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Hittite i Before Vowels

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2026

E. H. Sturtevant  and
George L. Trager
E. H. Sturtevant
Affiliation:
Yale University
George L. Trager
Affiliation:
Yale University
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Extract

In Language 18.259–70 (1942) we began a discussion of the question whether Hittite of the time when our texts were written distinguished phonemically between syllabic and consonantal u and i. On account of lack of direct evidence concerning these sounds in anteconsonantal and final position we confined our attention to the antevocalic position, and considerations of space compelled us to postpone the presentation of evidence concerning Our present purpose is to discuss the evidence concerning the latter phoneme.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Language , Volume 19 , Issue 3-Part1: July-September , September 1943 , pp. 209 - 220
Copyright
Copyright © 1943 Linguistic Society of America

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References

1 Lang. 18.181–92 (1942).

2 Lang. 18.260 (1942).

3 Ehelolf, ZA NF 9.170–81 (1936), prefers to read DINGIR-LIM-i-ú-na-aš, which would scarcely affect our point.

4 The tablet has tu instead of li, but Hrozný, CH 58 fn. 1, is surely right in thinking that li was intended.

5 Since some scholars separate these two forms from those listed above under equation dd, we have not combined the two groups, although the change of e to i must have made them homonymous.

6 See above p. 209.

7 See Götze, KlF 1.176.48.

8 At any rate HG 111 (§104b) requires some revision.

9 We exclude from this count all instances of 3d sg., pret. 3d pl., and of final -en-zi in the pres. 3d pl., since these forms involve problems that call for further consideration. Of course we are not here interested in the stems dai- and te- ‘place’.

10 See Sturtevant, Lang. 18.181–92.

11 See Austin and Smith, Lang. 13.104–6 (1937).

12 See Sturtevant, HG 55 f. and fn. 44.

13 See Sturtevant, The Indo-Hittite Laryngeals 32 and fn. 2.

14 HG 111 f. §107.

15 The alternative form ti-i-e-ir must, of course, come from the suppletive stem tiya-.

16 The nearest approach to such evidence known to us is ú-i-e-eš-ki-iz-zi beside ú-i-va-ìš-ki-mi; but see below (p. 220).

17 Götze, Madd. 81–100.

18 Lang. 5.8–14. See HG 226–8 and, most recently, Lang. 14.245–7 (1938).

19 See Sturtevant, IH Laryngeals 58, §57b.

20 HG 168 fn. 72.

21 For instances of this see above Table 2, equation jj, and Table 3, equation k.