šaroka-

This lexeme is attested twice in curse formulae belonging to two mutually interconnected inscriptions found in the precinct of Artemis in Sardis and datable to the 5^th or 4^th century BCE. 

[I.Y.]

The contexts make it clear that šaroka- refers to the positive attitude of gods, which will be withdrawn from the evildoers. In both instances, šaroka- is coordinated with ẽtwerš(i)- ‘help’ (vel sim.). Consequently, the translation ‘protection’ offered in Melchert 1994a:341 is contextually appropriate. The more precise semantic interpretation of this noun depends on whether one takes it as a derivative of a verbal root šar- ‘to watch’, as does e.g. Melchert 1994a:341 with reference to Melchert 1992a:47, or whether one directly links it with Lyd. šerl(i)- ‘supreme authority’ and ultimately with Hitt. šēr ‘above’. The second solution is hinted at in Maier 2013a:139, but only as an addition to the deverbative derivation. The scrutiny of the Lydian forms containing the morpheme šar- suggests, however, that the assumption of an underlying verbal root is not necessary, since all the relevant verbal forms can be regarded as secondary (cf. under kat-šare-^(d), šarloki-). The preference for the second solution is consistent with the proposed translation ‘patronage’.                 

[I.Y.]

Synchronically, we are dealing with an a-stem. The suffix -ok- present in šaroka- cannot be separated from the verbal suffix -ok-, cf. e.g. šarloki-. The retraction of stress on the suffix is consistent with the reduction of the root vowel šer > šar in both cases. As plausibly argued in Melchert 2004b:143, the nominal suffix is cognate with Luw. /ah-id-/ forming abstract nouns, while the verbal suffix is deployed for forming denominatives. A specific parallel for the use of this suffix for the derivation of abstract nouns from local adverbs is Luw. /hantahid-/ (q.v.).

[I.Y.]

For the lemma head see Lyd. *šar-.