Col. Rawlinson’s brother claimed that he used Oromo to decipher the cuneiform writing. If this is true we should be able to find a connection between Oromo , and the Akkadian and/or Sumerian languages. A cursory examination of Oromo and Sumerian verbs suggest that such a relationship may exist.
Sumerian ....... Oromo
bar ‘to open’ ..... ba ‘go out, appear’
ga, aka ‘to place’ ..... kai ‘to put’
kur ‘to rise’ ..... ka ‘to rise up’
bar ‘bright, to shine’ ..... bai ‘excellent’
de ‘pour’ ....... dug ‘drink’
kar ‘to rise’ ....... ka ‘to rise’
dur ‘sit’ ..... tai ‘sit’
kur ‘enter’ ..... gal ‘enter’
pae ‘appear’ ..... ba ‘appear’
bu ‘perfect’ ....... bai ‘excellent’
gal ‘big’ ....... guda ‘big’
gurud ‘throw’ ..... gat ‘throw’
ri ‘let go’ ..... lit ‘go in, enter’
du ‘to plant’ ..... dab ‘to plant’
dub ‘fix a boundary’ ....... dab ‘fix’
There is striking correspondence between the Oromo and Sumerian verbs. There appears to be full correspondence between the:
b-b
k-k
d-d
m-m
n-n
We also find that p/b, r/l and d/t were interchangeable consonants in some Sumerian and Oromo words.
It is interesting that in relation to the vowels, we find that the Sumerian –u- often appears an –a- in Oromo. e.g.:
Sumerian Oromo
nag ‘drink’ ..... dug ‘drink’
dur ‘sit’ ..... tai ‘sit’
kur ‘enter’ ..... gal ‘enter’
bu ‘perfect’ ..... bai ‘excellent’
Granted these are only a few of the verbs found in Sumerian and Oromo. Yet, this discussion of Oromo and Sumerian verbs indicate that the terms illustrate cognation. This cognation in Sumerian and Oromo verbs may explain why Rawlinson felt that he could use Oromo in his decipherment of the cuneiform writing.
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