/padatta(/i)-/, pa(+ra/i)^?-ti-

This lexeme may be attested once in an inscription from Tabal, dating to the second half of the 8^th century BCE. The attestation of the word is somewhat doubtful, because the rock the inscription is incised on is abraded in that spot, and the signs are only marginally legible, cf. the remarks by Hawkins 2000a:524.

[AH.B.]

dat./loc. sg.

/padatti/

pa(+ra/i?)-ti-i

BULGARMADEN, §7 (Tabal)

In the attestation in BULGARMADEN, §7, it is unclear if the sign 〈+ra/i〉 is there or not due to abrasion of the rock face, see Hawkins 2000a:524.

[AH.B.]

The assigned meaning is suggested by Yakubovich 2017e:s.v. and to be understood as very tentative, because it is based on an only partially understood context and the assumed cognate link with /pad(i)-/ ‘foot’. The relevant clause in BULGARMADEN, §7 runs: “MARA/I”-i-sa-pa-wa/i (DEUS)CERVUS₃-ti-ia-sá-ti-i (BONUS)wa/i-sa₅+ra/i-ti-i á-mi-i DOMINUS-ni-i ˹(LEO)˺hwa/i-sa₅+ra/i-´ pa(+ra/i^?)-ti-i u-ta-ti na-ha-a, approx. /immaris(sa)=ba=wa Runtiyassadi wassaradi ammi nanni hwisara padatti uttatti naHa/, which may mean ‘By the goodness of (the god) Runtiya of the Open Country, I n.-ed the wild beasts at the foothill(?) (and) in the hill country(?) for my lord’. In the context, it is likely that the present noun as well as the one following it both denote an area where wild beasts live, but only further data can prove as much. The possible derivational relationship with /pad(i)-/ ‘foot’ (see under lemma) suggests the assigned meaning, but may require revision when further textual evidence is found.

[AH.B.]

If the attestation is to be taken seriously and the assigned meaning correct, then the morphology of the word is such that it is probably derived from noun /pad(i)-/ ‘foot’ with the suffix /-aT(i)-/, which usually forms common gender nouns, although this cannot be stated with certainty for the present word. It is possible, though purely hypothetical without further data, that further derivations have taken place.

[AH.B.]