tm͂pewẽt(i)-

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.]

dat./loc. sg.	tm͂pewẽti	TL 44c.58 (Xanthos)
dat./loc. sg. (?)	tm͂pewẽti	TL 44d.57 (Xanthos)

The grammatical interpretation of the second example is uncertain; see under Meaning.

[D.S.]

The word tm͂pewẽti is found once in the prepositional phrase arppaxus ẽti tm͂pewẽti ‘at the tm͂pewẽti of Harpagos’ and then in a more obscure passage, in which it looks like an ergative (i.e. *tm͂pewe- n. + -nt(i)-) agreeing with trm͂milijẽti (erg. sg.)’ (thus DLL:131, contra Schürr 2018c:5). However, since the ergative construction cannot be confirmed in this case, we assign the word tentatively to tm͂pewẽt(i)- as dat./loc. sg. Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:82 compare the prepositional phrase with the ẽti xn͂tawata … ‘under the rule of …’ often found in Lycian A and thus suggest the translation ‘under the power of Harpagos’. As further evidence, they adduce the PIE root *temp- ‘to tense, be capable’, which makes the hypothesis attractive, though not yet provable. Instead, tm͂pewẽt(i)- could denote a place; cf. ẽti pddãti (TL 44b.1), ẽti malijahi pddãti (TL 44c.5).

Concerning the morphology, scholars expect an original possessive adjective in -wẽt(i)- ‘having tẽpe’, which would have been substantivized (DLL:130, Schürr 2016d:171, Serangeli 2019b:214 n. 28, with reservation Maier 2013a:236). However, as long as the meaning of the derivational base is not known, nothing certain can be established for the derivative in this case.

Unpersuasive Shevoroshkin 1971a:209 “people” and Shevoroshkin 2011b:153 “elite”.

[D.S.]

The noun tm͂pewẽt(i)- can be interpreted as a formation either in -wẽt(i)- (← tẽpe(/i)-) or in -nt(i)- (← *tm͂pewe-). It is however unclear why Serangeli 2019b:214 n. 28 posits a derivational base, i.e. *tm̃pe-, different from the one attested in tẽpe. The syncope in the root may have occurred secondarily due to the greater number of syllables in the formation in -wẽt(i)-.

[D.S.]

For the lemma head see Lyc. B tẽpe.