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The s-Aorist in Hittite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2026

E. H. Sturtevant
E. H. Sturtevant*
Affiliation:
Yale University
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Extract

[Hittite verb-forms with suffix s fall into three classes: (1) verbs of the mi-conjugation, thematic or non-thematic; (2) preterites of the hi-conjugation with third sing. in sta [st]; and (3) preterites of the hi-conjugation with third sing. in s and normally with lengthened grade of the root or with a suffix containing an original long vowel. Verbs of the first type correspond in part to the Sanskrit s-aorist, sa-aorist, and iṣ-aorist. Preterites of the third type correspond in part to Indo-European aorists with lengthened grade of the root. The second type is in general due to contamination of the other two; it includes some forms that are similar to the Sanskrit siṣ-aorist.]

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Language , Volume 8 , Issue 2-Part1 , June 1932 , pp. 119 - 132
Copyright
Copyright © 1932 Linguistic Society of America

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References

1 See especially TAPA 60. 25-37. Supplementary arguments have been presented in Lang. 6. 213-28, 7. 167-72, 242-51.

2 For kus instead of ks. see Lang. 6. 227 f.

3 See Walde-Porkorny 1. 149 f. The words treated in the last paragraph of p. 137 and the first of p. 138 should have been included under eras.

4 For this prefix, for IH **bhe-ei-ti> Hittite paizzi, and for the conjugation of the Hittite verb, see Lang. 7. 1-13.

5 This does not explain all the differences of form, however. Since the two conjugations are alike in the plural, we might expect the two verbs to be indistinguishable there. Possibly their divergent meaning led to a secondary differentiation of form; paimi 'I go induced a new pl. paiweni 'we go' in place of phonologic ally regular *peweni from and on the other hand all forms with suffix s were appropriated by pai- 'give'.

6 Cf. the doubtful imperative lukkesdu, on which see Friedrich, ZA NF 5. 49 f.

7 See Goodwin, Greek Moods and Tenses 16, §55.

8 Altorientalische Studien Bruno Meissner zum Sechzigsten Geburtstag Gewidmet 1. 46-50.

9 See especially Friedrich, Vert. 2.150; Forrer, K1F 1. 261; Mudge, Lang. 7. 253.

10 Cf. Götze, Hatt. 42 f.

11 Correct the definition of tukka- in my Glossary accordingly.

12 Hatt. 69, 94, K1F 1. 181, 240.

13 Götze, Hatt. 29. 69, translates the latter word 'Streit (gegen mich) begannst du'; but the idea of priority comes entirely from the context. Götze, gives the meaning as 'streiten' in his word index and in his commentary on the passage.

14 On this pair, see below, p. 126.

15 This was Götze's interpretation in Hatt. 94, 126, but in K1F 1. 181 he writes nakkes-. I ought not to have followed his earlier practice in my Glossary.

16 Verb forms without es are not citable in the following instances: harkes-: harkis ' white', innarawantes-: innarawanza 'manly, strong', makkes-: mekkis 'great', marses-: marsas 'bad', miyahuntes-: miyahuwanza 'old', tepawes-: tepus 'small', ukturis-: ukturis 'fixed, firm'.

Bolling calls my attention to the alternation of stems in s and in i in IE; e.g., Gk. : , ; ; : ; Lat. munus : munificus. Possibly our Hitt. verbs were originally denominative after all.

17 See especially Leumann, Stolz-Schmalz Lat. Gramm5. 339.

18 See Götze, Madduwattas 105; Sturtevant, Lang. 7. 171 f. This formation cannot be closely identified with the IE desiderative since it forms hi-conjugation verbs of a type that represents IH stems in ᾱ or ō.

19 The verb from which this intensive is derived is not quotable, but we have a related noun arpas 'bad luck', which is probably an original ᾱ-stem (cf. , etc.). IE preserves only the o-stem adjective seen in Lat. orbus and derivatives of it. See Walde-Pokorny 1. 183 f.

20 The alternative is to regard these forms as transfers to the a-class (Table III); but if that were the case we should expect to find the ending esta, which is common in that class.

21 See Lang. 7. 167-71.

22 See Lang. 6. 32-4.

23 See Brugmann, Grund. 22. 3. 433 ff. The frequent assumption that the long vowel of Skt. nināya, jagārna, etc. represents IE ō is probably a vestige of the discredited 'Brugmann's law'. It is at least as likely to have been ē in some verbs, as our suggestion requires.