nuni-^(ti)

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.]

3pl. pres. ind. act.

nuniti

TL 44d.59 (Xanthos)

Formally, the verb could be interpreted as either 3^rd person singular or plural present. However, if xruwasaz is taken as the subject (nom. pl. in Sasseville 2018a:309, Sasseville 2021a:161, differently Melchert 2009b:112 and Shevoroshkin 2015a:195 “acc. pl.”), nuniti should be a plural (thus DLL:123, Neumann 2007a:244, unclear Meriggi 1963a:15); cf. under Meaning. Gehrisch 2018a:96 takes nuniti as a number, comparing nuñtãta, which is morphologically and syntactically unpersuasive.

[D.S.]

Sasseville 2021a:161f. interprets nuni-^(ti) as a verb in -i-^(ti) derived from *nun, which he etymologically connects with the adverb *nun ‘now’ in CLuw. nānun, cf. Hitt. nuntarnu- ‘to hurry’. This leads to the meaning ‘to make swift(ly)’. For more information on the context, see under lusali(je)-.

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

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

Shevoroshkin apud Neumann 2007a:244 suggests a connection with the Hitt./Luw. word nū(t)-, denoting something positive. This is morphologically inadequate, because the dental stem is expected to be kept in the derivation. Shevoroshkin 2015a:195 suggests instead the meaning ‘to announce’ or ‘to praise’ without further explanation and, therefore, it cannot be sustained.

[D.S.]

For the lemma head see Lyc. B *nun.