/uni-(ti)/, (LITUSS)u-ni-
‘to know’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- verb
- ID
- 1784
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/uni-(ti)/, (LITUSS)u-ni-
‘to know’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is attested six times in inscriptions from Assur, Karkamiš, Maraş, Malatya and Lidar Höyük dating from c. 1200 to the late 8th century BCE.
[A.P.]
1.1.2Forms
| 3sg. pres. ind. act. | /unitti/ | (LITUSS)u-ni-ti | ASSUR letter e, §29 (Assur) |
| ASSUR letter e, §31 (Assur) | |||
| 1sg. pret. ind. act. | /unihha/ | (LITUUS)u-ni-ha | KARKAMIŠ A15b, §20 (Karkamiš) |
| part. nom. sg. c. | /unimmis/ | (LITUUS)u-ni-mi-sa | PALANGA, §7 (Malatya) |
| ˹(LITUUS)˺u-ni-mi-sá | MARAŞ 1, §1h (Maraş) | ||
| u-ni-mi-sa | LİDAR bullae, D (Lidar Höyük) |
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
The phonological interpretation of this verb is clear. For one, it is attested in fully syllabic spelling throughout various slots of the paradigm, leaving little room for doubt. For another, it is cognate with /unanu(wa)-/ ‘to teach’. In writing, the verb regularly includes the logographic determinative LITUUS (sign *378), see Hawkins 1975a for a detailed analysis.
Its etymological relation with CLuw. unaimma/i-, though tempting, cannot be proven.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
One of the basic verbs of perception, the meaning of this word was first elucidated by Hawkins 1975a:150 (again Hawkins 1980d:126f. and Hawkins 1988a:100 incl. n. 5). The meaning is obvious e.g. in KARKAMIŠ A15b, §20: 12-ha-wa/i-a “LINGUA”-la-ti-i-na (LITUUS)u-ni-ha, approx. /…=ha=wa lalattin unihha/, meaning ‘And I knew twelve languages’ (cf. Hawkins 2000a:131).
The verb is likely also used with the meaning ‘to have sexual relations’ as familiar from biblical contexts, cf. ASSUR letter e, §31: PRAE-wa/i á-mu na-wa/i-a kwa/i-na kwa/i-sà-ha-a (LITUUS)u-ni-ti, approx. /parran=wa ammu nawa kwin kwis=ha unitti/ ‘(And match/give in marriage to me your child), whom no-one has known (i.e. has had sex with) before me’ (cf. Hawkins 1980d:126f. and Hawkins 2000a:536).
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
This verb belongs to the stems in /-i-(ti)/ with unlenited endings and is a deradical formation (Sasseville 2021a:138).
The attested HLuw. forms show that it cannot be an exact cognate of the similar looking CLuw. /unaimma/i-/, see Sasseville 2021a:138.
[AH.B.]