ušai(ya)-
‘(unknown)’
- Language
- Cuneiform Luwian
- Grammar
- adj
- ID
- 3501
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Luwian in Hittite transmission
ušai(ya)-
‘(unknown)’1.1.1Transmission
The form is attested only once in fragmentary context in a KIN oracle report.
[E.R.]
1.1.2Forms
| dat./loc. pl. | ú-ša-i-aš | KUB 22.28 rev. 11 | (CTH 582, NS) |
Kronasser 1966a:475 restores ú-ša-i-aš-kán-[zi?] and considers the form to be a -ške/a- derivative of 
ušāi-, but remarks (ibid. 580) that the suffix combination -yašk- is singular even for verbs in -iye/a-. Therefore, this interpretation is not acceptable. Accordingly, Melchert (CLL:246) proposes a different analysis, i.e. as Hitt. dat./loc. pl. ušayaš of a Luwian word, probably suffixed with the particle =kan.
[E.R.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
The spelling with only -i- instead of -i-ya- between /a/ vowels is unusual (Kronasser 1966a:580).
[E.R.]
1.1.4Meaning
The context of the lexeme is incomplete and does not allow any semantic interpretation: (10’)e-da-ni ku-⟨e⟩-da-ni KASKAL-ši 1 [LUGAL KUR] (11’)aš-šur ú-ša-i-aš-kán [ … ] “That campaign on which 1 king of Aššur (is), in? the ušayaš [ … ]”. Also an assignment to an attested root is not possible on this basis and not attempted here or elsewhere (cf. Güterbock 1956a:126, DLL:103, Kronasser 1966a:475, CLL:246, HEG U-Z:107, HHw:188).
[E.R.]
1.1.5Stem
The form ušayaš reminds of Luwian adjectives in -ai(ya)- derived from non-mutated a-stems, e.g. CLuw. wašḫa-i(ya)- from wašḫa-. However, nothing more can be said about the word.
[E.R.]
1.1.6Origin
After the separation from the verb ušāi- considered before by Kronasser (see under Forms), it is only the tentative analysis of the two final suffixes that might indicate Luwian origin.
[E.R.]