walwaya-

This word is a hapax attested in a MS topographical description or itinerary.

[Zs.S.]

nom.-acc.sg.n.

wa-al-wa-ia-an-za

KBo 62.5,7

(CTH 230, MS)

Attestation follows Ünal 2007a:784, Ünal 2016a:581 (not yet included in Laroche 1959a and CLL due to its recent discovery). No photo was available in the Mainzer Fotoarchiv for checking.

Lorenz & Rieken 2007a:473 with n. 14 assume a Luwian nom.-acc. sg. n. from an adjective walwaya/i-, since they correctly argue that this interpretation allows “eine sinnvollere Deutung” (due to the possible connection and congruence with the following word, PÚ-ru / wattaru- (n.) ‘spring’) than the morphological alternative, walwayant-, the nom. sg. c. of a -nt-stem (note that the “ergative” suffix -ant- is not possible, not only due to the lacking transitive verb but also due to the fact that the congruent word, ‘spring’, does not show this suffix).

[Zs.S.]

While Ünal 2007a:784, Ünal 2016a:581 translated it cautiously only as ‘a topographic feature’, Lorenz & Rieken 2007a:473–476 argue for a meaning ‘trügerisch’, which is since then generally followed (Tischler 2014b:130 [although not included in Tischler 2008a, Tischler 2016a, and HEG]; Gerçek 2017a:51; Alparslan & Doğan-Alparslan 2018a:236).

Lorenz & Rieken 2007a:473–476 observe that the Glossenkeilwort walwayalla/i- attested only in a court deposition with the meaning ‘defamation, fraud’ (or sim., its meaning is in fact unclear, see s.v.) is a derivative of walwaya-. Based on their assumed morphological connection they suggest a similar meaning for walwaya- and translate it as ‘trügerisch’.

However, the base of walwaya- is the Luwian noun *walwa- ‘lion’ (see s.v.; Lorenz & Rieken 2007a:473f., 476 n. 25). Nevertheless, this argues against the meaning ‘trügerisch’, since a shift of the meaning from ‘lion-like, belonging to a lion’ to ‘trügerisch’ is not evident (their analogy, German wölfisch does not show a really analoguous development). Thus, Simon 2020g argues that also the literal meaning, ‘lion-like, pertaining to a lion’ leads to perfect sense as referring to the structure built upon the spring, which is well documented in Hittite Anatolia (see the two bull reliefs, the snout of which served as drain holes for a spring from Derbent and Bişek/Arifegazi, for detailed discussion and refs. see Simon 2020g).

[Zs.S.]

Due to its late discovery the lexeme walwaya- does not appear yet in the Luwian dictionaries or in the lists of Luwianisms of Melchert 2005a and van den Hout 2006a. As per Lorenz & Rieken 2007a:473, the word shows a Luwian ending (cf. under Form), thus it is undoubtedly a Luwian word (supported also by the Luwian base, cf. under Meaning).

[Zs.S.]