nin
‘never (?)’
- Language
- Lydian
- Grammar
- adv
- ID
- 3152
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Lydian
nin
‘never (?)’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is found in a funerary stele from the necropolis, which has not yet been dated accurately.
[D.S.]
1.1.2Forms
| indecl. | nin | LW 12.5 (Sardis) | |
| ṇịṇ | LW 12.10 (Sardis) |
1.1.3Meaning
Brandenstein 1931b:63 suggests that nin, which occurs twice at the beginning of a sentence, may be a negation. This is made plausible by the sequence nin=in nid (LW 12.5), which would contain a double negation, thus reinforcing the negative statement (Haas 1962a:202, Gusmani 1964a:174). It is also thinkable that nin might mean ‘never’, but further evidence is needed.
[D.S.]
1.1.4Origin
As already noted by Brandenstein 1931b:63, nin surely contains the negative *ni also found in the Lydian negation nid ‘not’.
[D.S.]