GENUFLECTERE
‘(unknown)’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- verb
- ID
- 2600
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
GENUFLECTERE
‘(unknown)’1.1.1Transmission
This hapax is attested in a single inscription from Commagene dating to the 9th or 8th century BCE.
[A.P.]
1.1.2Forms
| 3sg. pres. act. | /…/ | GENUFLECTERE-’ | ANCOZ 12, §4 (Commagene) |
The final sign of the word is *450, likely used as a space-filler here, which is indicated by the transliteration as 〈-’〉. However, it is possible that it should be read 〈-a〉 instead, representing part of the younger 3sg. pres. act. ending /-aya/ of the ḫi-conjugation instead of older /-ai/, cf. Sasseville 2021a:387f.
[A.P.] [AH.B.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
The phonological interpretation of this word is generally considered unknown, but building on the use of GENUFLECTERE (sign *85) in writing the toponym Halaba (see Hawkins 2000a:393), Frotscher 2012a:156 (following Hawkins 1995a:76) attaches the syllabic reading 〈hal(a)〉 to the sign and suggests a shape /haliya-/Vel sim., see Sasseville 2021a:333-335 for the Luwian equivalents to Hittite verbs in -iye/a-(mi). for the present lemma, cognate with Hittite ḫaliye/a-(mi) ‘to kneel’ and ḫaliḫla-(ḫi) ‘to genuflect’ (cf. EDHIL:273f.). This is possible, but cannot be proven on the currently available data; cf. also the discussion of the meaning below. It is noteworthy that, if the interpretation should be correct, there would be no etymological relationship with the standard Indo-European word for ‘knee’, cf. Hittite genu- ‘knee’.
Among the appellatives, the logogram GENUFLECTERE is also found in some 2nd millennium BCE inscriptions with the noun HLuw. GENU- ‘knee’, where it is commonly transliterated as GENU. In the domain of proper names, the sign is much more frequent, since it is a standard component of the 2nd millennium spelling of the storm-god of Aleppo, i.e. Halabean Tarhunt, see Hawkins 2003a:172f.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The meaning of this verb cannot be determined with any certainty. The logogram GENUFLECTERE depicts a leg in a kneeling position, on which basis Poetto 2010e:189f. suggests ‘to kneel’ (“inginocchiare” vel sim.) as a literal take on the shape or, more figuratively, ‘to abase, knock down’ vel sim. Since the word is attested only once and much of the surrounding context is missing, its meaning is difficult to pin down. The clause at ANCOZ 12, §4 appears to be part of a curse formula intended to protect the installation: ni-pa-wa/i-tà REX-ti zi-ti PRAE GENUFLECTERE-´, approx. /niba=wa=ada hantawatti zadi pari …-(a?)/, perhaps translating as ‘(… destroys this name and these words), or if he …-s them here before the king’ (cf. Poetto 2010e:189).
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
Unknown. Even if the suggestion by Frotscher 2012a:156 turns out to be correct, more syllabically spelt evidence is needed before the verb can be assigned to any stem class in particular. If the word-final sign should be read 〈-a〉 instead of the filler 〈-’〉, this would be a strong hint at one of the ḫi-conjugation stem classes, e.g. /-a-(i)/ or /-iya-(i)/ (cf. Sasseville 2021a:340-342, 404f. and passim).
[AH.B.]