†=km

van den Hout 1999a:36f. suggested that the phrase sb ak̑t[ms]˹k˺m (C.Ka 5, 9-10) / sb ak̑tmsk[m] (C.Ka 2, 5) represents in fact the particle chain sba=k̑=t=ms=km, with an alleged by-form of sb ‘and’, with =k̑ ‘and’ (see s.v.), with =t (see s.v.), with =ms, the dat. pl. of the 3rd person enclitic pronoun, and a particle =km, but he could not offer any explanation for =km. A new particle without any parallels is in itself not impossible, if evidence requires its assumption. This not the case here, however, since the interpretation of this phrase as particle chain can be excluded: first, it does not make sense to assume a particle ‘and’ following a conjunction meaning ‘and’, unless this conjunction is already a meaningless sentence initial particle, but there is no evidence for this in case of sb (see s.v.). Second, there is no evidence for a by-form “sba” of sb (see s.v.). Third, a dat. pl. =ms enclitic pronoun does not exist (see s.v.). Finally, note also the interesting circumstance that until now no sentence initial particle chain could assuredly have been identified in Carian, see the critical discussion in Simon 2020d:400‒403 with refs.

[Zs.S.]