Determinative

Determinative
This article is about the kind of written symbol. For the kind of word, see Determiner (linguistics).

A determinative, also known as a taxogram or semagram, is an ideogram used to mark semantic categories of words in logographic scripts which helps to disambiguate interpretation. They have no direct counterpart in spoken language, though they may derive historically from glyphs for real words, and functionally they resemble classifiers in East Asian and sign languages. For example, Egyptian hieroglyphic determinatives include symbols for divinities, people, parts of the body, animals, plants, and books/abstract ideas, which helped in reading but none of which were pronounced.

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Cuneiform

Further information: Sumerogram, Hittite cuneiform, and cuneiform transliteration
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In cuneiform texts of Sumerian, Akkadian and Hittite languages, many nouns are preceded or followed by a Sumerian word acting as a determinative; this specifies that the associated word belongs to a particular semantic group.[1] These determinatives were not pronounced. In transliterations of Sumerian, the determinatives are written in superscript in lower case. Whether a given sign is a mere determinative (not pronounced) or a Sumerogram (a logographic spelling of a word intended to be pronounced) can not always be determined unambiguously since their use is not always consistent.

Examples are[1][2]:


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  • Determinative — De*ter mi*na*tive, a. [Cf. F. d[ e]terminatif.] Having power to determine; limiting; shaping; directing; conclusive. [1913 Webster] Incidents . . . determinative of their course. I. Taylor. [1913 Webster] {Determinative tables} (Nat. Hist.),… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • determinative — de·ter·mi·na·tive /di tər mə ˌnā tiv, nə tiv/ adj: having the power or tendency to determine a fact determinative of the issue Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. determinative …   Law dictionary

  • Determinative — De*ter mi*na*tive, n. That which serves to determine. [1913 Webster] Explanatory determinatives . . . were placed after words phonetically expressed, in order to serve as an aid to the reader in determining the meaning. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • determinative — 1650s (adj.); 1832 (n.), from Fr. déterminatif (15c.), from L. determinat , pp. stem of determinare (see DETERMINE (Cf. determine)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • determinative — *conclusive, decisive, definitive Analogous words: determining, deciding, settling (see DECIDE): influencing, affecting (see AFFECT): shaping, fashioning, forming or formative (see corresponding verbs at MAKE) Contrasted words: *ineffective,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • determinative — [dē tʉr′mi nāt΄iv, dē tʉr′minə tiv; di tʉr′mi nā΄tiv, ditʉr′mi nə tiv] adj. [Fr déterminatif] determining or serving to determine n. a thing or factor that determines determinatively adv …   English World dictionary

  • determinative — adjective Date: 1655 having power or tendency to determine ; tending to fix, settle, or define something < regard experiments as determinative of the principles from which deductions could be made S. F. Mason > Synonyms: see conclusive •… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • déterminative — ● déterminatif, déterminative adjectif (latin médiéval determinativus) Qui détermine, précise le sens de quelque chose. ● déterminatif, déterminative (expressions) adjectif (latin médiéval determinativus) Adjectif déterminatif, ou déterminatif… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • determinative — noun a) An ideogram used to mark semantic categories of words in logographic scripts. b) a class of words, with the main function of determiner in a noun phrase. Words in the determinative class usually also have other functions. Its core members …   Wiktionary

  • determinative — adj. & n. adj. serving to define, qualify, or direct. n. a determinative thing or circumstance. Derivatives: determinatively adv. Etymology: F deacuteterminatif ive (as DETERMINE) …   Useful english dictionary

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