function skeleton computes the template and returns an object of class "skeleton". The print method displays the template in the console.
Usage
skeleton(x, mapping = NULL)
## S3 method for class 'skeleton'
print(x, ...)
Arguments
x |
For For |
mapping |
A data frame containing the sign mapping table with columns |
... |
Additional arguments passed to the print method (currently unused). |
Details
The function generates a hierarchical template with different levels of detail depending on the input type:
- Multiple words
The template includes a header line with the original text, followed by entries for each word, its syllables (indented with one tab), and sub-signs for multi-sign syllables (indented with two tabs).
- Single word (multiple syllables)
The word equation serves as the header, followed by syllable entries (one tab) and sub-sign entries (two tabs). No redundant header line is generated.
- Single syllable
Only the syllable equation is shown (no indentation), with sub-sign entries indented by one tab if applicable.
Each line in the template follows the format
|[tabs]reading=SIGN.NAME=cuneiform::
The template should be filled in as follows:
Between the two colons: the grammatical type of the expression (e.g.,
Sfor noun phrases,Vfor verbs, etc.). Seemake_dictionaryfor details.After the second colon: the translation
For example, a filled-in line might look like:
|an=AN=<cuneiform sign for AN>:S: god of heaven
Redundant lines are automatically omitted: if a word consists of only one syllable, no separate syllable line is generated.
This function is intended to be used together with look_up for translating Sumerian texts: first create a template with skeleton, then use look_up to find the meanings of words and signs, and fill in the template accordingly.
The template format is designed to be saved as a text file (.txt) or Word document (.docx), filled in manually, and can then be used as input for make_dictionary to create a custom dictionary.
Value
skeleton returns a character vector of class c("skeleton", "character") containing the template lines.
print.skeleton prints the template to the console and returns x invisibly.
See Also
look_up for looking up translations of Sumerian signs and words,
make_dictionary for creating a dictionary from filled-in templates,
info for retrieving detailed sign information
Examples
# Create a template for a multi-word phrase
skeleton("e-ta-na an-ce3 ba-ed3-de3")
# Create a template for a single word
skeleton("lugal-e")
# Create a template for a single syllable
skeleton("an")
# Store the template for further use
tmpl <- skeleton("lu2 du")
tmpl
# Typical workflow: create template, then look up meanings
dic <- read_dictionary()
tmpl <- skeleton("lugal kur-ra-ke4")
print(tmpl)
look_up("lugal", dic)
look_up("kur", dic)
Split a String into Sumerian Signs and Separators
Description
Splits a transliterated Sumerian text string into its constituent signs and the separators between them. The function recognizes three types of Sumerian sign representations: lowercase transliterations, uppercase sign names, and Unicode cuneiform characters.
Usage
split_sumerian(x)
Arguments
x |
A character string containing transliterated Sumerian text. |
Details
The function identifies Sumerian signs based on three patterns:
-
Lowercase transliterations (type 1): Sequences of lowercase letters (a-z) including special characters (ĝ, š, ...) and accented vowels (á, é, í, ú, à, è, ì, ù), optionally followed by a numeric index.
-
Uppercase sign names (type 2): Sequences starting with an uppercase letter, optionally followed by additional uppercase letters, digits, or the characters
+,/, and ×. -
Cuneiform characters (type 3): Unicode characters in the Cuneiform block (U+12000 to U+12500).
The function returns the signs and separators in a format that allows exact reconstruction of the original string using paste0(c("", signs), separators, collapse = "").
Value
A list with three components:
signs |
A character vector containing the extracted Sumerian signs. |
separators |
A character vector of length |
types |
An integer vector of the same length as |
Examples
# Example 1
x <- "en-tarah-an-na-ke4"
result <- split_sumerian(x)
result
# Example 2
x <- "en-DARA3.AN.na-ke4"
result <- split_sumerian(x)
result
# Reconstruct the original string
paste0(c("", result$signs), result$separators, collapse = "")