URBS(-)hu-tá-ni-
‘village, settlement’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- subst
- ID
- 2097
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
URBS(-)hu-tá-ni-
‘village, settlement’1.1.1Transmission
This hapax is attested in a single inscription from Karkamiš, dating to the 10th or ealry 9th century BCE.
[A.P.]
1.1.2Forms
|
dat. sg. |
/…/ |
URBS(-)hu-tá-ni-i |
The transliteration with 〈(-)〉 signifies that scholars are unsure whether to take URBS as a determinative here or as part of the phonological form of the word, see already Hawkins 2000a:110-112 and cf. also Trameri 2019a:255.
[A.P.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
The phonological interpretation of this word is at least partly unclear. The one attestation at KARKAMIŠ A2+3, §17e can be interpreted in two different ways, viz. as 〈(URBS)hu-tá-ni-i〉 or as 〈URBS-hu-tá-ni-i〉 with a possible phonological form as /hu(n)ttan(n)i/ and /…-hu(n)ttan(n)i/ respectively. However, since URBS usually occurs postnominally when used as a determinative (cf. e.g. Payne 2017b:223), the second interpretation is rather more likely than the first.
As Trameri 2019a:255 notes, the spelling of this word involves URBS alone without an added 〈mi〉 and thus very likely covers an entirely different phonological shape not related to the far more frequent URBS+MI- ‘town, city’. No other possible cognates have been suggested.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
While it was clear at an early stage that the word most likely denotes a type of settlement, the precise interpretations have differed. Meriggi 1967b:56 suggests ‘neighbourhood’ (“quartiere”), which is possible, whereas Hawkins & Morpurgo Davies 1978a:109 tentatively translate ‘village (?)’. In the context of KARKAMIŠ A2+3, §17e, either seems possible: MAGNUS+ra/i-hi-sa5+ra/i-ma-sa-wa/i-tá?!(URBS) URBS(-)hu-tá-ni-i kwa/i-i-zi SOLIUM+MI-ti, approx. /Urahisarmassan=wa=tta …-huttani kwinzi asanti/, meaning ‘(or whether they were wool combers??) who dwell in the village of Urahisarma’ (cf. Hawkins 2000a:110 and Trameri 2019a:255). Trameri 2019a:255 suggests ‘settlement’ besides ‘village’. Only additional textual evidence will make a more precise semantic interpretation possible.
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
At least part of the word is unclear, and no cognates have so far been identified that could aid in the interpretation. A morphological analysis of this noun must therefore remain provisional, and it does not appear a fruitful endeavour to attempt except for the stem final. The dat./loc. sg. ending in /-i/ excludes the possibility of an a-stem, and the word may therefore either be an i-stem or (far more likely) inflect according to an i-mutated pattern. The latter would imply that the word is most likely a common gender.
[AH.B.]