The origin of the Hittite ḫi-conjugation [2018] (original) (raw)
Journal of Historical Linguistics, 2013
Starting from the analysis of constructions employed to express the category of reflexive in Hittite, encoded both by the verbal ending set of the middle and by the pronominal marker -za with both active and middle verbal forms, we present a typological parallelism with the Baltic languages that has consistently developed, from a pronominal, a verbal strategy to mark reflexivity. It is also shown that a development regarding the ways of encoding reflexivity involve other Indo-European languages as well. The Anatolian languages attest the reflexes of the original set of endings referring to the semantic categories of Reflexive, Middle and “Resultative”, while the other Indo-European languages attest an innovated “mixed morphology” for the category of Middle and Reflexive as opposed to the proper endings of the historical perfect. Within such a theoretical framework, the development of alternative strategies, using pronominal devices or particles, aims to disambiguate a wide polysemou...
The Hittite suffix -ške/a- between verbal aspect and pluractionality: a typological approach
The Hittite verbal system notoriously lacks the morphological distinction between perfective and imperfective stems common to most ancient Indo-European languages (Melchert 1997: 83), and in this language aspectual distinctions remain at a low degree of grammaticalization, as “[a]ny basic verbal stem in Hittite may be read as perfective or imperfective, provided that its inherent meaning and the context are appropriate” (Hoffner & Melchert 2008: 317). The overt encoding of imperfectivity is partly taken over by a number of derivational suffixes, whose function, in spite of the sizable number of studies devoted to them, remain controversial. In particular, scholars have long debated over the function of the suffix -ške/a-, with some authors interpreting it as a full-fledged marker of imperfective aspect (cf. Cambi 2007), or as a marker of different actional nuances including, among other things, iterativity, habituality, and distributivity (Bechtel 1936, Dressler 1968, Hoffner & Melchert 2008: 317-323). The connection of the suffix with imperfectivity is reflected by the fact that it is largely incompatible with stative verbs (Hoffner & Melchert 2008: 318), and by its occurrence with temporal adverbs meaning ‘in/for X time’ (Bertinetto & Cambi 2006). In this paper, we aim to review the traditional analysis of the -ške/a- suffix by grounding its interpretation on recent typological insights on aspect and verbal number. Drawing from a complete survey of verbs showing the -ške/a- suffix in Old Hittite texts, we investigate the aspectual construal of these forms according to Croft’s (2012) cognitive approach to verbal aspect, and show that they are by no means limited to the encoding of imperfectivity as defined by Cambi (2007). Moreover, we argue that -ške/a- can be better explained in terms of pluractionality, as the different functions that this suffix encodes are basically the same covered cross-linguistically by the so-called pluractional constructions (cf. Newman 1990). Specifically, we investigate to what extent the functions associated to the suffix -ške/a- can be arranged in a network that complies with the conceptual space of pluractional constructions put forward by Mattiola (2017). Finally, by also taking into account comparative evidence from cognate suffixes in other IE languages, as e.g. Latin -sc- (cf. Haverling 2000), we also set out to establish the original function of the Hittite suffix and explain the diachronic processes whereby the different functions developed out of this core meaning.
The Reflexes of IE Initial Clusters in Hittite
The article examines the reflexes of the initial consonant combinations in Hittite and their graphical manifestation. Using etymological analysis, internal reconstruction, synchronic graphical analysis and typological arguments, the authors show that 1) etymological clusters like *s + obstruent yield Hitt. /sC/ = graphical iš-CV... 2) etymological clusters like obstruent + resonant yield Hitt. /CǝC/ = graphical CV-CV... A part of the paper was previously published as: A. Kassian, I. Yakubovich. The Reflexes of Indo-European *#CR Clusters in Hittite // Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual UCLA Indo-European Conference. Washington: Institute for the Study of Man, 2001. P. 29—49.
Pluractionality in Hittite: a new look at the suffix -ške/a
Hittite features three derivational suffixes, i.e.-ške/a- ,-šša-, and-anna/i-, that attach to verbs and are commonly described as expressing a number of imperfective-like functions. So far, the distribution and use of these suffixes has defied a satisfactory explanation. Whereas some scholars argue that they operate within the domain of lexical aspect, others view them as associated with the encoding of grammatical imperfective aspect. In this paper, we focus on the interpretation of-ške/a-and argue that a better understanding of the nature of this suffix can be achieved if one frames its description within the typology of pluractional constructions. As we show, the range of polyfunctionality of-ške/a-fully complies with the cross-linguistic behavior of pluractional marker. We also provide a tentative diachronic scenario that accounts for the rise of such polyfunctionality out of the original semantic core of the suffix.
2018
The classification of Hittite language is yet not fixed. Some point to African Kemet origin, others to Balkan and still some point, putatively and specifically, to Oromo-Kush origin. This papar contends Hittite and Ancient Kushite as well as Ancient Kemet languages were one family. Therefore, the general aim of this paper was to comparatively analyze Hittite and Oromo phonological, lexical and grammatical items. A comparative phylogenetic and evolutionary linguistic approach was adopted. Hittite and Oromo, as well as, some Kemet corpora are collected and comparatively analyzed. The results showed significant level of phonological, lexical and grammatical resemblances.
Hittite, in particular, and Anatolian, in general, encompasses both new insights and obscurantism. Some point to African (‘Egyptian’) origin, others to Balkan and still some point, putatively and specifically, to Oromo-Cush origin. The general aim of this paper is to comparatively analyze Hittite and Oromo phonological, lexical and grammatical items. Hittite and Oromo, as well as, for historical and areal reasons, some Egyptian and (Proto-)Indo-European ((P-)IE), corpora are collected and comparatively analyzed. The results show significant level of phonological, lexical and grammatical resemblances. A large number of these are shared not only between and among the latter two but also Egyptian lexemes and (P-)IE roots and aspirates and pharyngeal reconstructions. The paper presents, in Section 1, the debates about the Ancient African and Anatolian relations will be briefly highlighted, justifying the causes of this study. In Section 2, comparative analysis and discussion of the data will be presented. In the final section, Section 3, conclusion and implications are drawn.