xñtla-

This word is found in a grave inscription datable to the reign of Gergis (second half of the 5^th century BCE) as well as in a dedicatory inscription datable to the reign of Arbinas (beginning of the 4^th century BCE).

[D.S.]

gen. sg.	xñtlah	TL 43.1 (Xanthos)
unknown	xñtla[	N 324.14 (Xanthos)

The word xñtlah in TL 43.1 has been interpreted either as title of kudalah (Deecke 1888a:136, Shevoroshkin 1979a:178, Bousquet 1992a:184), or as a second personal name (Laroche 1979c:105 n. 18, DLL:109, Neumann 2007a:130).Deecke 1888a:136 equates it semantically with Lat. principis. Schürr 2010b:125 argues that xñtla- is a title, pointing out parallel examples and explaining further that the genitive ending -h comes from a syncopated genitival adjective -hi. Sasseville 2014-2015a:114 argues likewise that xñtla- in TL 43 should be taken as title standing in apposition to the name of the father (or mother) kudalah, showing similar examples where the profession is expressed. Even though the genitive ending -h is reserved for personal names, it cannot yet be excluded that a title in apposition to a personal name can take the same ending. While there is convincing evidence for taking xñtla- as a title, there is neither legitimate argument nor any kind of evidence for taking the noun as a personal name in asyndetic relation with another one. Regarding its translation, xñt- has been connected to Hitt. ḫant- ‘front’. Thus, Shevoroshkin 1979a:178 translates xñtla- with ‘noble’. Bousquet 1992a:184 and Wagner 2011a:150 (also in Gehrisch 2018a:60) translate it as ‘prince’. Despite the irrefutable etymology, the precise function of the Lycian title xñtla- cannot be posited based on the currently available data. More contextual information is required.

[D.S.]

Contra Neumann (apud Eichner 1992a:45), the Hittite title ḫantili- cannot be equated morphologically to xñtla-, because of its differing stem formation in -a- (< *-eh₂-), which was not known at the time. In a morphological analysis, Sasseville 2014-2015a:114 suggests that xñtla- goes back to a pre-form *xñtala- (agent noun in -ala- c.), which would have been syncopated due to a possible (analogical) shift of the accent.

[D.S.]

1. xñtlapa- (PN)

 For the lemma head see PAnat. *Hant-.