9.7 Leaving the "is" out
9 · Syntax — putting words in order · a plain-language guide to Assyrian (Sureth) grammar
Chapter 3 said the copula is what makes "the door is open" a sentence. There is one place it is routinely dropped: a clause that paints the background to the main action — the equivalent of an English -ing phrase or a "with…" phrase.
| Assyrian | English |
|---|---|
| khzil kha dukkana, tarra ptikha | he saw a shop, the door open |
| rishu kupa varele | he goes in, his head bowed |
| k-askakhva, aklan khupyay | we used to go up, our feet bare (= barefoot) |
| aha raba khedya, kha-akhcha zuyze palutele | very pleased, he takes out a lot of money |
| berrakele maret khmara-da baru | he runs, the owner of the donkey behind him |
The shape is always the same: a thing, then what state it is in, with nothing joining them. It attaches to the sentence beside it and never stands alone — tarra ptikha on its own is a fragment; tarra ptikhele "the door is open" is the sentence.
This is worth being able to recognise more than to produce: a clause that seems to be missing its verb is usually this, and it is describing the scene rather than reporting an event.
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