lẽm-

This lexeme is found in two metrical inscriptions that have not yet been dated accurately.

[D.S.]

The word lẽm- is coordinated in one case with ẽna- ‘mother’ (contra Schürr 2011a:77f. and also Lyd. ẽna-, where ẽna=k is interpreted as acc. sg.) and in the other with taada[=k^?] ‘father’ (thus Sasseville 2021a:188, 508), unless the restoration with [=k^?] is incorrect and taada[s] functions instead as an apposition to lẽms. The latter option would combine with the first attestation into a coherent picture, referring to someone having the status of a father, i.e. ẽna(s)=t fasfẽnwν lẽm(s)=k τaλalaν aνatν (LW 13.8) ‘We own as mother and lẽms the τaλalaν aνatν.’ Therefore, a noun referring to a person or a family term is the best hypothesis for Lyd. lẽms. Outdated Meriggi 1935a:106 with the meaning ‘Germ. Urkunde (?)’ (tentatively followed by Gusmani 1964a:160). Likewise untenable is the etymological relationship between lẽν and lẽm- proposed by Meriggi 1935a:108 n. 91.

[D.S.]

The morphology of the noun is very unclear; pending an etymological approach, no explanation can be offered. However, it is worth noticing that the noun is not mutated.

[D.S.]