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The cuneiform ù sign ('u, no. 3'), is found in both the 14th century BC Amarna letters and the ''Epic of Gilgamesh''. Its use is as a conjunction, (translated as for example: ''and, but, else, until,'' etc.), but rarely it is substituted for ''alphabetic u'', but that vowel ''u'' is typically represented by 'u, no. 2', (u prime), ú; occasionally 'u, no. 1', (u (cuneiform)), , (mostly used for a conjunction, and ''numeral 10''), is also substituted for the "alphabetic u". The use of ''ù'' is often as a "stand-alone" conjunction, for example between two listed items, but it is used especially as a segue in text, (example Amarna letters), when changing topics, or when inserting segue-pausing positions. In the Amarna letters, it is also commonly immediately followed by a preposition: ''a-na'', or ''i-na'', used as ''"...And, to...."'', or ''"...And, in...."''; also ''"...But, for...."'', etc. This usage with a preposition is also a better example of the segue usage. Of the three u's, by graphemic analysis (Buccellati, 1979), the commonness is as follows:〔Buccellati, Giorgio, (Ugarit-Forschungen 11, 1979). ''Comparative Graphemic Analysis of Old Babylonian and Western Akkadian'', pp. 95-100, Graph, p. 96.〕 :ù (cuneiform), conjunction only (but also rare, for alphabetic "u") :ú (cuneiform), alphabetic 'u' :u (cuneiform), alphabetic (minor), 10, conjunction (highest use) Both "ù (cuneiform)" and ú are in the top 25 most used signs,〔Buccellati, (Ugarit-Forschungen 11, 1979). ''Comparative Graphemic Analysis of Old Babylonian and Western Akkadian'', pp. 95-100, Graph, p. 96.〕 but E (cuneiform) and "u (cuneiform)" are not; other vowels (or combination) in the 25 are: a (cuneiform), i (cuneiform), and ia (cuneiform), (''ia'' which has a secondary use as suffix, ''"-mine"'', or ''"my"'', thus in top 25 most used signs). Suffix ''"iYa"'' is used in the Middle East\Southwest Asia at present day to end placenames, or other names: "My Xxxxx". Usage numbers of ''ù'' in the ''Epic of Gilgamesh'' is as follows: ù-(84);〔Parpola, 197l. ''The Standard Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh'', Sign List, pp. 155-165, no. 455, p. 163.〕 Buccellati's usage numbers (330 Amarna letters) is (1848).〔Buccellati, Giorgio, 1979, , (Ugarit-Forschungen 11, 1979). ''Comparative Graphemic Analysis of Old Babylonian and Western Akkadian'', pp. 95-100, Graph, p. 99.〕 ==Amarna letter varieties== Scribal variants of ''ù'' exist, and especially in the Amarna letters. At least one Amarna letter, EA 367, (Pharaoh to Endaruta), has an atypical variant, but the entire letter has somewhat unique cuneiform signs. (gáb(káp)-(4 uses), tá, and a variant form of um) ("um" also =''ṭup'', also in the letter, for "clay tablet"-(''tuppu''), etc.) * Cuneiform-Ù--(EA 367-scribe variant)----(plus added-, covering up the (2)-3 horizontals, (and one added horizontal), as a complete replacement, instead of the horizontals!). The resultant is: wedge+Vertical+wedge+Vertical! (takes up same amount of clay tablet line-space)
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