oš (or e^!š)

This word is found on a fragment of a marble stele that has not been dated accurately; cf. Gusmani 1975b:53 (5-4^th c.).

[D.S.]

nom./acc. pl. n.

oš (or e!š)

LW 70.1 (Sardis)

The demonstrative pronoun modifies anlola (coll.); for the grammatical assignment, see under Lyd. eš-. It is interpreted by Gusmani 1975b:6 (and Gusmani 1980a:81) as a demonstrative pronoun with a deixis different from Lyd. eš- ‘this (one) here’ (followed by Melchert 2009a:153f.). As pointed out in Gusmani 1975b:6, it is tempting to take oš as a carving mistake for e^!š, because this would be expected considering all Lydian inscriptions describing objects around the stele on which they are carved. However, he claims that the inscription is so meticulously carved that a mistake by the carver is hardly to be reckoned with. However, such an  assessment is  unrealistic and one should not exclude the necessity of an emendation of oš to e^!š. Eichner 1988b tries to bring further evidence by comparing Sid. ośad, which he interprets as an adverb (cf. under lemma), and reconstructs for Lyd. oš the pre-form *waši < *awa ‘see!’ (= CLuw. āwa) + *aši ‘(dem. pr.)’, but this is far-fetched and difficult to prove. Melchert 2009a:157f. suggests a different reconstruction, i.e. *e/ou̯(o)-, comparing Av. auua- and OCS ovǔ (cf. the lemma of Car. u-). Awaiting further evidence within Lydian, we remain careful and question the existence of Lyd. oš. Furthermore, we do not take Lyd. oš into consideration for the reconstruction of any demonstrative pronouns.

[D.S.]