masxxm͂
‘propitiatory gift (?)’
- Language
- Lycian B
- Grammar
- subst
- ID
- 2266
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Lycian B
masxxm͂
‘propitiatory gift (?)’1.1.1Transmission
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.]
1.1.2Forms
1.1.3Graphic Features
Melchert (DLL:120) takes the sequence masxxm͂tije as one word instead of separating it into masxxm͂ tije. The analysis as two words is preferable on account of the phonology already, since the unexpected **-m͂t- should have been assimilated to -n͂t-. Nonetheless, due to the poor understanding of the context, any analysis must be considered tentative.
[D.S.]
1.1.4Meaning
Neumann 1961a:51 connects Lyc. B masxxm͂ etymologically to Hitt. maškan- n. ‘propitiatory gift’ (CHD L-N: 209), which is contextually attractive (followed by Gehrisch 2018a:91). The Lycian word seems to occur once as the direct object of nẽnijeti ‘he drives there (?)’ and probably also of xupdidu ‘he must …?’. However, the equivalent of the Hittite consonant cluster -šk- is expected to be reduced in Lycian to -s-, i.e. *masm͂ (as in the imperfective suffix *-sk̑e/o- > -s- and the other clusters *-st- and *-sH-, see Melchert 1994a:288 unless one were to make an exception with the non-palatalized velar *k. Alternatively, it is possible that the word represents originally a loan from Hittite, which could explain the retention of the sequence. For other potential Hittite loanwords that made their way into West Anatolia and are recoverable in Lycian poetry, see e.g. Lyc. B muxssa-.
Differently, Shevoroshkin 1971a:210, 219 suggests an etymological link with HLuw. /mashani-(ti)/ ‘to make prosper (?)’ or ‘to favor (?)’, which would be possible under the condition that it is a loanword. However, this etymology is semantically less attractive, because we expect Lycian B to refer contextually (because of the verb nẽnijeti) to something concrete and not abstract. In the end, Shevoroshkin 2012a:460 prefers Neumann’s etymology (see also Shevoroshkin 2014a:245).
[D.S.]
1.1.5Stem
The word masxxm͂ appears to be a neuter n-stem like its potential Hittite cognate; contra Shevoroshkin 2014a:245 “men-stem”.
[D.S.]
1.1.6Origin
For a potential Hittite loanword borrowed in the Bronze Age and surviving into Classical Lycia, see under Meaning.
[D.S.]