mahanahidi

This word is found in a grave inscription.

[D.S.]

unclear

mahanahidi

TL 92.2 (Myra)

Contra Gusmani 1960b:509f. and Neumann 2007a:191, this form cannot be an abl./instr. of a genitival adjective in -ahe/i-, which is expected to be -ahedi. Melchert (DLL:36) takes it as a dative singular of a stem in -id-, which is entirely fine. However, there are other possibilities such as seeing a stem in -i(je)- derived from the abstract noun *mahanah-id-. Its nominative singular in agreement with axãti would look exactly like mahanahidi (← mahanahid-i(je)-); cf. ạ̃x[r]ahidijẽ (TL 29.2-3).  Outdated Meriggi 1957a:224, who saw an enclitic =di.

[D.S.]

Melchert (DLL:36) suggests for mahanahidi the meaning ‘priesthood’ (followed by Schürr 2012c:11), whereas Neumann 2004b:234 (and Neumann 2007a:191) wants to translate it as ‘originating from the gods’ under the false assumption that it is an abl./instr. form (followed by Gehrisch 2018a:137). While the base is clearly the genitival adjective of the word for ‘god’, i.e. maha(n)- + -ahe/i-, the abstract formation in -id- can only allow one to guess at the semantics, e.g. ‘service of the gods’, ‘godhood’ (pace DLL:36). Since it refers to the priestly title of a person, i.e. axãt(i)- (a kind of priest), one expects the abstract formation -id- to specify the office of the priest, i.e. mahanahidi axã[t]i u[we]hi ‘the axãti-priest of the cattle in service of the gods (vel sim.)’; cf. ạ̃x[r]ahidijẽ : axuti : uwehi (TL 29.2-3).

[D.S.]

The word mahanahidi could be the dative singular of a neuter stem in -id- (thus DLL:36) or the nominative singular of an adjectival formation in -i(je)-. Further evidence is needed.

[D.S.]

For the base of the derivative see Lyc. A maha(na)-.