*dhórbh-o-
‘‘(opposing) force (vel sim.)’’
- Language
- Proto-Luwic
- Grammar
- subst
- ID
- 3927
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/tarbi/, (SCALPRUM)tara/i-pi
‘in opposition’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is attested twice in inscriptions from the Amuq and Karkamiš, dating to the 8th century BCE.
[A.P.]
1.1.2Forms
| indecl. | /tarbi/ | (SCALPRUM)tara/i-pi | CEKKE, §22 (Karkamiš) |
| (“SCALPRUM”)tara/i-˹pi-i˺ | TELL TAYINAT 2, l.1 1b (Amuq) |
[A.P.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
For the phonological interpretation, see HLuw. /tarba/ and see also Christiansen 2020a:250, who accepts the connection with the Lycian adjective trbbala ‘hostile (?)’.
The word is preceded with the logographic determinative SCALPRUM (sign *268), which is not found with any other word from the family. Rather, SCALPRUM is usually combined with words around stones, orthostates and carving, which may or may not point to a specialised meaning.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The semantic interpretation of the present lexeme has seen a number of different suggestions by scholars, e.g. ‘again(st)(?)’ (“wi(e)der?” by Meriggi in HHG:123), while Laroche 1960c:140 refrained from fixing it with any meaning, only translating it in the CEKKE passage very tentatively as “les sculptures (??)”. Neither suggestion has fully withstood the test of time. Instead and like the very similar /tarba/, the present lexeme is used in a curse formula, where it describes a damaging action that is to be averted by the curse. It remains unclear, however, if the meaning is the same as that of /tarba/, because the logographic determinatives are quite different, cf. the discussion of the phonological interpretation above. The protasis in CEKKE, §22 runs: ní-pa-wa/i-sa za-ti STELE-ri+i (SCALPRUM)tara/i-pi CRUS-ia, approx. /niba=wa=as zatti wanidi tarbi taya/, translating as ‘or whether he stands in opposition to this stele’ (cf. Hawkins 2000a:146, Sasseville 2018a:305f.).The other available attestation at TELL TAYINAT 2, l.1 1b is too fragmented for a sensible semantic analysis.
[AH.B.]
1.1.5Stem
The word is an indeclinable adverb that likely constitutes a lexicalisation of a case form. The nominal paradigm of its origin is not attested, but the noun was probably an i-mutated /tarb(i)-/ ‘opposition’ vel sim, and the petrified case form is assumed to be a (dat./)loc. (Sasseville 2018a:306) or allative/directive (Morpurgo Davies 1986a:135 and Yakubovich 2002a:208).
[AH.B.]
1.1.6Derivatives
1.2 Luwian in Hittite transmission
tarp(i)-
‘vital force, feistiness’1.2.1Transmission
Most attestations of the lexeme come from festival texts, but one each also from a lexical list and a mythological text (from MS onwards). It is also attested as a deified term in Dtarpi- Dinnari- (KBo 38.46 obv. 4 and KBo 38.47 iii 4, see Otten & von Soden 1968a:27-32). For a possible borrowing into Hebr. terāphîm, see Hoffner 1968a.
[E.R.]
1.2.2Forms
| nom. sg. | tar-pí-iš | KUB 2.8 i 27’, ii 13, ii 45, v 27 | (CTH 617, NS) |
| tar-pí-i[š] | KUB 10.81, 8’ | (CTH 617, NS) | |
| tar-pí-[i]š | KBo 13.1 iv 35 | (CTH 301, NS) | |
| acc. sg. | tar-pí-in | KUB 32.87 rev. 14’ | (CTH 646, MS) |
| [t]ar-pí-in | KUB 32.87 rev. 24’ | (CTH 646, MS) | |
| ta-ar-pí-in | KUB 33.66 ii 11’ | (CTH 331, MS) | |
| dat./loc. sg. | tar-p[í] | KBo 45.160, 4’ | (CTH 681, NS) |
| gen. sg. | tar-pa-aš | KUB 2.1 iii 2 | (CTH 682, NS) |
1.2.3Graphic Features
Checked against the photographs in the Mainzer Fotoarchiv.
[E.R.]
1.2.4Meaning ‘vital force, feistiness, bellicosity’
In a lexical list, the noun translates Sum. [Dkal] = A-LA = Akk. ⸢ŠE⸣-E-⸢DU⸣ = Hitt. [tar]-pí-iš (immediately following [Dkal] = LA-AM-MA = LA-M[A-S]Ú = Dkal-aš, to be read as Hitt. innaraš ‘strength’). According to CAD Š:255f., šēdu denotes “a spirit or demon representing the individual’s vital force”, both propitious and, in other contexts, malevolent. This conforms very well with the other attestations in the Boğazköy texts, where tarp(i)- occurs mostly in collocation with annariš ‘strength’, e.g. in the an.daḫ.šumSAR festival text. In the Festival for the Protective Deities within a long list of protective deities, the collocation can be reconstructed as [annara]š tarpaš Dkal-i (dat./loc. sg.). While one could argue that tarp(i)- is only positively connotated here, other contexts show that the term is ambivalent. Thus, the tarp(i)- together with other evils is locked in a copper vessel with a leaden lid under the earth (for a detailed account of the attestations, see Hoffner 1968a, Otten & von Soden 1968a:27-32, HEG T:314-217 with references; cf. also Ünal 2007a:700, HW:458, HHw:170).The attempts to combine this lemma with 64f. n. 28, 
tarpi-, Étarpi- ‘living quarters, room for the domestic cult’ (Hoffner 1968a:64f. n. 28, followed by CLL:216, HHw:170, DCL:s.v.) are now superseded. This renders unnecessary the forced translations ‘resistance’ (in Melchert 2005a:448) or ‘strength; stronghold, secure room’ (in Schürr 2005a:152, DCL:s.v.).
Therefore, a translation as ‘vital force, feistiness, bellicosity’ largely following the Akkadian concept and, at the same time, accommodating the lexeme in the semantic field of ‘struggle, opposition’ of the potential cognates is justified.
[E.R.]
1.2.5Stem
The combination of i- and a-forms in Hittite speaks for a mutated stem tarp(i)-.
[E.R.]
1.2.6Derivatives
1.2.6.1Uncertain Derivatives
1.2.7Origin
The deep entrenchment of the root tarp- in the Luwian lexicon (including the likely derivative in -i(ya)-), the collocation with Luw. annar(i)- and other Luwian divine names at KUB 32.87 rev. 11’-14’, rev. 21’-24’, and the vacillation between i- and a-forms in Hittite point to a Luwian origin for tarp(i)- (see Hoffner 1968a:68, CLL:216, HHw:170, Melchert 2005a:448, Yakubovich 2010a:389, DCL:s.v., also considered by Laroche in DLL:93 and Soysal 2003b:105f.; Kammenhuber in HW 2nd ed. A:79 regards DInnari DTarpi (dat./loc. sg.) as “kontaminiert”).
[E.R.]
1.3 Lycian A
trbbi
‘against’1.3.1Transmission
This lexeme is attested in the inscription of the inscribed pillar of Xanthos, dated contextually to shortly after the ascension of Artaxerxes II in 405-404 BCE and stylistically to around 400 BCE (Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:19f.).
[D.S.]
1.3.2Forms
| indecl. | trbbi | TL 44b.15 (Xanthos) |
| TL 44b.16 (Xanthos) | ||
| TL 44c.3 (Xanthos) |
1.3.3Meaning
Based on the context of TL 44c.3, Melchert 1993e:32 shows that Lyc. trbbi is a preposition governing the accusative meaning ‘against’ (followed by Cau 2003b:58, Gehrisch 2018a:77, Sasseville 2021c:163 n. 14, undecided Eichner 2005a:29 n. 155; contra Meriggi 1937a:508 n. 5 “postposition governing the genitive”). Moreover, he adduces as a cognate HLuw. tara/i-pi in the phrase tara/i-pi CRUS ‘to oppose’, which adds further support (for the comparison see already Josephson 1979a:181). This approach is further defended by Sasseville 2018a:306, who explains Lyc. A trbbi and its HLuw. cognate as a frozen dat./loc. sg. of an action noun meaning ‘opposition’. So far, the preposition is only attested before a place name in the accusative, i.e. atãnas, trusñ and ẽñnei. Contra Schürr 1998a:149f. who translates it with ‘in alliance with X against Y’ assuming that it can also govern a preceding genitive; the preceding genitives in TL 44b.15, 16 are patronymics to the preceding personal names, whereas sppartalijahe is a dat./loc. pl. of a collective sppartalijaha- coordinated with xbide ‘in Kaunos’. Outdated Melchert (DLL:69), who sees a substantive trbbe/i- meaning ‘enemy’. For a longer list of outdated hypotheses, see Neumann 2007a:372.
[D.S.]
1.3.4Derivatives
2. Reconstruction
2.1Reconstruction ‘‘(opposing) force (vel sim.)’’
In Luwian, Lycian and probably also in Lydian, we find a root of a shape similar to the one of ‘to tread’ (see PLuw. *trób-/tr̥p-´), which however means ‘oppose, opposition’ and refers to someone’s strength as in CLuw. tarp(i)- (see below). The simple meaning ‘to oppose’ could be derived from ‘to tread’ as in ‘to tread against’ (Germ. entgegentreten), although it is not easy to explain how the action noun reflected under the current lemma could have developed its sense ‘vital force’ out of ‘to tread’. On the other hand, one should keep an open mind for a different PIE root, especially since the initial dental stop can go back to either *t, *d or *dh and the root-final labial stop to *b, *bh or *p (with secondary lenition in Proto-Anatolian); for the choice of the root *dherbh-, see PIE lemma below.Contra DCL:230f., a connection to the root *trep- ‘to turn’ as in Hitt. teripp-(mi) ‘to plow’ is semantically improbable, for which see instead tarpanuti(ya)-.
Considering CLuw. tarp(i)- ‘vital force’, HLuw. tara/i-pi ‘in opposition’ and Lyc. trbbi ‘against’ (adverbs with a frozen case ending), we can reconstruct a common denominator, i.e. either a root noun, a thematic stem or an i-stem. Sasseville 2018a:306 assumes a τόμος-type by considering that a τομή-type is also attested (see CLuw. tarpa-), which is attractive, although it does not offer any guarantee. In any case, a hypothetical thematic noun *dhórbh-o- is here tentatively reconstructed.
[D.S.]
3. Proto-Indo-European
3.1Semantic Reconstruction
According to LIV²:512, the meaning of the root *(s)dherbh- was ‘to become stiff, rigid’ (“fest/starr werden”), which fits well to Greek στέρφνιος ‘hard, stiff’, Russian stérbnutʹ ‘become hard, rigid’, Proto-Germanic *sterban- ‘become stiff > die’ (cf. Middle Irish ussarb ‘death’), Icelandic stjarfur ‘rigid, stiff’, Old Norse stjarfi m. ‘stiffness, tetanus’. A couple of wide-spread formations, however, suggest a connotation ‘to become strong, healthy’: Proto-Slavic *storbiti ‘to relieve, heal’, Old Church Slavonic strŭblŭ ‘healthy, firm’, Lithuanian strabnùs ‘bold, efficient, diligent’, Proto-Germanic *derba- ‘bold, powerful’, to which one can add Luwian tarp(i)- c. ‘vital force, feistiness’. A semantic development ‘stiff, rigid’ > ‘strong’ > ‘healthy’ is quite common, and seems to have occurred for *(s)dherbh- already in PIE.
3.2Morphological Reconstruction
Judging from the semantics of the root and the morphological profile of its derivatives, *(s)dherbh- was probably an adjectival or “Caland” root in PIE. The relationship between an o-grade abstract noun *(s)dhórbh-o- ‘rigidity, strength’ (Luwian tarp(i)- c. ‘vital force, feistiness’; denominal verb *(s)dhorbh-éi̯e/o- ‘provide with strength’ > Proto-Slavic *storbiti ‘to relieve, heal’) and its associated e-grade adjective *(s)dherbh-ó- ‘rigid, strong’ (Proto-Germanic *derba- ‘bold, powerful’) is reminiscent of such pairs as *lóu̯k-o- ‘light; bright spot’ (Vedic róka- m., Proto-Germanic *lauhaz ‘clearing, open space’, etc.) and *leu̯k-ó- ‘bright’ (Ancient Greek λευκός ‘bright, white’), or *g̑hól(h3)-o- ‘yellowness; yellow thing’ (Young Avestan zāra- m. ‘gall’, Greek χόλος m. ‘gall; anger’) and *g̑hel(h3)-o- ‘yellow’ (Old Irish gel ‘bright, white, glowing’).
[S.H.]
4. Transmission
Luwian tarp(i)- c. ‘vital force, feistiness’.
Middle Irish ussarb ‘death’, srebann m. ‘skin, membrane’.Cf., e.g., IEW:1025
Proto-Germanic *sterban- ‘become stiff > die’ (Old English steorfan ‘die’, English starve, German sterben ‘die’), Old English steorfa ‘plague’, Old Norse stjarfr ‘hard-mouthed’, Icelandic stjarfur ‘rigid, stiff’, Old Norse stjarfi m. ‘stiffness, tetanus’, stirfinn ‘morose, surly’, etc. Without s mobile perhaps Proto-Germanic *derba- ‘bold, powerful’ (Old Norse djarfr, Old English deorf, Danish djærv, etc.).Cf., e.g., de Vries 1977a:549 s.v. stjarfi, 77f. s.v. djarfr, Seebold 1970a:472f. s.v. *sterb-a-, EDPG:477 s.v.*sterban-, 93 s.v. *derba-, LIV²:512 s.v. *(s)dherbh-.
Lithuanian strabnùs ‘bold, efficient, diligent’.Cf., e.g., LEW II:916 s.v. strabnùs.
Proto-Slavic *storbiti ‘to relieve, heal’ (Old Church Slavonic (u-)strabiti ‘to relieve (pain, discomfort)’, Polish po-strobić ‘to strengthen’, Russian ustorobítʹsja ‘become strong, become a man’), Russian stérbnutʹ ‘become hard, rigid’, Old Church Slavonic aor. 3sg. u-strŭbe ‘became ripe’, strŭblŭ ‘healthy, firm’.Cf., e.g., Vasmer III:192 s.v. устороби́ться, 11f. s.v. сте́рбнуть, EDSIL: s.v., LIV²:512 s.v. *(s)dherbh-.