/k(u)wa-(i)/, (CORNU2)ku-wa/i-
‘(unknown)’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- verb
- ID
- 1843
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/k(u)wa-(i)/, (CORNU2)ku-wa/i-
‘(unknown)’1.1.1Transmission
This hapax is attested in a single inscription from Commagene, dating to c. 800 BCE.
[A.P.]
1.1.2Forms
| 3sg. pres. act. | /k(u)wai/ | (CORNU2)ku-wa/i-i | ANCOZ 1, §3 (Commagene) |
The attestation in ANCOZ 1, §3 is preceded by the logographic determiner CORNU (sing *108), which happens to face the other direction in this case; it is hence indexed as CORNU2 by Dinçol, Dinçol, Hawkins & Peker 2014a:65. The authors also correct the transliteration given in Hawkins 2000a:345 of the word-final sign from 〈-ha〉 to 〈-i〉.
[AH.B.] [A.P.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
The phonological interpretation of this lexeme is provisional. While the spelling is reasonably transparent and essentially only permits the readings /kuwai/ and /kwai/, the etymological connection of the word has remained in the dark so far. It is possible, though in no way provable without further evidence, that the word is cognate with CLuw. kwaya- ‘to fear’ (cf. CLL:118, Sasseville 2021a:346); cf. also the discussion of the meaning below.
Dinçol, Dinçol, Hawkins & Peker 2014a:65 very tentatively draw a connection between the present lexeme and that attested in JISR EL HADID 4, §5 spelt 〈(“X.FLAMMAE?”)ku-wa/i-za-i〉, i.e. HLuw. /kwazza-(i)/ ‘to fall (?)’. The sign identified as FLAMMAE? is in its shape a doubling of CORNU2.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The meaning of the verb is unknown. Neither could an etymological connection be established so far, nor can the sole context of attestation in ANCOZ 1, §3 be said to provide easy access to the semantics: [… (DE]US)˹SOL˺ (DEUS)˹i˺-ku+ra/i (DEUS)ta-sà-ku-ia-ha 1 GAZELLA(ANIMA)-sa (CORNU2)ku-wa/i-i á-pa-si-ti, approx. /… Tiwadi IKura Taskuya=ha …-s irwis kuwai aPasiTi/, which may mean ‘The gazelle kuwa-s to (…?) the sun-god, the god IKura and the god Tasku …’ with the beginning of the clause broken off and the final word, viz. /aPasiTi/ entirely unclear (cf. Hawkins 2000a:346). It is possible, though not provable at this point, that 〈á-pa-si-ti〉 should be interpreted as /abassidi??/, the abl./instr. of /abassa/i-/, the possessive form of the third person pronoun /aba-/. In all three secure attestations, the form appears as /abassadi/, but incursions of the i-mutation pattern into the abl./instr. are very common in later texts. If the assignment to /abassa/i-/ should be correct, a suitable meaning would be ‘at his (place)??’, comparable to /tuwadi/ ‘at thine / thy place’ and /unzadi/ ‘at yours / your place’. While a direct object may be lost in the lacuna, it remains unclear how the semantics of the tentatively mentioned CLuw. kwaya- ‘to fear’ (thus CLL:118, Sasseville 2021a:346) could fit with the dat./loc. sg. deity names.
If the present verb should be the derivational basis for HLuw. /kwazza-(i)/ ‘to fall (?)’ (such is considered by Dinçol, Dinçol, Hawkins & Peker 2014a:65), a similar meaning could be considered. The context would accommodate that meaning (i.e. ‘The gazelle falls to …’), but the passage is too fragmented to provide sufficient proof.
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
The verb appears to be a root verb of the ḫi-conjugation, for which see Sasseville 2021a:340-342.
If it should turn out to be cognate with CLuw. kwaya- ‘to fear’ after all, the form attested in ANCOZ 1, §3 would represent a 3sg. pres. act. shortened to /kwai/ from */kwayai/ (similar to the CLuw. form attested in Ištanuwa, see Sasseville 2021a:346) by haplology.
[AH.B.]