mrccdi

This lexeme is attested in the inscription of the inscribed pillar of Xanthos, dated contextually to shortly after the ascension of Artaxerxes II in 405-404 BCE and stylistically to around 400 BCE (Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:19f.).

[D.S.]

3sg. pres. ind. act.	mrccdi	TL 44c.32 (Xanthos)
	mrccd[i]	TL 44c.37 (Xanthos)
	mrc[c]di	TL 44d.48-49 (Xanthos)

It is undoubtedly a verbal form (DLL:121, Schürr 2016d:164, Gehrisch 2018a:82f., Sasseville 2021d); for the outdated literature, see Neumann 2007a:223f.

[D.S.]

The meaning and etymology of Lyc. B mrccdi is debated. This is mostly due to the unclear value of the letter c. Carruba 1977a:294 and Eichner 2005a:26 compare Lyc. A mrbbẽnedi, positing a labio-velar *g^u̯ as the original sound hiding behind Lycian A b and B c. However, since *g^u̯ becomes Lycian w, this etymological approach must be rejected (on the phonetics of c, cf. Laroche 1979c:57, Melchert 1994a:302). Melchert (DLL:121) suggests an etymological connection with Pal. mārḫa-, which was previously translated as ‘god’ (now outdated) and thus assigns the meaning ‘to sacralize’ to Lyc. B mrccdi. Outdated is also Shevoroshkin 1977a:142 “word” for Lyd. mrud ‘stele’ (followed by Gehrisch 2018a:82 “to praise”), and Shevoroshkin 2014a:253f. “dark” (to Hitt. ^DMarkuwaya- ‘dark deities’, followed by Schürr 2016d:164f.).

Within a broader contextual analysis, Sasseville 2021d suggests that the direct object of mrccdi in TL 44c.32 and 37 is waxssa, which he translates as ‘bread (?)’ and thus proposes the meaning ‘to cut, break (?)’ for Lyc. B mrccdi, which would receive additional support from a comparison with Hitt. mārk-/mark-^(ḫi) ‘to cut’. This suggestion is both phonologically and contextually supported and thus given preference.

[D.S.]

The lenition of the ending presupposes syncope of a stem vowel (Sasseville 2021a:235-237 and Lyc. B zm̃pde). Therefore, mrccdi could reflect a denominative verb *mrcca(i)-^(di) or a causative-iterative *mrcc(e)i-^(di).

[D.S.]

One should also compare mrccasuwẽti.