upaḫil(i)-

Both attestations of the lexeme come from a single sentence in a treaty text.

[E.R.]

Checked against the photographs in the Mainzer Fotoarchiv.

[E.R.]

The context of the noun found in the terms of a vassal treaty runs as follows: a-na ^Dutu^ŠI-ia-aš gim-an ḫu-u-ta-aš ú-pa-ḫi-li-eš-ša tu-⸢uk⸣-ka₄-aš qa-tam-[ma] (21) ḫu-u-ta-aš ⸢ú⸣-pa-ḫi-li-eš-ša e-eš-du “As it (scil. the recruitment of an army and chariot-fighters) is (a matter of) haste and upaḫili- for My Majesty, let it likewise be (a matter of) haste and upaḫili- also for you!” (cf. Otten & Kühne 1971a:16f., Beckman, Bryce & Cline 2011a:62f.). Modern authors leave the lexeme untranslated (CLL:242, Beckman 1996a:101, HW 2nd ed. Ḫ:784, DCL:s.v.), follow Sommer & Falkenstein 1938a:325 and Otten & Kühne 1971a:48, 63 in that they assume a meaning in the semantic fields of ‘speed’, ‘purposefulness’ and ‘reliability’ (HHw:186, HEG U:78), or they consider ‘effectivity, efficacy’ (Ünal 2007a:761, Kitchen & Lawrence 2012a:603, Devecchi 2015a:230) and ‘diligence’ (Singer 2003b:100).Outdated are the adjectival interpretations in DLL:102: ‘disponible?’, followed in HW:427, but HW:333: ‘schlagkräftig’.

Since both ḫuta- ‘haste, zeal’ and upaḫil(i)- are attitudes and, moreover, shown not only by the vassal king but also by the majesty, a meaning ‘reliability’ can be excluded. Whether the concepts of ‘effectivity, efficacy’ and ‘purposefulness’ were known to the Hittites, is unclear. However, if Melchert (CLL:242) was right to assume a connection with upa- ‘to provide’ and upati(t)- ‘land-grant’ (both featuring the spelling with initial ú-; see under Stem), an interpretation as ‘dedication, engagement’ or German ‘Hingabe’ may claim high plausibility. It conforms well with ‘haste, zeal’ and represents an attitude.

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If the derivational chain suggested under Stem is correct, it adds further confirmation to the Luwian origin of the lexeme, which is already likely on account of the gloss wedge marking and assumed accordingly in DLL:102, CLL:242, Melchert 2005a:451, van den Hout 2006a:240, and DCL:s.v.

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For the lemma head see CLuw. uba-⁽ⁱ⁾.