wzzai(je)-

This lexeme is found on 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.), and once in the poetical inscription engraved on the lion sarcophagus of Antiphellos, dated on stylistic grounds to the beginning of the 4th century BCE (Zahle 1979a:318, Mühlbauer 2007a:91).

[D.S.]

Because of the word division in TL 44d.48, the sequence wzzaijesi is treated by certain scholars as two words, i.e. wzza and ijesi (Schürr 2005a:139f., 155f., Neumann 2007a:150, 427, Schürr 2018b:85), instead of one (as in DLL:135). However, the fact that the sequence appears in two different inscriptions of two different towns speaks rather for the interpretation as a single word. For its morphological interpretation, see under Meaning.

[D.S.]

The word wzzaijese/i- is found in religious contexts. In TL 55.5, it modifies (epe-)palarã, which is to be offered as a sacrifice, whereas in TL 44d.48 it is not clear with which noun it agrees.

                epepalarã : wzzaijesi : q̣ãṇaụ xi : zinase : trqqiz : ki=kikiti : seb(e)=[u]we{:}dṛiz : qlei : masai^!{:}z (TL 55.5)

                ‘I qãnau the (epe-)palarã of the wzzai(je)- as a sacrificial offering to the zinasa-deities, which the Storm-god and all the gods in the precinct require as penalty.’

Regarding the semantics, Shevoroshkin 2014a:230 translates wzzaijese/i- as ‘of (Anti)phellos’, which must be rejected, since the Lycian noun of the town is *wesñt(i)- found in TL 55 as an adjective in -ele/i-, i.e. wesñtele/i- ‘of Phellos’ (cf. Lyc. A wehñteze/i- ‘of Phellos’), and the ethnicon based on the Hellenic place name is plele/i- ‘of Phellos’ also found in the same inscription. The base of the genitival adjective, i.e. wzzai(je)-, can be best interpreted as a substantivized adjective in -ai(je)- derived from a non-attested base *wzza-. The root of the noun is clearly waz(z)-, which can be associated either with the root found in wezzeime/i- ‘beloved (?)’ or the one in wazzis- (a military unit). Unfortunately, none of the connections shed light on the meaning of wzzai(je)-.

[D.S.]