*u̯órh1-/u̯r̥h1-´(i)
‘to help’
- Language
- Proto-Anatolian
- Grammar
- verb
- ID
- 1801
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/warriya-(i)/, wa/i+ra/i-ia-
‘to help’1.1.1Transmission
This verb is attested four times in a single inscription from Tabal, which dates to the late 8th century BCE.
[AH.B.]
1.1.2Forms
| 3sg. pres. ind. act. | /warriyaya/ | wa/i+ra/i-ia-ia | BOHÇA, §7 (Tabal) |
| BOHÇA, §8 (Tabal) | |||
| BOHÇA, §12 (Tabal) | |||
| 3sg. pret. ind. act. | /warriyatta/ | wa/i+ra/i[-ia?]-ta | BOHÇA, §11 (Tabal) |
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
The phonological interpretation of this lexeme is reasonably certain, because the verb has a cognate in Hittite warrā(i)-(mi) ‘to come to help’ and the imperfective warrišša-(i) ‘to help’ There is some debate over whether Hittite warrišša-(i) ‘to help’, which only appears in NH, is an inner-Hittite formation (see e.g. EDHIL:963) or borrowed from Luwian (see Starke 1990a:155f.). alongside some more loans from Luwian such as warraḫitašša/i- ‘of help’ etc. (Hawkins & Morpurgo Davies 1979a:401 and Melchert 1994a:78). Additionally, it has probably at least a couple of cognates within HLuw. itself, see compounds and derivatives below. Despite evidence from just a single inscription, the phonological shape of this verb is therefore well-supported.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The meaning for this verb was first suggested by Hawkins 1975a:139 on the basis of its contexts and likely cognate link with Hittite warrā(i)-(mi) ‘to come to help’. In BOHÇA, it is used as a generally transitive verb with the drop of enclitic subject pronouns (Melchert 2011b:74), twice in almost identical constructions (cited here are §§7-8): kwa/i-pa-wa/i (DEUS)TONITRUS-hu-za-sa NEG2 kwa/i-ha-na wa/i+ra/i-ia-ia á-mu-wa/i kwa/i+ra/i wa/i+ra/i-ia-ia, i.e. /kwippa=wa Tarhunzas na kwihhan warriyaya ammu=wa kwadi warriyaya/ ‘Indeed, Tarhunza does not help (them) at all, as he helps me’ (Hawkins 1975a:139 and Hawkins 2000a:479).
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
The verb inflects according to the ḫi-conjugation, as noted by Melchert 1994a:78. It is based on a root */warr-/, as such unattested in HLuw., and built with the suffix /-iya-(i)/ (see Sasseville 2021a:411f.).
[AH.B.]
1.1.6Compounds
1.1.6.1Uncertain Compounds
1.1.7Derivatives
1.2 Cuneiform Luwian
*warriya-(i)
‘to help’1.2.1Derivatives
1.3 Lycian A
*weri-
‘to help’1.3.1Derivatives
1.4 Lydian
*wer(i)-
‘to help’1.4.1Derivatives
2. Reconstruction
2.1Reconstruction ‘to help’
The etymological relationship between the Hittite and Luwian cognates, i.e. Hitt. warrā(i)-(mi) ‘to come to help’, warri- ‘helpful’, Luw. warraḫitašša/i- ‘of assistance’, HLuw. /warriya-(i)/ ‘to help’ and Hitt./Luw.? warrišša-(i), has already been established within the literature (EDHIL:962f., HEG W-Z:313f.). The Lycian and Lydian cognates, ñtuweriha- ‘auxiliary (troop) (?)’ and ẽtwerš(i)- ‘help’ respectively, are taken here as solid cognates (see under the relevant lemma for the literature). A root with a final laryngeal must be reconstructed because of the geminate /-rr-/ found in both Hittite and Luwian. A root-final *h2 seems to be posited by Watkins 1975e:108 n. 2, but *h1, i.e. *werh1-, by Melchert 1994a:78 (followed by Jasanoff 2003a:138). Kloekhorst (EDHIL:962f.) and García Ramón 2006a leave the identity of the laryngeal open.
The stem formation of HLuw. /warriya-(i)/ is debated. Sasseville 2021a:435f. argues that this type goes back to root formation of the ḫi-conjugation and that the suffix /-iya-(i)/ (i.e. Hitt. -āi-/-i(ya)-(ḫi)) represents in this case an extension targeting roots ending in *h1. Thus, HLuw. /warriya-(i)/ can be reconstructed as PAnat. *u̯órh1-/u̯r̥h1-´(i) → PAnat. *u̯órh1-oi̯(h1)-/u̯r̥h1-i(h1)-´(i) (contra Melchert 1994a:78 and Jasanoff 2003a:138, who have *u̯érh1-i-/u̯r̥h1-i-´).
For a Proto-Anatolian verbal abstract noun in *-eh2-, see PAnat. *u̯orh1-éh2-.
[D.S.]
3. Proto-Indo-European
3.1Semantic Reconstruction
Since both primary formations attested in Anatolian, viz. ḫi-verb PAnat. *u̯órh1‑/*u̯r̥h1‑´(i) ‘to help’ and abstract PAnat. *u̯orh1‑éh2- ‘help’, do not have non-Anatolian equivalents, no PIE reconstruction is given here.
3.1.1Root etymology
The meaning of the root under investigation is reconstructed by García Ramón 2006a as ‘to support, give preference’ (“favorecer, dar preferencia”), which is directly reflected in PAnat. *u̯erh1- ‘to help’ as well as in the action noun Gk. ἦρα acc. sg. ‘kindness, help’. The Core IE adjective *u̯ērh1‑o- ‘trustworthy, true’ and the abstract noun *u̯ērh1‑eh2- ‘truth’ derived thereof may be explained from the fact that ‘kind, helpful’ persons are also ‘trustworthy’. The notion ‘true’ developed secondarily in the context with inanimate subjects. Therefore, the material collected above is semantically in accordance with the PIE root *u̯erh1- ‘to support, aid’.
3.2Morphological Reconstruction
Neither PAnat. *u̯órh1‑/*u̯r̥h1‑´(i) ‘to help’ nor PAnat. *u̯orh1‑éh2- ‘help’ have direct Core IE cognates, which is why no reconstruction beyond PAnat. is given here.
3.2.1Root etymology
The root underlying the Anatolian formations has successfully been connected with Gk. ἦρα acc. sg. ‘kindness, help’ and, hence, Core IE *u̯ērh1‑o- ‘trustworthy, true’ by García Ramón 2006a. While the non-Anatolian material could well go back to a root *u̯eh1- (cf., e.g., EDLIL:66 reconstructing Lat. vērus as *u̯eh1-ro‑), the Anatolian root vowels of HLuw. /warriya‑(i)/ ‘to help’ and Hitt. warrā(i)‑(mi) ‘to come to help’, etc. speak against a laryngeal before the *‑r‑. This implies that the resonant belongs to the root and not to the suffix (contra EDLIL:66 and others), cf., e.g., Villanueva Svensson 2011a:29. Mainly based on the Common Anatolian geminate ‑rr-, the root is reconstructed with a root-final laryngeal (García Ramón 2006a:826f.). However, since the laryngeal is not attested outside Anatolian and in Anatolian is merely observable as the trigger of the assimilation *‑rH‑ > *‑rr‑, its quality cannot be ascertained, but cf. above sub PAnat. Reconstruction on possible *‑h1‑. Thus, the root in question is reconstructed carefully as PIE *u̯erh1- ‘to support, aid’.
[A.O.]
4. Transmission
Core IE adj. *u̯ērh1‑o- ‘trustworthy, true’, cf. Lat. vērus ‘real; true’ (Naev.+), (?)se‑vērus ‘stern, strict, severe’ (Plaut.+) (WH II:768, 528, EM:727, 621, EDLIL:668, 560, OLD²:2255f., 1929), OIr. fír, MW gwir ‘id.’ (EDPC:424, Falileyev 2000a:69, eDIL s.v. 1 fír [2013]), OHG wār, OS wār ‘true’, Goth. *tuz-werjan ‘to doubt’ (EDPG:—, Orel 2003a:461, Heidermanns 1993a:671f., GED:349f., Faltings 2010a:602–604)
(?)Core IE (abstract) sbst. *u̯ērh1‑eh2- ‘truth’, cf. OCS věra, SCr. vjȅra, Russ. véra ‘faith, belief’ (EDSIL:520, Vasmer I:184, Villanueva Svensson 2011a:29), ON pl. várar ‘pledge, oaths’, OHG wāra ‘contract, loyalty’, OE wǽr ‘covenant, agreement, pledge’ (Orel 2003a:461f., Heidermanns 1993a:671f., de Vries 1977a:645)
EIEC:606, Watkins 2011a:103
Gk. (root noun) ἦρα acc. sg. ‘kindness, help’ (Il.+)In Homer, it is always attested in the phrase ἦρα φέρειν “to do a favor”.
GEW I:641f., GEW III:101, DELG:415, EDG:524, de Lamberterie in CÉG 13 (2013):345, LSJ:777
ON vǽrr ‘friendly’, OHG ala-wâri ‘kind, friendly’
de Vries 1977a:672, EWAhd I:152
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