karda-

This lexeme is attested on a small terracotta vessel found in the necropolis of Sardis (Buckler 1924a:54).

[D.S.]

The partially broken inscription reveals that a patronymic stood right before the verb and that a personal name is completely missing, i.e. [Name …]raluliṣ̌ kardal ‘X, son of x-ralus karda-ed (this object)’. Since this inscription is found on a vase, Gusmani 1964a:143 suggests for karda- the meaning ‘to make’. This is possible, but difficult to prove without a proper cognate. The verb karda- with its root kard- recalls the word for ‘heart’, e.g. Hitt. kēr-/kard- c., CLuw. zārt- n. ‘heart’. If PIE *k̑ truly develops to Lyd. k, there is no phonological obstacle in the etymological comparison. One expects a denominative verb derived from the noun for ‘heart’ to mean approximately ‘to wish (vel sim.)’; cf. HLuw. /zarti-^(ti)/ ‘to wish, contrive’. The meaning ‘to contrive a vase’ or ‘to wish a vase for oneself’ is a plausible translation. However, as long as a second attestation of this verb is not found, this analysis must be considered entirely hypothetical.

[D.S.]

The verb karda- could be a factitive in -a-^(t) or a denominative in -a-^(d), which cannot be differentiated in the 3^rd singular preterit.

[D.S.]

For a possible inner-Anatolian etymology, see under Meaning.

[D.S.]