in-(t)
‘to do, make’
- Language
- Lydian
- Grammar
- verb
- ID
- 1690
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Lydian
in-(t)
‘to do, make’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is found in numerous inscriptions, coming from various locations in Sardis, the Kogamos valley, and the Mediterranean coast. The inscriptions can be dated only more loosely, within the period of 5th-4th century BCE.
[I.Y.]
1.1.2Forms
| 3sg. pres. act. | int | LW 23.20 (Sardis) | |
| LW 24.11 (Sardis) | |||
| fadint | LW 5.5 (Sardis) | ||
| 3sg. pret. act. | inl | LW 28.1 (Sardis) | |
| LW 48.1 (Ephesus) | |||
| inf. | inal | LW 11.10 (Sardis) | |
| LW 101.2 (Sardis) | |||
| LW 45.4 (east of Sardis) |
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
According to Melchert 1992a:42 the form inal vs. inl reflects the result of a secondary epenthesis, while the sporadic retention of the original suffix -na- is preferred in Gérard 2005a:110. Neither of these assumptions appear to be necessary once we recognize that inal is not a preterit form but an infinitive, to be probably segmented as in-al.
[I.Y.]
1.1.4Meaning
The translation ‘to do, make’ was proposed for in- in Meriggi 1935a:83f. and remained commonly accepted ever since. The meaning ‘to do’ appears more appropriate in LW 23-24, where the verb under discussion occurs in the protasis of the curse formulae and refers to some harmful action, while the meaning ‘to make’ seems to be more appropriate in the short fragmentary inscriptions TL 28, TL 48, TL 101, which apparently all refer to the production or construction of various objects. The form fadint occurs in a ditransitive construction in the protasis of a curse formula, and therefore can be translated as ‘to cause’. Note, however, that the stem without prefixes can also appear in a ditransitive construction (TL 45.4).
[I.Y.]
1.1.5Stem
As plausibly argued in Melchert 1992a:42, the verb in- represents a historical derivative of the verb i- with the suffix that can probably be reconstructed as -neh2- on the Proto-Indo-European level. It is, however, remarkable, that the base verb apparently generalized the passive meaning, whereas its derivative retained the active semantics. This speaks in favor of the opposition between active and medial verbs being lexicalized in Lydian, even though the paucity of the available examples is not conducive to definite conclusions.
The stem in- induces the ending -t in 3sg. present. It is combinable with the sequence of prefixes fa-d(a)-.
A segmentation fa-dint is proposed in Melchert 1994b:185f. on the assumption that din- represents a morphophonemic variant of the stem in- ‘to do, make’. This solution appears to be formally possible, but the segmentation of the prefix d(a)- in this form appears to be likely on semantic grounds, as it may be responsible for its ditransitive character of the verb under discussion; cf. further fadi-.
[I.Y.]