puntarriyala/i-

Hapax in a hymn to Ištar (NS).

[Zs.S.]

nom. sg. c.

pu-un-tar-ri-ia-li-iš

KUB 24.7 ii 18

(CTH 717, NS)

The attestation follows CLL:179 and CHD P:377 (cf. also HEG L-S:649; HED Pe-Pu:119) checked against the photograph of the Konkordanz. Ünal 2007a:552, Ünal 2016a:422 adds KBo 25.164 r. col. 2ff., but the fragment shows pu-u-un-ta-az (6’) and pu-u[- (2’).

[Zs.S.]

Based on a lexical list, in which a related form refers to a characteristics of an ass (or something pertaining to it, KUB 3.99 ii 12) and the context, in which Ištar is compared to a characteristics of an ass or something pertaining to a donkey), there is a general agreement that the word means ‘stubborn’ since Archi 1977a:309 (Oettinger 1979a:352 [with question mark]; Güterbock 1983a:163; Starke 1990a:378; CLL:179; Haas 1994a:351, Haas 2006a:201; Collins 2002a:242; Ünal 2007a:552, Ünal 2016a:422; EDHIL:681 [with question mark]; Tischler 2008a:150, Tischler 2016a:284, Tischler 2016a L-S:649; CHD P:377; HED Pe-Pu:119).

Nevertheless, Simon 2020a argues that the lexical list allows a completely different meaning, ‘to shout, to scream’, which not only fits the donkey (i.e. the bray) but also provides a contextually more fitting description of Ištar as a terrifying war-goddess.

[Zs.S.]

Oettinger 1979a:352 and Starke 1990a:378 claim that this word is Luwian (followed by CLL:179; for Starke’s reasoning see below), but all etymological dictionaries treat it as Hittite (HEG L-S:649; EDHIL:681; HED Pe-Pu:119) and none of the lists of Luwianisms (Melchert 2005a; van den Hout 2007a) include it.

The only known related word is puntariye/a-^zi (see s.v.) and thus the most economical solution is to look for a deverbal derivative. There are only two formally fitting morphemes (cf. Melchert 2003b:195, 197; Hoffner & Melchert 2008a:54f.): on the one hand, the both Hittite and Luwian -al- deriving instrumental nouns, but it does not fit semantically, since the word refers to the goddess Ištar. On the other, Hittite -ala- deriving agent nouns from verbal bases. In this case, one also has to assume a secondary i-mutation in the Hittite word, which is perfectly possible as it typically appears with suffixes containing -l(l)- (Hoffner & Melchert 2008a:86f. with refs.). Note that the Luwian suffix -alla/i- derives adjectives from nominal bases and spelled with a geminate -ll- and none of them applies here (contra the geminate spelling used by Tischler 2008a:150, Tischler 2016a:284 and CHD P:377). If this morphological explanation is correct, then its ultimate Luwian origin can be assumed only if the Luwian origin of the base puntariye/a- is demonstrated. As it is shown s.v., this is possible in case of the traditional meaning ‘to be obstinate, stubborn’, but not from the root Starke proposed (Starke 1990a:378 derives puntarriyala/i- from an adjective *puntarri- from a noun *puntarr-, an alleged base of the denominal puntariye/a-^zi. This, however, does not solve the problem as the quoted possible suffixes require a substantival [or adverbial or verbal] base. A theoretical possibility would be a deadjectival Luwian substantive *puntarri- borrowed into Hittite and suffixed with -ala- as per above, but the above scenario is obviously more economical and the base is in fact pu(wa)nt-, see s.v. puntariye/a-). However, if the new meaning ‘to shout, to scream’ turns out to be correct, then there is no evidence for the Luwian origin of the base.

[Zs.S.]

Last updated: 28 April 2020