watḫala-
‘chanter, singer (vel sim.)’
- Language
- Palaic
- Class
- Base
- Grammar
- subst, c.
- ID
- 2522
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Palaic
watḫala-
‘chanter, singer’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is found in a ritual for the disappearing deity.
[D.S.]
1.1.2Forms
| nom. sg. | wa-at-ḫa-la-aš | KUB 32.16 iv? 3’ | (CTH 752, OS) |
| wa-at-ḫa-la-aš | KUB 32.18 iv 10’ | (CTH 752, OS or MS) |
1.1.3Graphic Features
Checked against the photographs in the Konkordanz (Mainzer Fotoarchiv).
[D.S.]
1.1.4Meaning
The noun watḫalaš stands in apposition to LÚmayanz(a) ‘young man’ and is described by the genitival adjective DZaparwatašaš ‘of the (god) Ziparwa’. Therefore, watḫalaš is a noun and probably designates a cult official belonging to the god Ziparwa (Kammenhuber 1959a:61, pace Carruba 1970a:79, Tischler 2008a:225). Its status as agent noun can be advocated, if one etymologically associates the suffix -ala- in watḫ-ala- with the Hittite one in -ala- c. Concerning the semantics, Sasseville 2019a:27 connects the root watḫ- to the Proto-Indo-European root of speaking *u̯eth2-. Since the official is the one singing the song in the context, the sense of ‘chanter, singer’ is obtained for Pal. watḫala- (Sasseville 2021a:534).
[D.S.]