/kuman/, ku-ma-na
‘when, while’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- adv
- ID
- 3550
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/kuman/, ku-ma-na
‘when, while’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is attested 17 times in inscriptions from Assur, Tabal, Karkamiš, Tell Ahmar, Maraş and Sam´al-Y´DY dating from the early 10th to the late 8th century BCE.
[A.P.]
1.1.2Forms
The attestations at KARKAMIŠ A21, §9 and POTOROO, 7b are followed by particle chains starting with the quotative particle /=wa/ and a clitic pronoun /=di/ respectively and are therefore expected to drop the word-final /n/ at least on the graphemic level. The attestations at POTOROO, 7b are noteworthy insofar as the clause begins with 〈ku-ma-na |ku-ma-ti-ia-na〉, in which the string of clitics attaches to the second word and there is a word divider between the two instances of /kuman/. As a general rule, clitic chains can only attach to the first orthotonic word of a clause, suggesting that the string /kuman kuman/ is perceived as one phonological word despite the word divider.
At KARKAMIŠ A2+3, §2, the sign 〈na〉 (sign *35) has an unusual shape.
[A.P.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
The phonological interpretation of this adverb appears secure as it is cognate with Hittite kuitman ‘while, when’ and Lycian km̃mẽt(i)-, cf. Laroche 1979c:70. The spellings attested show the word to end in /-n/.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The meaning was first suggested by Laroche 1979c:70, who drew the connections to Hittite kuitman ‘while, when’ (followed by HEG I-K:616f.), and is borne out by the attestations. In TELL AHMAR 6, §4 begins the historical passage of the inscription: a-wa/i ku-ma-na *a-mi-i-sa tá-ti-sa ha-IUSTITIA-〈+ra/i?〉-i-sa *a-sa-tá, approx. /a=wa kuman ammis tadis hatris asta/, meaning ‘When/while my father was alive (still), (I destroyed my father’s enemies, those of the east from the east)’ (cf. Hawkins 2006a:12f.).
As with other adverbs, it is reasonable to suppose that the doubling of the adverb in /kuman kuman/ carries a generalising meaning such as ‘whenever’.
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
The word likely belongs to the large word family around the relative pronoun /kwi-/ ‘who’ (see Laroche 1960a:175), which has given rise to several sentential linkers; see also Lyc. A km̃me/i- for the reconstruction.
[AH.B.]