Line 142 in Gilgamesh XI is usually translated "Mount Niṣir held the boat, allowing no motion." Niṣir is often spelled "Nimush", which is described as the newer reading. The Akkadian words translated "Mount Niṣir" are "KUR-ú KUR ni-ṣir". The word KUR could mean hill or country; it is capitalized because it is a Sumerian word. The first KUR is followed by a phonetic complement "-ú" which indicates that KUR-ú is to be read in Akkadian as "šadú" (hill) and not as "mātu" (country). Since "šadú" (hill) could also mean "mountain" in Akkadian, and scholars knew the Biblical expression "Mount Ararat", it has become customary to translate "šadú" as "mountain" or "mount". The flood hero was Sumerian, according to the WB-62 Sumerian King List. In Sumerian the word KUR's primary meaning is "mountain" as attested by the sign used for it. From the word mountain, the meaning "foreign country" is developed due to mountainous countries bordering Sumer. KUR in Sumerian also means "land" in general. The second KUR lacks a phonetic complement and is therefore read in Akkadian as "mātu" (country). Hence, the entire clause reads "The hill/mound country niṣir held the boat".