/nuwi(ya)-/, “9”-wa/i-i-
‘a ninth, ninth part, of nine’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- adj
- ID
- 2071
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/nuwi(ya)-/, “9”-wa/i-i-
‘a ninth, ninth part, of nine’1.1.1Transmission
The five occurrences of this lexeme nearly all occur in inscriptions from Karkamiš, the remaining one originating from Tell Ahmar. All texts date to the 10th or early 9th century BCE.
[AH.B.]
1.1.2Forms
|
/nuwin=za/ |
“9”-wa/i-i-za |
KARKAMIŠ A13d, §4 (Karkamiš) | |
|
9?!-wa/i-i-za |
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|
9-za |
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|
/nun=za/ |
9-u-za |
The occurrences in KARKAMIŠ A1a, §8 and §11, and KARKAMIŠ A13d, §4, are all followed by the same string of clitics: 〈-ha-wa/i-tú〉, i.e. /=ha=wa=du/ ‘and to him’ with the quotative particle /=wa/ intervening.
The reading in KARKAMIŠ A13d, §7 as 〈9?!-wa/i-i-za〉 is emended regarding the number value on the basis of the context; the stone itself shows only eight vertical strokes in bas-relief instead of nine.
[AH.B.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
The phonological interpretation of this lexeme is somewhat tentative, although the word indubitably belongs to the family around 9-un- ‘nine’. Its spelling likewise relies on the sign *395, which can either be used logographically to indicate ‘nine’, or syllabically as 〈nú〉, but it cannot be said with certainty whether the logographic reading is the same as the syllabic one, or whether the latter only represents the first syllable of the former by way of the acrophonic principle, which has given rise to the syllabic values for many signs. The remainder of the lexeme is clearer, as the spelling with plene 〈i〉 clarifies the vowel quality represented by the ambiguous 〈wa/i〉 sign in the attestations in KARKAMIŠ A13d, see the table under Forms. Aside from the full form, there appears to be evidence for a shortened allomorph, because the sequence /uwi/ can contract sporadically to /u/ (see Simon 2016f:40f.).
When correcting the old readings for many signs, Hawkins, Morpurgo Davies & Neumann 1973a:48 connected the numeral ‘nine’ to its CLuw. cognates.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The lexeme is used in what seem to be offerings to gods in thanks for assumed aid in military feats. This can be observed e.g. in KARKAMIŠ A1a, §11: 9-za-ha-wa/i-tú pi-ia-ha, approx. /nu(wi)n=za=ha=wa=du piyahha/, meaning ‘(I destroyed the city Alattahana, brought a trophy over to him,) and I gave a ninth share to him’ (cf. Hawkins 2000a:88).
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
If the phonological interpretation of this lexeme is correct, it represents an adjectival derivation in /-i(ya)-/ from the root /nu(n)/ ‘nine’. Simon 2016f:40f. has shown that /uwi/ can sporadically contract to /u/, which applies to some attestations for the present lexeme.
[AH.B.]
For the lemma head, see Luw. 9-un-.