witatt(a)-

Hapax in a Luwian ritual (NS).

[Zs.S.]

acc. sg. c.

ú-i-ta-at-ta-an

KUB 35.43 ii 11

(CTH 761, NS)

The attestation follows CLL:271 (cf. Laroche 1959a:111) checked against the photograph of the Konkordanz.

[Zs.S.]

This word is usually left untranslated, except that it is a noun (Tischler 2008a:229, Tischler 2016a:443; Oettinger 2015d:270, Oettinger 2016a:233; Melchert 2016a:204; not included in Ünal 2016a). As pointed out by CLL:271, the cautious suggestion of Laroche 1959a:111 as a 2nd pl. imp. of wida(i)- ‘to strike’ does not fit the context, which requires an entity to be carried away by the scapegoat. The same applies to Carruba’s cautious suggestion (‘year’, Carruba 1982a:46f. with question mark). CLL:271 entertains (“perhaps”) the possibility of a derivative of the Luwian word for ‘water’: however, the Luwian word wida- does not mean ‘watery, wet’, but rather a topographical feature (perhaps ‘steppe’, see s.v.) and the Luwian origin of the Glossenkeilwort wita- ‘water or wave’ is not proven (see s.v.), although these do not exclude the proposed meaning. Besides, I. Yakubovich (pers. comm.) suggests ‘blow’ (with question mark). Since we are probably dealing with a reference to the illness to be cured, the possibilities for the meaning are numerous and no decision can be made without further evidence.

[Zs.S.]

Last updated: 28 April 2020