*ni-k^u̯e

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 around 400 BCE (Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:19f.).

[D.S.]

The combination of nike … nike … has the function of negating two constituents, i.e. ‘neither… nor’. Neumann 2007a:243 rejects partially the identification of Lycian B nike as containing the prohibitive negation ni (as in DLL:123), because the predicates involved are in the indicative and the negations are found far from the predicates. Since nike can take over the status of a conjunction, negating two coordinated clauses, its sentence initial position is in order.

[D.S.]

This lexeme occurs in inscriptions of various genres, all of which were found in Sardis and are approximately to the 5th or 4th century BCE. The texts LW 13 and 14 are poetic, while LW 23 and LW 24 are in prose.

[I.Y.]

The particle nik is attached to coordinated nouns within clauses featuring the adverb nikumẽk ‘never’ in inscriptions LW 23 and LW 24. They contribute to the specification of the parties who will never enjoy divine patronage, and this can be translated as ‘neither’ … ‘nor’ (Littmann 1916a:37). Cf. the particle =nak, which is used in a parallel fashion outside the negative construction.

The function of nik in LW 13 and LW 14 is apparently different. Here the particles are not repeated and are placed in the positions where one expects to find sentence and clause connectors. Consequently, they can be translated as ‘and not’ (Gusmani 1964a:173).

The particle nik is formed by combining the negation nid and the conjunction =k ‘and’ (Neumann 1961a:59). Typologically one can compare Lat. neque. For the deletion of -d before =k, see Gérard 2005a:77. The use of nik in LW 13 and 14 is compositional and probably more archaic. It may be significant that this function correlates with the metrical inscriptions.

[I.Y.]