ko-^(t)

‘(verb of speaking)’

Language: Lydian
Class: Base
Grammar: verb
Certainty: high
ID: 211

1. Individual Anatolian Languages

1.1 Lydian

ko-^(t)

‘(verb of speaking)’

1.1.1Transmission

The lexeme ko-^(t) is attested only in the inscriptions of Sardis (5^th-4^th BCE).

[D.S.]

1.1.2Forms

1sg. pres. act.	kow	LW 10.10 (Sardis)
3sg. pres. act.	kot	LW 10.14 (Sardis)
3sg. pret. act.	kol	LW 10.12 (Sardis)
inf.	fapaλkol	LW 11.4 (Sardis)

The word fapaλkol is interpreted here as a form of the verb ko-^(t) with the preverbs fa- + paλ- (variant of pλ-) and is parsed as an infinitive dependent on the medio-passive form kspλtaλ; contra Gusmani 1980a:40, HEG P:394.

[D.S.]

1.1.3Meaning ‘to reveal(?), to proclaim(?)’

The recognition of a verbal stem ko-^(t) is attributed to Brandenstein 1931b:4-6. He assigns the meaning ‘to swear’, based on a tentative interpretation of the sentence. He assumes that a word containing the root for ‘god’ ciw-, i.e. ciward, occurring within the same clause (LW 10.10) refers to the god by whom the subject swears. Gusmani 1961a:187-189 rightly contests this semantic approach by pointing out that in two other instances (LW 10.12, 14), the subject of the verb is a god. Instead, he analyzes ciward as a direct object meaning ‘oracle’, and for the verb ko-^(t), he suggests the semantics as a verbum dicendi meaning ‘to reveal, to proclaim’. This is based on the passage LW 10.11-15. Here, the sentences following the finite verb kow ´I proclaim (vel sim.)´ (LW 10.10-11) are marked as a quotation by the Lydian symbol <◄>. His semantic approach is further supported by the enclitic pronoun =ms ‘to you (pl.)’ (LW 10.10) (unknown to Gusmani at the time) attested as the indirect object of kow ‘I reveal, I proclaim (vel sim.)´. Based on these observations following Gusmani 1964a:152, we can conclude that Lydian ko-^(t) is a verb of speaking, although the recognition of its precise semantics awaits more evidence; cf. Gérard 2005a:98.

[D.S.]

1.1.4Derivatives

1.1.4.1Uncertain Derivative

kawe-

2. Reconstruction

2.1Reconstruction ‘(verb of speaking)’

Gusmani 1961a:189 n. 45 suggests an etymological connection between Lyd. ko-^(t) (verb of speaking) and Lyd. kawe- ‘priest’, which is semantically attractive. However, as pointed out by Melchert 1994a:368, his reconstruction of a pre-form *kuu̯a- (Gusmani 1975c:256 n. 5) is phonologically unmotivated. Instead, the accented vowel -o- in the root points towards an accented u-diphthong, i.e. -éu̯-, -óu̯-, cf. Melchert 1994a:346, Gérard 2005a:45. If the Lydian verb ko-^(t) originally belonged to the mi-conjugation, then one would expect lenition in the ending of the 3rd person singular to occur after the loss of the laryngeal, i.e. *kéu̯H-ti > *kḗu̯-ti > kḗu̯-di. However, this is not the case. Therefore, Lyd. ko-^(t) must have belonged originally to the ḫi-conjugation. The fate of the ḫi-conjugation in Lydian awaits further investigation (see now Sasseville 2021a), but it is probable that, just as in Lycian, it was replaced by the non-lenited mi-conjugation. By assuming this replacement, a Proto-Anatolian pre-form *kóu̯H-ei̯ would have thus resulted in Lyd. ko-t.

[D.S.]

3. Proto-Indo-European

3.1Semantic Reconstruction

The semantic development from the root PIE *(s)keu̯h₁- ‘to perceive (optically), watch’ to Lyd. ko-^(t) ‘to reveal(?), proclaim(?)’ can be paralleled by its English cognate:

OE scéawian ‘to look at’ > ME sceawen ‘to cause to be seen, show’ (causative semantics) > ‘to point out, reveal, make known’.A parallel for this change (verbum demonstrandi > verbum dicendi) can be found in Italic: Lat. dīcere ‘to say’, Osc. inf. pres. deicum (TB 10) ‘id.’ (etc.) from PIE *deik̑- ‘to point out, show’ (LIV²:108f.).

Thus, the connection of Lyd. ko-^(t) ‘to reveal(?), proclaim(?)’ with the root PIE *(s)keu̯h₁- ‘to perceive (optically), watch’ is highly plausible.

3.1.1Root etymology

The meaning of the root PIE *(s)keu̯h₁- is reconstructable on basis of the iterative-intensive verb PIE *(s)kou̯h₁-éi̯e/o- ‘to take care’ < *‘to perceive repeatedly, watch thoroughly’.Cf. Lat. cavēre ‘to beware’, Gk. κοέω ‘to mark, perceive’.The Germanic verbal derivatives hint at the same meaning, cf. WGerm. *skawwōjan ‘to observe, look at’. Therefore, the original semantics of the root PIE *(s)keu̯h₁- can be approximated as ‘to perceive (optically), watch’.

3.2Morphological Reconstruction

There are no direct cognates of Lyd. ko-^(t) ‘to reveal(?), proclaim(?)’.

3.2.1Root etymology

Descendants of the root in question are attested in six or seven branches of the PIE language family.Cf. transmission above and PIE *kou̯h₁-éi̯-.Most prominently Germanic, but also Greek (cf. Gk. θυό-σκοος ‘sacrificing priest’) and perhaps Iranian (cf. MIran. škōh)Possibly from PIIr. *skau̯H-atha-, cf. Bartholomae 1907a:19account for an anlauting *s- of the root. In view of the other evidence (Cf., e.g., Gk. κοέω ‘to mark, perceive’), which is s-less, the root has to be classified as showing s mobile, viz. *(s)keu̯h₁-. The seṭ-character of the root is proven by the acute accentuation in SCr. čȕti ‘to hear’, the long -ū- (< *-uH-) in Ved. sbst. ā́-kū-ti- ‘intention’ (RV+), sbst. ā́-kū-ta- sbst. ‘id.’ (AV+), the absence of lengthening qua Brugmann’s Law in Av. kauuaii- < *kou̯.h₁e.°, not Av. †kāuuai- < †ko.u̯e°.and the long resonant in WGerm. *skaww- (< *skóu̯h₁-/_V, cf. Müller 2007a:88–92 and PIE *dem-).On the seṭ-character from a Lydian point of view, cf. above.The type of the laryngeal is indicated by the vowel -ε- in Gk. κοέω as well as -ē- in Lat. cavēre, cf. LIV²:561 n. 1. Thus, the root can with high probability be reconstructed as PIE *(s)keu̯h₁- ‘to perceive (optically), watch’ (LIV²:561, IEW:587f.).For a broad overview of the root, cf. Dybo 2002a:367f., who connects even more lexemes.

[A.O.]

4. Transmission

Finnish

Finn. kaunis ‘beautiful’

LW from Germ., cf. GED:310, Heidermanns 1993a:489

Indo-Iranian

PIIr. adj. *kau̯i̯-á-, cf. Ved. kavyá- adj. ‘wise, kaví-like; a group of gods (m.)’ (RV+) (EWAia I:328, Grassmann 1996a:320, Monier Williams 1974a:214, Böhtlingk 1855a II:185), YAv. adj. kaoiia- ‘typical for a kauuai-’ (Bartholomae 1904:431f.)

Ved. ā + kuváte ‘to intend’ (ŚB)

EWAia I:328, KEWA I:70, Grassmann 1996a:331 s.v. kū, Monier Williams 1974a:244, Böhtlingk 1855a II:377 s.v. 1.kūOn personal names containing this root, cf. Mayrhofer 2005:40, EWAia I:326, EWAia II:425, Mayrhofer 1979:No. 209, 210; on an Iranian name, cf. Bartholomae 1904:443f.

OAv. nom. sg. kǝvitā̊s⸗ca ‘kauuai-dom’ (hapax, Y.32.15)

Bartholomae 1904:466

Sogd. wycʾwy ‘martyr, witness’, Parth. wygʾh ‘id.‘, MPers. gwgʾy ‘id.’

Gharib 1995a:418 No. 10309

(?)MPers. škwh ‘dignity, majesty; fear’

MacKenzie 1971a:80

Greek

Gk. κοέω ‘to mark, perceive, hear’ (Anacr.4.14+, Hsch. passim)

GEW I:890f., DELG:551, EDG:729, LSJ:966

Myc. sbst. e-pi-ko-wo nom. pl. m. ‘surveillants’ (KN As 4493, PY An 657.1)

GEW III:132 s.v. κοέω, DELG:551, Chadwick & Baumbach 1963a:211

Gk. πυρκόοι ‘(Gk.) ὑπὸ Δελφῶν ἱερεῖς δι’ ἐμπύρων μαντευόμενοι; one watching a sacrificial fire (at Delphi to draw omens from it)’ (Hsch. π 4433, Latte), Myc. personal name pu-ko-wo (PY Eb 884.A, PY Ep 705.9)

GEW III:132 s.v. κοέω, DELG:551, LSJ:1588, Chadwick & Baumbach 1963a:211

Gk. θυοσκόος ‘(sbst.) sacrificing priest (Od.21.145+), (adj.) sacrificial (E.Ba.224, IGUR.III.1155, 161 CE, Rome)’

GEW I:695, DELG:551, EDG:565, LSJ:811On Greek personal names containing this root, cf. Bechtel 1917b:272, Bechtel 1917a:37f.

Italic

Lat. cavēre ‘(intr.) to take precautions, be on one’s guard, beware’ (Pl.Bac.1017+)

WH I:186, EM:107, EDLIL:101, OLD:287f., Vine 2006a

Umbr. part. pres. kutef nom. sg. m. ‘being silent’ (IgT Ia 6, 10, 13, 19, 23, Ib 7), kutep ( IgT Ib 3)Umbr. kutep is a scribal error for kutef, cf. Untermann 2000a:101.

Untermann 2000a:101, 422

Germanic

Goth. adj. un-skawai nom. pl. m. ‘sober, careful’ (1Th.5.8)

EDPG:442, GED:378, Heidermanns 1993a:490

WGerm. *skawwōjan- ‘to observe’, cf. OE scēawian, OHG scouwōn ‘to see, inspect’

EDPG:442 s.v. *skawa-

PGerm. adj. *skauni- ‘beautiful’, cf. Goth. skauns ‘id.’, OE scīene ‘id.’, OHG scōni ‘id.’

EDPG:441, GED:310f., Heidermanns 1993a:488f., Boutkan & Siebinga 2005a:347 s.v. skene

Balto-Slavic

BSl. *(s)kéu̯-i̯e/o-, cf. OPr. vb. au-schaudē 3sg pres. ‘to dare’ (Ench. 61.16) etc. (Smoczyński 2005a:41–44, Trautmann 1923a:132, EDBIL:—), OCS (+) čujǫ (čuti) ‘to feel’, SCr. čȕti ‘to hear’ (EDSIL:91, ESSJa IV:134–136)

Finn. kaunis ‘beautiful’ (LW from Germanic)

GED:310, Heidermanns 1993a:489

Cross-references

Referred to from this article

Articles referring here

kawe-