wcνaso-^(d)

This lexeme is found in a decree composed by the Persian priest Mitridaštas, which has recently been dated to the fifth year following the fall of the Lydian empire, i.e. 542-541 BCE (Euler & Sasseville 2019a:134f.). It is also found in a new inscription from Kelainai, datable paleographically to the late 6^th or early 5^th century (cf. Adiego & Ivantchik 2016a:295).

[D.S.]

3sg. pres. act.	f/pawcνasod?	LW 23.19 (Sardis)
	[f/pawcν]asod	LW/N 117.3 (Kelainai)

Buckler 1924a:45 points out that the first letter of the word in LW 23.19 could be read as either p or f, but that it looks slightly more like a p. The reading with p is also adopted by Gusmani 1964a:77, Gusmani 1980a:52, Bouzid-Adler 2014a:14. Melchert 2001e instead reads the word with f, followed by Adiego & Ivantchik 2016a:293 n. 10, and Euler & Sasseville 2019a:132. From a morphological perspective, a preverb pa would also be possible; cf. Sasseville 2021a:286, although the frequent prefix fa- is even more attractive. Pending more evidence, it is preferable to leave both options open. Concerning the last letter, Buckler 1924a:45 hesitates between d and l, but concedes that d is more likely. For the restoration in LW/N 117, see Adiego & Ivantchik 2016a:294.

[D.S.]

On contextual grounds, the verb refers to a negative action that could potentially be performed on the decree. Therefore, Brandenstein 1931b:25 suggests the meaning ‘to transgress’ (followed by Gusmani 1964a:77, Dusinberre 2003a:230, Bouzid-Adler 2014a:14 ‘mésestime’, Adiego & Ivantchik 2016a:294, Euler & Sasseville 2019a:132f.). Gusmani 1980a:52 even brings a parallel phrase from a Greek inscription from Sardis, in which the verb παραβαίνω ‘to transgress’ is used (Buckler & Robinson 1932a:2 (col. 2, line 4)), which reinforces the semantic assignment (followed by Sasseville 2021a:186).

[D.S.]

Gusmani 1964a:77 recovers the preverbs pa- (or fa-) and wc-, assuming a base νaso-^(d), which is the most straightforward interpretation. Yakubovich 2019c:311 n. 18 suggests instead to interpret the second preverb as wcν- and the base verb as aso-^(d), comparing the adposition wicν. This would imply a complementary distribution in the attached preverb between wc before consonants and wcν before vowels, which is possible but unprovable, until more evidence emerges. If the verb really is νaso-, it is possible that the first letter is an n-, i.e. naso-, which changes to ν after wc-, since only n occurs word initially so far (on the phonetics of Lyd. n and ν, see Kümmel 2007a:281-283). Due to the incertainty of the situation, the lexeme is called here wcνaso-^(d).

[D.S.]

No reconstruction possible.

[D.S.]