šimiyā-

This lexeme is found in the festival for the Palaic pantheon.

[D.S.]

nom. sg.	ši-mi-ia-a-aš	KUB 35.165 obv. 12	(CTH 751, OS or MS)
	ši-mi-ia-a-aš	KUB 35.165 obv. 17	(CTH 751, OS or MS)
	ši-mi-ia-a-aš	KUB 35.165 obv. 24	(CTH 751, OS or MS)

The grammatical assignment as singular instead of plural is preferred because of the singular verb kītar ‘it lies’, although the ending -aš could be either nominative singular or plural. Syntactically, Eichner 2010a:45 takes šimiyāš as dative/locative plural and assumes it to denote something upon which bread is laid. His syntactic interpretation is not convincing; cf. under Meaning and wu_úlāšina- under Forms.

[D.S.]

Checked against the Photographs in the Konkordanz.

[D.S.]

The word šimiyāš occurs within a passage, where the speaker describes what kind of bread lies on the table ready for the god to eat. In the two following sentences, wu_úlāšinaš ‘bread’ occurs instead of šimiyāš, strongly suggesting that the latter refers to something equivalent to bread. Moreover, šimiyāš is modified by the adjective wu_úlašinika/i- ‘bread-like’ or ‘containing bread’, but this does not yet provide an exact meaning for the lexeme šimiyā-. Laroche 1955a:75 compares Hitt. ^(TU7)šiyam(m)i- n. (a kind of stew made from meat) (CHD Š:338). Another possibility mentioned by Eichner 2010a:47 is a connection to Hitt. šim(m)al(l)u- (1. a dairy product, 2. a kind of bread; CHD Š:368f. with further literature). Although the root of Pal. šim-iyā- could be the same as the one of Hitt. šim(m)-al(l)u-, the derivational suffix cannot be equated. Leaving aside these tentative comparisons with Hittite lexemes, S. Görke (pers. comm.) suggests that Palaic šimiyā- means something like ‘offering’ referring to the sweet and sour bread loaves mentioned in the two following sentences. From a contextual point of view, this is the most attractive hypothesis. Therefore, wu_úlašinikeš šimiyāš could mean ‘bread-like offering’; cf. Kammenhuber 1959a:18, Carruba 1970a:70, and that meaning is adopted here provisionally.

[D.S.]

The etymological connection with Hitt. šim(m)al(l)u- or Hitt. šiyam(m)i- n. remains very tentative. Hittite šim(m)al(l)u- has been connected etymologically with Hittite šamlu- ‘apple’ (HEG S:1039f.). Eichner 2010a:47 suggests an etymological connection with Hitt. šamana- ‘foundation’ reconstructing (< PIE *seh₁-mn̥, cf. armen. himn ‘foundation’) and thereby assumes a Proto-Indo-European etymology. Since this etymology cannot be supported for Pal. šimiyā-, we consider the Palaic lexeme to be isolated. No etymology possible.

[D.S.]