eDiAna

*mr̥s-éh2-

‘false act, desecration’

Language
Proto-Anatolian
Grammar
subst
ID
2860

1. Individual Anatolian Languages

1.1 Luwian (Glossenkeilwörter)

doppelter Glossenkeilmarša-

‘false act, treachery’

1.1.1Transmission

The only assured attestation of the Luwianism is found in a NH treaty.

[E.R.]

1.1.2Forms

gen. adj. nom/acc. sg.! n. doppelter Glossenkeilmar-ša-aš-ša-⟨an⟩ KBo 4.14 ii 59 (CTH 123, NS)

As noted in CLL:140 (following Laroche 1949-1950a:24), the geminate -šš- unambiguously points to a relational adjective in -ašša/i- (contra van den Hout 1984a:69). This implies that underlying marša- is a noun (see also Starke 1990a:395f. and Sasseville 2021a:28f.).Outdated is the interpretation as a plural form by Starke 1990a:396. – On the other forms adduced in CHD L-N:195, which are, or at least can be, Hittite in origin, see EDHIL:562.

[E.R.]

1.1.3Graphic Features

Checked against the photographs in the Mainzer Fotoarchiv. – The emendation in doppelter Glossenkeilmar-ša-aš-ša-⟨an⟩ restores the neuter nom./acc. sg. that is needed for the expected agreement with mēḫur (see CLL:140)

[E.R.]

1.1.4Meaning

The meaning ‘faux, trompeur’ was first proposed by Laroche 1949-1950a:24 on account of his equation of Luw. marša- with Hitt. marša- ‘unholy, unfit for sacred use; treacherous’ and its derivatives. However, the use of the genitival adjective doppelter Glossenkeilmar-ša-aš-ša-⟨an⟩ as an attribute of mēḫur ‘time’ (Stefanini 1965a:42f., 64) demands the recognition of a noun marša- in Luwian, which is probably a substantivization of an adjective *marša(/i)-, common to both Luwian and Hittite and base of Hitt. maršant- ‘deceitful, dishonest, treacherous; unfit, poor (quality)’, hence ‘false act, treachery’ (CLL:140, EDHIL:561f., Kimball 2015a:64, HED H:83, HEG L-N:142; nevertheless regarded as an adjectival stem in HW:137, CHD L-N:195, HHw:101, Ünal 2007a:432; outdated interpretations of the sentence as a whole in Meriggi 1962a:88, Starke 1986a:162, Fuscagni 2014a.).

[E.R.]

1.1.5Stem

The relational adjective does not permit to specify the stem class of the base noun, which could be a mutated stem, a non-mutated stem in -a-, or a neuter a-stem. For the possible evidence of a common gender a-stem, see maršai(ya)- under Derivatives.

[E.R.]

1.1.6Derivatives

  1. maršai(ya)-(?)

  2. marša-(ti)

  3. maršazza-

  4. maršantarr[i-

  5. marš/zaštarr(i)-

1.1.7Origin

The gloss wedge marking of the word taken together with the Luwian relational suffix speaks for a Luwian origin, which is generally accepted (see DLL:69, CLL:140, CHD L-N:195, HED H:83, HEG L-N:142, EDHIL:561f., Kimball 2015a:64).

[E.R.]

1.2 Lycian B

*mrssa-

‘false act, desecration’

1.2.1Derivatives

  1. mrssxa-

  2. mrssxa-(ti)

1.3 Lydian

*mrša-

‘false act, desecration’

1.3.1Derivatives

  1. mršla-

2. Reconstruction

2.1Reconstruction ‘false act, desecration’

The root of Hittite and Luwian marša- was connected early enough with the PIE root *mers- (Burrow 1964a, Čop 1966-1968a:51, followed by HED M:87 and EDHIL:561f.; for a summary of the literature see HEG L-M:143-145). Although Kimball 2015a:64 reconstructs an action noun type in *mr̥s-ó- (or *mors-ó-), a formation in *-eh2- is preferred here, i.e. *mr̥s-éh2-, due to the Proto-Anatolian factitive *mr̥séh2-. Further evidence for a formation in *-eh2- might come from Luwian, if the adjective maršai(ya)- truly exists (see under lemma), which would reflect *mr̥seh2-i̯o-.

For an overview of the Indo-European verbal formations involving the PIE root *mers- ‘to forget’, see LIV²:440.

[D.S.]

Cross-references

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