mūwattalaḫi(t)-
‘mightiness, feistiness’
- Language
- Cuneiform Luwian
- Grammar
- subst, n.
- ID
- 3530
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Luwian in Hittite transmission
mūwattalaḫi(t)-
‘mightiness, feistiness’1.1.1Transmission
The attestations of the lexeme occur in festival descriptions and a votive text (all NS).
[E.R.]
1.1.2Forms
| gen. sg. | mu-wa-ad-da-la-ḫi-da-aš | KUB 2.1 iii 14 | (CTH 682, NS) |
| ⸢mu⸣-wa-ta-⸢la⸣-ḫi-ta-aš | IBoT 1.22 + CHDS 3.33, 9’ | (CTH 656, NS) | |
| mu-wa-tal-la-[ḫi-ta-aš] | KBo 45.11 i 3 | (CTH 597, NS) | |
| mu-u-wa-ta-la-ḫi-da-aš | VSNF 12.33 iv 9 | (CTH 670, NS) | |
| gen. adj. acc. sg. c. | mu-u-wa-at-ta-la-ḫi-ta-aš-š[i]-in | KUB 56.19 i 12’ | (CTH 590, NS) |
Attestations taken from DCL:s.v. – Unclear is 
?mu-u-wa-t[al- at KBo 49.284, 1’.
[E.R.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
Checked against the photographs in the Mainzer Fotoarchiv and CHDS 3. – Outdated is Starke’s (Starke 1990a:173) restoration of IBoT 1.22, 9’ because of the join with CHDS 3.33.
[E.R.]
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
Deriving from the adjective muwattalla/i-, muwat(t)alaḫi(t)- is expected to show two geminates (-tt- and -ll-). However, it is typical for long words to undergo graphic simplification for reasons of economy when not restricted by the need to avoid ambiguity.
[E.R.]
1.1.4Meaning
The word is used mainly as an epithet of deities and as the name of a festival. Therefore, the semantic interpretation depends on the meaning assigned to the base muwattalla/i-. Accordingly, the meaning posited for the derived abstract noun varies within the field of ‘fierceness’ (Götze 1953a:276), ‘strength, power’ (HW:329, Kronasser 1966a:210), ‘strength’ (HW:360), ‘overpowering might’ vel sim. (CLL:151), ‘bravery’ (Starke 1990a:172f., followed in Ünal 2007a:463), ‘ability to inspire awe(?)’ (CHD L-N:317, followed in Ünal 2007a:463 and EDHIL:589), ‘mightiness’ (HED M:198, HEG L-N:244, Melchert 2005a:452), ‘mightiness, feistiness’ (here).
[E.R.]
1.1.5Stem
Obviously, muwattalaḫi(t)- derives from muwattalla/i-, by means of the suffix -aḫi(t)-, which builds property abstract nouns when attached to adjectives (since Güterbock 1956a:123; for further references, see under Meaning).
[E.R.]
1.1.6Origin
The Luwian base combined with the Luwian suffix demonstrate unambiguously a Luwian borrowing (for references, see under Meaning, and DLL:72, HHw:109).
[E.R.]
For the lemma head see CLuw. mūwa-(i).