nani-^ti or nanit-

This word is attested only once, in a combined oracle report (su, kin and mušen).

[A.B.]

3sg. pres. ind. act. or dat./loc.sg.

na-ni-ti

KBo 43.61+KUB 22.40+ rev. iii 30

(CTH 577, NS)

The attestation follows: Laroche 1959a:74, CLL:155, CHD L–N:395, HEGL–S:247, HED N:40 (cf. Rosenkranz 1950a:194,Güterbock 1956a:123, Starke 1987a:253, Starke 1990a:333 n. 1182, Ünal 2007a:474, Ünal 2016a:368 and van den Hout 2006a:249). The transliteration has been checked against the photo of the Mainzer Fotoarchiv.

Due to the unclear context (cf. under Meaning), it is not assured that we are dealing with a verb as usually assumed (cf. Güterbock 1956a:123, Laroche 1959a:74, HEGL–S:274, HED N:40, Tognon 2005a:207 n. 909, Ünal 2007a:474, Ünal 2016a:368, and more cautiously Starke 1987a:253 n. 37, Starke 1990a:333 n. 1182, CLL:155, CHD L–N:395, HEGA–K:484, Tischler 2008a:123 and Tischler 2016a:234). Starke 1987a:253 n. 37 a pointed out that a substantive is also possible, he considers a dat./loc. sg.

[A.B.]

The meaning of this word is unclear, for suggestions cf. below. The context of KBo 43.61+KUB 22.40 rev. iii 30 (the transliteration is based on the photos of the Mainzer Fotoarchiv, furthermore the transliterations and translations of Starke 1987a:252f., Tognon 2005a:203, 206f., CHD L–N:395, HEGL–S:274 and HED N:40 have been taken account of) shows:

⁽²⁹⁾(…) pa-ni ^dutu URUpú-na ḫu-wa-al-liš ki-iš-ta-nu-an-zi ⁽³⁰⁾[… na]m-ma dingir-⸢lu₄⸣ MUNUSdu^!-ut^!-tar^!-ri-ia-ti-iš (eras) na-ni-ti gán-ga-ti-ti

⁽²⁹⁾(…) in front of the Sun-goddess of Arinna, they deglaze^? juniper^{? (30)}[… th]en, the duttariyati-woman nani-es and treats the deity with the gangati-plant / treats the deity with the gangati-plant in/at/to the nanit-

The context does not clarify if na-ni-ti is a verb or an object in the dat./loc (cf. also HEGA–K:484). In theory, both options are possible. Since it appears with the Luwian verb gangati-^ti (cf. under the respective lemma) and probably shows the same inflection, HEGL–S:274 (rejecting an outdated identification [also listed in CHD L–N:395 with question mark] with Hitt. nanna-ⁱ / nanni- ‘to drive, push, to pull’ [for this word cf. CHD L–N:391–393, HEGL–S:257, 271–273, HED N:17–42 and EDHIL:599]) assumes that also na-ni-ti is to be interpreted as a Luwian verb (cf. CHD L–N:395, Tognon 2005a:203, n. 895): nani-^ti. Due to its pairing with gangati-^ti ‘to treat with the gangati-plant (=to purifiy)’, HEGL–S:274 also sees the meaning of nani-^ti in the sphere of cultic purification, the verb could denote a similar or corresponding ritual action (CHD L–N:395 considers ‘purify,^? appease^?, cf. Ünal 2007a:474 and Ünal 2016a:368 suggesting’, Starke 1987a:253 “versöhnt”).

HED N:40 assumes that nani-^ti could be a (reduplicated) cognate to Hitt. ne-^a(ri)/ nai-ⁱ ‘to turn’ (for this word cf. CHD L–N:347–364, HEGL–S:253–254, HED N:17–42 and EDHIL:598f.) and suggests a similar meaning for nani-^ti. This would, however, be the only attestation of this word in Luwian (in contrast to the corresponding Hittite word which is appears frequently).

But as already mentioned, it is not even assured that the Glossenkeilwort is a verb. Starke 1987a:253, n. 37 considers a dat./loc. sg., which would require a substantive nanit-. This word would most likely be Luwian noun (with the suffix -it-) and could also go back to a Hurrian source (cf. under Origin for the morphological details), note that some authors also assume a Hurrian origin for the word denoting the gangati-plant (cf. a summary in Richter 2012a:184f.). But the only similar Hurrian word, that would fit morphologically is nani (cf. Richter 2012a:266) with an uncertain meaning (a weapon, or sim.?). While such a loan word from Hurrian cannot be excluded, it does not further clarify the meaning of the Glossenkeilwort now and further research is needed. Hence, nani-^ti or nanit- could either be a Luwian verb nani-^ti which could be probably be connected with Hitt. ne-^a(ri)/ nai-ⁱ ‘to turn’ (cf. under Reconstruction under the lemma *nói̯h₁-/nih₁-´) or a substantive nanit- of unclear meaning.

[A.B.]

The Glossenkeilwort nani-^ti or nanit- is generally assumed to be Luwian. As already mentioned, it is either a Luwian verb appearing with Luwian inflection in Hittite context or (as considered by Starke 1990a:330 n. 1181) a Luwian noun. In this case it most probably shows the very productive Luwian suffix -it- (cf. Starke 1990a:151–153) which forms neuter nouns and is used to adapt loanwords especially from Luwian (cf. Melchert 2003b:198). No fitting Luwian base is attested but a loan word from Hurrian cannot be excluded (cf. under Meaning). To conclude, we are either dealing with a Luwian verb nani-^ti or a Luwian noun nanit- (perhaps a loan from Hurrian) used as foreign word in Hittite.

[A.B.]