lusali(je)-

This lexeme is found in the inscription of the inscribed pillar of Xanthos, dated contextually to shortly after the ascension of Artaxerxes II in 405-404 BCE and stylistically to around 400 BCE (Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:19f.).

[D.S.]

The word lusalija has been taken as derived from lusa-, although both remained without satisfactory semantics (cf. Gusmani 1968c:9, DLL:120, Neumann 2007a:188, Gehrisch 2018a:96, Schürr 2018b:98). Shevoroshkin 2011b:151 suggests a connection with HLuw. (“FLAMMAE^?”)la/i/u-za-li-na, which has been translated tentatively as ‘sacrificial burning’, and translates Lyc. B lusalija as ‘fiery’ assuming a palatal variant of the root *leu̯k-, which is not convincing. Differently, Sasseville 2021a:161 n. 43 takes lusali(je)- as a cognate of HLuw. /lusi-^(ti)/, (OCCIDENS)la/i/u-i-si- ‘to disappear’, analysing morphologically *lus-ala- ‘the one making disappear’ → lusal-i(je)- ‘pertaining to the one making disappear, destructive’. This finds support in the noun that it modifies, i.e. zẽna (cf. Hitt. zēna- ‘autumn’). Oettinger (apud Sasseville 2021a:162) points out that Lycian zẽna could refer to the hot, dry and unfruitful period of the year, which would explain why the gods should speed this season unprofitable for the crops.

                me=du=tu : lusalija : zẽna nuniti : xruwasaz (TL 44d.58-59)

                ‘For you (Gergis), the xruwasa-deities will make swift the destructive autumns.’

[D.S.]

The word lusalija represents an adjective formation in -i(je)- probably derived from a non-attested agent noun -ala-, which would have been derived directly from the root verb *lus- or from the attested action noun lusa-.

[D.S.]