tdi-^(d)

This verb is found in an inscription dated to the 15^th year of the rule of Artaxerxes (I, II or III?).

[D.S.]

The inscription reads dctdid, which creates an impossible sequence. Since the word must be a verb, Sasseville 2021a:242f. emends to w^!c-tdid, recovering the preverb wc-. Since the letters 〈d〉 and 〈w〉 are very similar, a mistake is not surprising. There were other attempts at emending in the earlier literature, which were unsatisfactory (see Gusmani 1964a:98 with further literature).

[D.S.]

No meaning is given by Gusmani 1964a:98, who discredits the earlier speculative hypotheses. Melchert 1991a:132 explains that the infinitive arwol is dependent on the finite verb dctdid, which is then expected on contextual grounds to mean ‘to attempt’ or perhaps ‘to dare’. Melchert 1999a:245 offers a convincing translation of the full sentence (followed by Gérard 2005a:82, 128, Sasseville 2018c:130, 133, contra Dusinberre 2003a:229, who follows the outdated translation ‘he buries’, neglecting the grammatical ending of arwol).

[D.S.]

The verb wc-tdi-^(d) is interpreted as a causative-iterative in -i-^(d) by Sasseville 2021a:242f.

[D.S.]

No etymology can be offered, although the synchronic root can be posited as td- (with syncope).

[D.S.]