/warpalla(/i)-?/, VIR2.ARMA-
‘warrior (?)’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- subst, c.
- ID
- 2186
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/warpalla(/i)-?/, VIR2.ARMA-
‘warrior (?)’1.1.1Transmission
The two attestations of this lexeme can both be found on inscriptions dating back to the Empire period, probably to the second half of the 13th century BCE.
[AH.B.]
1.1.2Forms
| nom. sg. | /warpallas?/ | VIR2.ARMA-sa5 | ANKARA 2, §1 |
| nom. pl. | /warpallanzi?/ | VIR2.ARMA-zi | EMİRGAZİ 2, §3 |
The attestation in ANKARA 2, §1 features a rather unusual alignment of the signs, because the inscription runs along the rim of a silver bowl. In his edition of the text, Hawkins 2005a:194 interpreted the relevant section as <VIR2 *273 i(a)-sa5-zi/a-tá>.
[AH.B.] [I.Y.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
With attestations providing little more than logographic spelling, the phonological interpretation of this lexeme hinges on two assumptions. For one, it relies on the strong, but not exclusive association of the logogram ARMA (*273) with the word family around /warp(i)-/, and for another, on the fact that the logogram VIR2 (*386) precedes a number of titles and functions in HLuw. With syllabic signs being kept to a minimum, the shape of the endings cannot be fully gauged, in particular whether or not they show i-mutation. As such, the phonological interpretation of the word is not evident from its attestations, yet it rests on reasonably certain assumptions.
Previous phonological interpretations of this lexeme as /warpalla/i-/ (e.g. Yakubovich 2019a:580f.) rely on the CLuw. adjective /warpalla/i-/ ‘powerful’ vel sim. (Melchert 1993g:260). While there can be no doubt that HLuw. /warpalla(/i)-/ and CLuw. /warpalla/i-/ belong to the same word family, it is not necessary to assume that they are exact cognates (see discussion of stem below).
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The two attestations of the present lexeme can be found in the introductory passages of inscriptions, detailing the lineage and titles of the respective author or subject. That together with the logogram VIR2 (*386) suggests strongly that /warpalla-/ is also a title, and its meaning is tied to the new interpretation for /warp(i)-/ as ‘weapon, tool’ (Yakubovich 2019a:581 incl. n. 59, 583).
An earlier, henceforth moot suggestion (Hawkins 2000a:262f.) viewed a related form, which is now recognized as the associated possessive adjective /warpalli(ya)-/, to mean ‘brave’ vel sim. in line with the older interpretation of /warp(i)-/.
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
The present lexeme appears to be derived from the verb /warp(a)-/ ‘to arm (?)’ (attested as a participle /warpamma/i-/ ‘armed (?)’) by way of the suffix /-alla-/, which can form agent nouns from verbs. This suffix does not undergo i-mutation, but this is obscured by the spelling of the attestations. For that reason, an alternative analysis is possible: the attested forms could be based on the noun /warp(i)-/ ‘weapon, tool’, derived with the adjectival suffix /-alla/i-/ and then used as a noun, a frequent occurrence for such formations. The decision for or against either analysis can only be made once further attestations with more explicit spelling surface.
[AH.B.]