Pennsylvania Sumerian Dictionary
Encyclopedia
The Pennsylvania Sumerian Dictionary is a project to compile a comprehensive dictionary of the Sumerian language
. It is run out of the University of Pennsylvania
's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
and funded by both private donors and the National Endowment for the Humanities
. The project began under the direction of Åke W. Sjöberg and Erle Leichty in 1974 and was modeled on the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary
, itself begun in 1921. In 1976 it received its first federal funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and in 1984 published its first section for the letter B; only 750 copies were originally printed, but more were soon published as the first batch sold out surprisingly quickly at US$40 a piece. As of 1989 Sjöberg was still project director, and despite retiring in 1996 continues to contribute.
In 1991 Steve Tinney joined the project, and several years later decided to reconfigure the project from an envisioned 18-volume series into an online electronic dictionary that could be progressively updated. Many shorter definitions were added as opposed to the original format of long entries in the printed A and B volumes. The data sets from several other projects attempting to put Sumerian texts in electronic form on the Internet are expected to be eventually integrated into the dictionary project. In July 2002, Tinney became the project's director.
As of April 2002 the project had received a new two-year US$302,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, though Tinney subsequently stated that because the dictionary project had changed into more of a process with no end date, they could no longer ask for federal funds, and instead would try to establish two permanent research positions for the dictionary with US$3,000,000 in donations.
Sumerian language
Sumerian is the language of ancient Sumer, which was spoken in southern Mesopotamia since at least the 4th millennium BC. During the 3rd millennium BC, there developed a very intimate cultural symbiosis between the Sumerians and the Akkadians, which included widespread bilingualism...
. It is run out of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, commonly called The Penn Museum, is an archaeology and anthropology museum that is part of the University of Pennsylvania in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-History:An internationally renowned...
and funded by both private donors and the National Endowment for the Humanities
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at...
. The project began under the direction of Åke W. Sjöberg and Erle Leichty in 1974 and was modeled on the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary
Chicago Assyrian Dictionary
The Chicago Assyrian Dictionary or The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago is a nine-decade project at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute to compile a dictionary of the Akkadian language and its dialects, focusing on the New-Assyrian forms...
, itself begun in 1921. In 1976 it received its first federal funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and in 1984 published its first section for the letter B; only 750 copies were originally printed, but more were soon published as the first batch sold out surprisingly quickly at US$40 a piece. As of 1989 Sjöberg was still project director, and despite retiring in 1996 continues to contribute.
In 1991 Steve Tinney joined the project, and several years later decided to reconfigure the project from an envisioned 18-volume series into an online electronic dictionary that could be progressively updated. Many shorter definitions were added as opposed to the original format of long entries in the printed A and B volumes. The data sets from several other projects attempting to put Sumerian texts in electronic form on the Internet are expected to be eventually integrated into the dictionary project. In July 2002, Tinney became the project's director.
As of April 2002 the project had received a new two-year US$302,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, though Tinney subsequently stated that because the dictionary project had changed into more of a process with no end date, they could no longer ask for federal funds, and instead would try to establish two permanent research positions for the dictionary with US$3,000,000 in donations.