ãpi-(ti)
‘to impose (?)’
- Language
- Lycian B
- Grammar
- verb
- ID
- 2214
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Lycian B
ãpi-(ti)
‘to impose (?)’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is found in the poetical inscription engraved on the lion sarcophagus of Antiphellos dated on stylistic grounds to the beginning of the 4th century BCE (Zahle 1979a:318, Mühlbauer 2007a:91).
[D.S.]
1.1.2Forms
| 3sg. pres. ind. act. | ãp̣iti | TL 55.4 (Antiphellos) |
The same interpretation as a verbal form is suggested by Schürr 2005a:135. A 3rd person plural would also be possible formally, but not likely in view of the singular form [a]tli ‘for himself’.
[D.S.]
1.1.3Meaning
The action of ãpi- is performed on something agricultural meant as a delivery/payment for the nymphs.
[z?]ata ãpiti[ a]tli lijanuwa kuli=ke mruwa{:}si tidñta xbade sebe purese mñnusama lajata
‘He ãpi-s for [hi]mself the fertile lajata as nymphaean payments(?) both in the wasteland for the mruwasa-deity and in the purese river-valleys.’
Shevoroshkin 2014a:248 suggests a connection with Hitt. (a)impa- c. ‘burden’ and translates Lyc. B ãpi-(ti) as ‘to impose a tax’, although the Hittite diphthong ai- is difficult to reconcile with the Lycian vowel a-. On the other hand, he compares the Lycian A participle am̃mãma translated here as ‘full-grown, wholesome (?)’, which is more promising, since the intervocalic geminate -m̃m- must be the result of a recent assimilation. Thus, it is possible that the hypothetical verb *am̃ma-(ti) goes back to a verb *ãpma-(ti). The semantics of ‘imposing’ for the verb ãpi-(ti) would be contextually fine, especially if the restoration of [z]ata as suggested by Shevoroshkin 2014a(ibid.) is correct.
[D.S.]
2. Reconstruction
2.1Reconstruction
The Lycian B verb ãpi-(ti) ‘to impose (?)’ can be reconstructed as *(hx)EmP(h)-i̯é/ó- with the semantics of ‘weight, heaviness’. The potential Hittite cognate adduced by Shevoroshkin 2014a:248, i.e. (a)impa- c. ‘burden’, is very attractive and would be phonologically in order, if one could explain the diphthong as secondary and the i-vocalism from unaccented *e; cf. HEDA:14f., HEGA:6, Frotscher 2012a:181. The Lycian A derivative am͂mãme/i- ‘full-grown, wholesome (?)’ (see also CLuw. āmmamma[) on the other hand would be a derivative from a factitive stem am̃ma-(ti) (or *ãpa-(ti)) < *(hx)EmPheh2-). In this case, the etymology between am͂mãme/i- and Hitt. impa- had already been suggested by Starke 1990a:397f. (cf. Hajnal 1995a:102 n. 66). Further evidence from the Indo-European perspective would be welcome.
[D.S.]