šuwaššali-
‘(a functionary)’
- Language
- Cuneiform Luwian
- Grammar
- subst
- ID
- 701
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Luwian in Hittite transmission
šuwaššali-
‘(a functionary)’1.1.1Transmission
The word is attested once in a NH treaty with LateNS.
[E.R.]
1.1.2Forms
| nom. sg. | LÚšu-u-wa-aš-ša-liš | KBo 4.14 iii 42 | (CTH 123, NS) |
1.1.3Graphic Features
The abbreviated spelling of -alli- or -šalli- (see below) without the AL sign and with LIŠ is easily explicable as due to space problems at the end of the line.
[E.R.]
1.1.4Meaning
The lexeme is glossed either as ‘(a palace official)’ vel sim. (e.g., HW (2nd ed.):201, van Brock 1962a:115, Tischler 1982a:222, Melchert 2005a:451) or regarded as the generic term for ‘palace official’ (e.g., Fuscagni 2014a, Bryce 2005a:300). Any further specification could only be gleaned from the following relative clause ANŠE.KUR.RAMEŠ-ma-an ku-iš tu-u-ri-ia-zi ‘who could harness the horses’, provided it actually refers to LÚšuwaššali-. In this case it would contradict the proposal by Brosch 2014a that we are dealing with the word for ‘butler, cupbearer’, because a cupbearer would not be expected to harness horses. In addition, Brosch’s meaning assignment is entirely built on etymological considerations with the root for ‘to fill’ and not otherwise supported.
[E.R.]
1.1.5Origin
Melchert 2005a:451 very tentatively considers a Luwian origin for LÚšuwaššali-, probably thinking of a derivative with the Luwian suffixes -ašša/i- and -alla/i- (see also HEG:Š 1237). This is possible, but the earlier analysis of Kronasser 1966a:214 (followed by Tischler 1982b:216, 221f., 228 and Brosch 2014a) as a compound with second member -šalli- ‘great’ is equally feasible. Such compounds started out as calques of collocations with Akk. bēl or Sum. GAL for the designation of functionaries. Cf. Pal. šuwāšalānt-.
[E.R.]