*moléi̯e/o-^(di)

This verb occurs two times in a treaty between Šuppiluliuma II (or, less probably, Tutḫaliya IV; see Fuscagni 2014a) and an unknown ruler and, as a participle, in a fragmentary deposition.

[E.R.]

2sg. pres. act	ma-li-ši	KBo 4.14 ii 78	(CTH 123, NS)
1sg. pres. act.	ma!-li-wi5	KBo 4.14 iv 34	(CTH 123, NS)
part. acc. sg. c.	ma-la-a-i-mi-in	KUB 40.80 obv. 19	(CTH 297, NS)

Contrary to the claim by Starke 1979a:251 n. 18 (followed by CHD L-M:129, Serangeli 2016b:186 n. 8, and cautiously by HED M:27), KUB 35.79 iv 9 does not provide the attestation of a participial form †ma^!-li-im-ma-aš-ši, because, with Sasseville 2021a:221, the first sign should be read . –  For the presence of ma^!-li-wi₅ under this lemma see below under Graphic Features.

[E.R.]

Checked against the photographs in the Mainzer Fotoarchiv. – The spelling of the participle is deficient, but 〈im〉 is restored in CLL:132 (thus also EDHIL:546 and DCL:s.v.). – The occurrence at KBo 4.14 iv 34, in an unfortunately fragmentary context, entails a problem, since the first sign reads ; this is why Laroche (DLL:56) assumed a Luwian verb kuli- of unknown meaning (the ending -wi of the 1^st person sg. makes it clear that it is a Luwian verb, as Stefanini 1965a:75, following Laroche, also acknowledged); Fuscagni 2014a follows him and, in the translation, refers to van den Hout 1989b:300 (“] … nicht besonders behandeln(?)”). However, Starke 1979a:251 n. 18 suggested the emendation to (the narrow sign would be due to lack of space), and connected the verb to mal(a)i- ‘to think, contemplate’. This view is now shared by all dictionaries, starting with CHD L-N:129, none of which list a verb kuli-.Melchert 2005a:451 and Zorman 2016a:580 and 584 still cited two Glossenkeilwörter probably connected with this form, kuli(ya)-, without meaning, and mal(ā)i-^(di) ‘to think, contemplate’. Since the context is fragmentary and we are only able to identify a Luwian transitive verb, we cannot be sure that this is truly a form of mal(a)i-^(di), even if the presence of mal(a)i-^(di) at ii 78 (clear context) of the same text makes that hypothesis very attractive. See also under kuli- or mali-.

[E.R.]

Only one of the three occurrences comes from a context clear enough to understand the meaning, namely KBo 4.14 ii 78, which is translated as “[o]r (if) you contemplate it” (CHD L-N:129; see also Stefanini 1965a:43f. translation), or as “[o]der (wenn) du auch das billigst” (Fuscagni 2014a); the king, after talking about the possibility of a rebellious province or lord forcing the vassal into an alliance against the kingdom, says that the vassal is held accountable even if he entertains fears regarding possible rebellions in the vicinity (na-aš-ma-at zi-⸢ig-ga⸣ ma-li-ši a-ši-ma-an-wa-kán ZAG-[aš GAM-an] ni-ia-ri na-aš-ma-〈ma〉-an-wa-kán u-ni-uš EN^MEŠ al-la-[ … … …] pa-a-an-zi ú-uk-ka₄-ma-an-wa pé-e-ḫu-da-an-zi ⸢na⸣-at; see CHD L-N:129 for the context and the interpretation of the following =man clauses). Consequently, the verb is translated as ‘to think, to contemplate’ (CHD L-N:129, Sasseville 2021a:221f.), ‘to think, to suppose’ (CLL:132); often, the meaning ‘to approve’ is added (thus HEG L-M:106, Melchert in DCL:s.v.; this meaning is also implied in the above-mentioned translation by Fuscagni).Since HED M:25-28 lists this lemma together with the Hittite verb mala-ⁱ, several meanings are added, including ‘have in mind, (be in) favor (of), agree (with), consent (to), approve, authorize, endorse, sanction, acknowledge’. The occurrence at KBo 4.14 iv 34 can be translated tentatively as ‘[b]ut I will not contemplate it’ (cf. CHD L-N:129; see also above under Graphic Features and under kuli- or mali-), whereas the one at KUB 40.80 obv. 19 is utterly obscure.According to Kümmel 1967a:125, the adjective mālant- ‘having māl-, powerful(?), vigorous(?)’should not be linked to our verb.

[E.R.]

Since a stem †mali(ya)-, supported by the alleged participle †ma^!-li-im-ma-aš-ši, turned out to be non-existent, the stem of this Luwian verb is surely mal(a)i-^(di) (thus Sasseville 2021a:221 and DCL:s.v.The view of a separate stem mali-^(ti), supported by Starke 1979a:251 n. 18, CHD L-M:129, HED M:27 and Serangeli 2016b:186 n. 8, according to which the participle malāimin is a later development, is now outdated; cf. under Graphic Features. On account of the stem variation and the semantics of ‘to contemplate’, we are probably dealing with a Luwian iterative verb in -(a)i-^(di), although an interpretation as a denominative could be defended as well (see Sasseville 2021a:222).

In nearly all dictionaries, the participle malāimi is listed as a lemma in its own right (thus CHD L-M:127, HEG L-M:104, Ünal 2007a:420), even though it is connected to mal(a)i-. According to Melchert (DCL:s.v.), the “[e]xample of participle likely is Hittite ‘approved’ ... against CHD L-N:127.”

If the verb is truly an iterative, then it goes back to a non-attested root verb *mal-; if it is a denominative, it derives from the substantive māl- ‘thought, idea’, which is a hapax attested in dat./loc. sg. (thus CLL:132, Lehrman 1998a:148 and DCL:s.v.). Perhaps the latter option should be favored, if only because the derivational base is attested.

[E.R.]

The forms of the verb mal(a)i-^(di) as cited above are surely Luwian, as the stem morphology and endings clearly show.Melchert 2005a:451 considered the Luwian status of the word not fully assured, while the lemma appears in the list of marked Luwian words arranged by van den Hout 2006a:240, 242.

Regarding the relationship with the Hittite verb mala-/mal-^(ḫi) (and malā(i)-^(mi)) ‘to approve’, there is no agreement. Despite the phonetic and semantic similarity, the two verbs must be kept apart (see already CHD L-N:129, also taking into account the Glossenkeil in the former and the presence of =z(a), obligatory for the finite forms, in the latter). It is still dubious whether the Luwian verb should be considered the source (thus Starke 1979a:251, Starke 1990a:307 n. 1052, Oettinger 1979a:376-377,CLL:132 andDCL:s.v.) or simply a cognate of the Hittite verb (thus HEG L-M:106, Lehrman 1998a:148, HED M:27, and Serangeli 2016b).

[E.R.]

*This lemma was written together with the trainee Marco Ammazzini.

This lexeme is attested in a grave inscription.

[D.S.]

part. dat./loc. pl.

meleime

TL 31.4 (Kadyanda)

The form meleime is interpreted as a participle with passive sense by Meriggi 1978c:263 (also presumed in DLL:39 and Neumann 2007a:206 and accepted by Gehrisch 2018a:46 and Christiansen 2020a:190). Differently, Schürr 2008b:156 claims that meleime has an active meaning and that it takes tasa miñtaha as direct object, which is contextually plausible.

[D.S.]

The referents designated by the word meleime are, together with the aladehala-official, the beneficiaries of the payment placed by the grave owners (contra Schürr 2008b:156). Carruba 1980a:288 (and Carruba 1982a:43) compares CLuw. mal(a)i-^(di) ‘to approve’ and suggests a similar meaning for the Lycian cognate, which he interprets like an action noun, however, hence ‘authorization’. Maintaining the etymological connection, scholars now simply assume a participial form belonging to a verb meaning ‘to approve’ (thus Christiansen 2020a:190 “for the approved ones”, Serangeli 2016b:187f. “for the ones who have endorsed (this)”, Gehrisch 2018a:46 “for the approved oaths”, Sasseville 2021a:235) or with an active sense “for the ones approving the Mindian oaths”.

[D.S.]

The participial form meleime/i- belongs to a verb with a stem in -(e)i-^(di), i.e. mel(e)i-^(di) (Sasseville 2021a:233, 235).

[D.S.]