la-
‘to give, grant’
- Language
- Lycian
- Grammar
- verb
- ID
- 2560
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Lycian A
la-
‘to give, grant’1.1.1Transmission
This word is found in two grave inscriptions (TL 128, TL 135), which can be dated to the lifetime of Trbbẽnimi (second half of the 5th to first half of the 4th century), and a third one that cannot be dated accurately.
[D.S.]
1.1.2Forms
| 1sg. pres. ind. act. | ḷ?au | TL 128.2 (Limyra) |
| [l]ạu | TL 135.2 (Limyra) | |
| 3pl. pret. ind. act. | ḷẹ̃[t]ẽ | TL 18.2 (Pinara) |
The form lau is wrongly translated as 3sg. pres. impv. in Neumann 2012a:390.
[D.S.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
For a new collation of the inscription TL 135, see Christiansen 2020a:233. The sequence na lau (TL 128.2) has also been read as na dau (see Hajnal 1995a:163f. n. 189, Schürr 2005a:143 and Neumann 2007a:180 with further literature), in which case it would belong to the synonymous verb da-(di) ‘to give’. The attestation in TL 18 has been read differently, i.e. nẽ[n]ẽ (see Hajnal 1995a:193, Hajnal 2000a:179). Schürr 2001e:130f. offers a new collation and reads lẽ[t]ẽ, bringing further evidence from a comparative perspective with other inscriptions (followed by DLL:34, Sasseville 2021a:308).
[D.S.]
1.1.4Meaning ‘to give, grant, allow’
On contextual grounds, the negated verb lau, which takes the noun for ‘freedom’ as direct object in TL 128 and TL 135 has been properly elucidated with ‘to give, grant’, which means that the owner will not give any freedom or any peace to anyone damaging the grave (Hajnal 1995a:136, 163f. n. 189, although he translates it with ‘release’, taking the PIE root *leh1- ‘to release’ (and Hitt. lā(i)-(mi)) into consideration (likewise Melchert apud Schürr 2001e:131), followed by Neumann 2007a:180, Christiansen 2009a:49 ‘grant’, Wagner 2011a:152, Sasseville 2021a:308 ‘allow’ (or “verb of giving”)); contra Neumann 2012a:390 ‘to receive’.
[D.S.]
1.1.5Stem
On the stem formation, see Sasseville 2021a:304f., 308f. One should also compare the synonymous Lycian verb da-(di).
[D.S.]
1.2 Lycian B
la-
‘to give (vel sim.)’1.2.1Transmission
This lexeme is found 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.]
1.2.2Forms
| 3pl. pret. ind. act. | lãte | TL 44d.55 (Xanthos) |
| part. nom./acc. pl. n. | lẽm̃ | TL 44c.63 (Xanthos) |
Schürr 2001e:132 sees another verbal form in the word alcãnalax, i.e. alcã na lax, which is possible but difficult to prove. For the apocope of the participial form lẽm̃, see Schürr 1997b:63, followed by Melchert (DLL:120), Schürr 2016d:163, Sasseville 2021a:308; contra Shevoroshkin 2014a:238, who sees a root lẽm̃p-.
[D.S.]
1.2.3Meaning
The meaning of the Lycian B verb depends on the semantic assignment of the Lycian A cognate. Thus, Melchert (DLL:119) suggests the meaning ‘to release, grant’ for Lyc. B la- matching Lyc. A la- (see above); thus also Neumann 2007a:180, Schürr 2018b:71, 98 and Gehrisch 2018a:95. Sasseville 2021a:308f. and 423 provides contextual analyses of TL 44d.55 and TL 44c.63, in which he demonstrates that lãte is a verb of giving, translating it as ‘to give’.
[D.S.]
1.2.4Stem
On the stem formation, see Sasseville 2021a:304f., 308f. One should also compare the synonymous Lycian verb da-(di).
[D.S.]