/san(n)utta-/, (“FEMINA”)sà-nu-ta-
‘(unknown)’
- Language
- Hieroglyphic Luwian
- Grammar
- subst
- ID
- 979
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Hieroglyphic Luwian
/san(n)utta-/, (“FEMINA”)sà-nu-ta-
‘(unknown)’1.1.1Transmission
This lexeme occurs once in one of the letters found in Assur, but likely originating elsewhere. The text is dated to the late 8th century BCE.
[AH.B.]
1.1.2Forms
| gen. sg. | /san(n)uttas/ | (“FEMINA?”)sà-nu-ta-sa | ASSUR letter a, §11 |
The attestation in ASSUR letter a, §11 is followed by a string of clitics: 〈-ha-wa/i-mu〉, i.e. /=ha=wa=mu/ ‘and to me’.
[AH.B.]
1.1.3Graphic Features
1.1.3.1Phonological Interpretation
Since the word is a hapax legomenon and any cognate links have yet to be uncovered, the phonological interpretation offered here is tentative and involves the use of -n(n)- to leave open the quality of the consonant. Hawkins 2000a:544 refrains from proposing any phonological shape.
[AH.B.]
1.1.4Meaning
The meaning of this lexeme has so far remained in the dark, because it is a hapax legomenon and occurs together with another unknown word in ASSUR letter a, §11, see Hawkins 2000a:544: (“FEMINA?”)sà-nu-ta-sa-ha-wa/i-mu (*187.ZÚ)mi-la-zi-i 50 VIA-wa/i-ni, i.e. /san(n)uttas?=ha=wa=mu milanzi? 50 harwanni/, which probably means ‘Send me milan-s of sanutta (50)!’.Regarding the unusual word order of the postposed numeral, see the discussion by Bauer 2014a:84f.The structure ‘Send me …!’ is well-known from the ASSUR letters, but does little to shed further light on the present context beyond identifying the word as a gen. sg. with some certainty.
[AH.B.]