ma-(ti)
‘(unknown)’
- Language
- Lycian A
- Grammar
- u
- ID
- 828
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Lycian A
ma-(ti)
‘(unknown)’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme is found in a grave inscription from Xanthos.
[D.S.]
1.1.2Forms
| 3sg. pres. ind. act. | mati | TL 49 (Xanthos) |
1.1.3Graphic Features
Scholars have variously and hesitantly parsed nepemati either as ne pemati or nepe mati (see Pedersen 1945a:56, Laroche 1958b:179f., Houwink ten Cate 1961a:92, DLL:49, Neumann 2007a:189, 265). A verbal stem pema-(ti), i.e. a factitive, would be difficult to accommodate due to the lack of vowel harmony, since one would expect *pama-. Thus, it is better to take the sequence as nepe mati (also preferred by Eichner 2017a:290).
[D.S.]
1.1.4Meaning
Laroche 1958b:179f. translates the verb as ‘to allow’ on contextual grounds (followed by Houwink ten Cate 1961a:92). Eichner 2017a:192f. n. 115 suggests instead the meaning ‘to dare’ based on a putative etymological link with Hitt. mazzi ‘he dares’ (root mad-). However, his etymological comparison is very problematic, since the root is mad- and the expected Lycian outcome would have to be either maz- if it generalized the assibilated variant, or mad- if it kept the original shape of the root. In any case, a secondary change of *mad- >> Lyc. ma-(ti) is unmotivated and unparalleled. All suggested meanings are contextually possible. However, pending more attestations, no definite meaning will be assigned here.
[D.S.]
1.1.5Origin
Tischler (HEG L-P:188) suggests an etymological connection with Hitt. mema-/-iya-(ḫi) ‘to speak’, which is possible, but difficult to prove considering the uncertainty of the synchronic data. Thus, no reconstruction will be given here.
[D.S.]