/amanasr(i)-/, á-ma-na-sa5+ra/i-
‘concubine’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- subst, c.
- ID
- 2382
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/amanasr(i)-/, á-ma-na-sa5+ra/i-
‘concubine’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is attested once in an inscription from Tell Ahmar, dating to the late 10th or early 9th century BCE.
[AH.B.]
1.1.2Forms
| acc. sg. | /amanasrin/ | (FEMINA.FEMINA)á-ma-na-sa5+ra/i-i-na | TELL AHMAR 2, §16 (Tell Ahmar) |
In some of the older literature (Hawkins 1980d:138 and Marazzi 1990b:375), the attestation in TELL AHMAR 2, §16 is read with the signs ordered differently: 〈(FEMINA.FEMINA)á-na-ma-sa5+ra/i-i-na〉. However, newer publications have corrected the reading (see e.g. Hawkins 2000a:228), and the order as given in the table above reflects most closely what is visible on both the photograph as well as the autograph. Hawkins 2000a:229 remarks that reading 〈-na-ma-〉 still seems possible, but this seems unlikely in light of the possible origin of the first member of this compound, see the discussion of the stem and origin below.
[AH.B.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
The phonological interpretation of the word under discussion depends very much on its etymological analysis. If the analysis suggested below (see Stem and Origin) is correct, the phonological shape provided is surely correct. Alternatively, the HLuw. spelling can also represent forms like /am(m)an(n)as(s)ari-/ vel sim.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The meaning was first suggested by Hawkins 1980d:138 based on the context in TELL AHMAR 2, §16: [NEG2]-a-pa-wa/i-ti *a-mi-i-na FEMINA-ti-i-na LITUUS.PA-la-ni-ia-i (FEMINA.FEMINA)á-ma-na-sa5+ra/i-i-na, approx. /naba=wa=di ammin wanattin zalaniyai amanasrin/, interpreted as ‘Or who shall turn my wife into a concubine for himself’. The clause is part of the extended protasis of a curse formula, listing a number of possible evils, including exploits directed at his family, against which the author invokes the protection of storm-god Tarhunza. The word under discussion must therefore denote a negative status or condition inflicted on a wife, strongly suggesting concubine status or prostitution. Taken together with the morphological analysis of the word as a compound, this interpretation gains traction, because the compositional second member */asr(i)-/ (see CLuw. *ašr(i)-) denotes females (cf. /nanasr(i)-/ ‘sister’), and the first member may well be a loan of Babylonian āmânû ‘talker, gossiper’, see discussions of stem and origin below.
Void is the tentative suggestion by Melchert 1988b:224f. n. 18 that the present lexeme may also be attested in ASSUR letter a, §10: *472(-)ma-i-sa5+ra/i-zi-i. This word has since been interpreted as HLuw. /masr(i)-/ ‘(a commodity)’.
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
The word likely constitutes a compound of */aman°/ and */asr(i)-/ ‘woman’, both of which are unattested as simplices, but the latter occurs in at least one other compound, viz. /nanasr(i)-/ ‘sister’ (cf. Steer 2015a:44f.). The first member */aman°/ does not appear to be used in any other compound in HLuw., whence the shape of its stem remains unclear for now; it may derive from a loan of Babylonian āmânû ‘talker, gossiper’, see origin below.
[AH.B.]
1.1.6Origin
The first member of the compound under discussion may originate from Babylonian āmânû ‘talker, gossiper’, see CAD A2:3; the semantics reflect a euphemistic choice to denote a concubine or prostitute.
A different view is held by I. Yakubovich (pers. comm.), who considers for a possible origin of the first member of the compound the Ugaritic adjective ảmn ‘faithful’ (DUL A/I/U-K:69), based on the premise that a non-legally binding relationship such as that to a concubine has to rely on trust alone.
[AH.B.]