𒂵𒆷𒀝𒋻

Hittite

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Alternative forms

• 𒅗𒆷𒀝𒋻 (ka-al-ak-tar /⁠kalaktar⁠/)

Etymology

Uncertain. Puhvel and Kloekhorst argue that it is a derivate of the verb 𒅗𒆷𒀭𒃰𒁺 (ka-la-an-kad-du /kalanka(d)du/, third-person imperative active singular of kalank-, “to soothe, satiate, satisfy”), from *glo-n-ǵʰ-ei, the noun however reflects *glóǵʰ-tr, as Kloekhorst explains “[...] that because in *glónǵʰ-tr the nasal would not disappear”. The proposal to associate it with Latin lac (“milk”) and Ancient Greek γάλα, γᾰ́λᾰκτ-/γᾰ́λᾰκ- (gála, gálakt-/gálak-, “milk”) by Hans Gustav Güterbock has been accepted by several scholars, although Beekes doubts that there is any connection, thence meaning “balm, resin, milky sap”, specifically the milky sap inside the capsules of Papaver somniferum, the opium poppy; Puhvel further adds that it is a possible cognate with Vedic Sanskrit जलाष (jálāṣa-, “particular drug with soothing qualities?”). According to Oettinger, it should be connected with *gleǵ- “weak, soft”, on basis of Old Norse kløkkr (“soft, pliable, yielding”), Lithuanian glẽžnas (“tender, soft, limp”) and Bulgarian гле́зя (glézja, “to pamper (to treat with excessive care)”), Kloekhorst nevertheless argues that “Although ON kløkkr indeed seems to point to a root *gleǵ-”, Lith. glẽžnas can only reflect *gleǵʰ- because of the absence of Winter’s Law (we would have expect *gleǵ- to have yielded Lith. **glẽž-). If both forms are indeed cognate, we have to assume that the geminate -kk- in ON is due to Kluge’s Law (any stop followed by an *n (*-Tn-) yields a voiceless geminate (-tt-))”. Regarding the possibility of a second meaning, Rita asserts that “[...] as to Puhvel to compare the pair galaktar parḫuena- / parḫuena galaktar with the Greek “ambrosia and nectar” and to translate it as “balm and brew” [...]” See Latin lac and Ancient Greek γάλα (gála) for further information.

Noun

𒂵𒆷𒀝𒋻 • (ga-al-ak-tar /galaktar/) n

1. soothing substance, (opium) poppy?
   • KUB 17.10.II:

     (9′) kāsa walḫišnaš wātar [kitta]
     (10′) nu ŠA dTelipinu ZI-KAx
     [(11′) n=aštaANA LUGAL anda aššul[i nāišḫut] /
     (12′) kāša galaktar kitta [nu ŠA dTelipinu ZI-KA]
     (13′) galankanza ēštu kāša pa[rḫuenaš kitta]
     (14′) karāz=šan tallīēd[du] /
     (15′) kāša GIŠšammama kitta
     (16′) šakūwan ēštu kāša GIŠPÈŠ [kitta nu GIŠPÈŠ]
     (17′) māḫḫan miliddu Ù ŠA dT[elipinuZI-KA]
     (18′) QATAMMA militēšt[u]

     Water for hitting [is lying] here! Let [your soul, Telipinu] [ …] [turn] toward the king in favour. galaktar? is lying here. [Let your soul, Telipinu,] be soothed. parḫuena- [is lying here]. Let (your) innards be(come) pacified. šamamma-nut is lying here. Let [your soul, Telipinu?] be doused (that is, with scented oil?). Fig [is lying here]. As [fig] is weet may [your soul], T[elipinu] likewise be sweet!

2. balm?
   • KUB, 15.34 I:

     DINGIR^MEŠ-aš parḫuenaš ḫalkiyaš pa[rḫue]naš galaktar ḫaranaš partauwar ^UDUiyantaš [^SÍGḫ]ud[d]ulli anda išḫiyan kitta.

     There lie parḫuena- for the gods, parḫuena- of/for? the grain, galaktar, an eagle’ s wing, and a tuft of sheep-wool tied together.

   • KUB, 7.60 II:

     nu ^DUG paḫḫunaliyaza paḫḫuwar dāi (12) nu šanezzi kinanta hašši (13) pešš[iyaz]i nu šemešizzi (14) nu ^MUNUSŠU.GI ^UDU!iyantaš SÍGḫu[(ttul)]li (15) TI₈^MUŠEN partauwar galakta[r] / (16) [(DIN)]GIR^MEŠ-[(n)]aš parḫūenaš ZAG-na[(š wallan)] (17) [(ZA)]G-naz ŠU-az ḫarzi … (19) DINGIR^MEŠ U[(RU^{LIM LÚ}KÚR)] talliyazi (20) / n=ašta anda (21) kiššan memiškizzi.

     (She) takes fire from the paḫḫunala-conteiner and throws mixed fragrant things into the brazier and she burns (them) for fumigation. The Old Woman holds in her [righ]t hand a tuft of sheep-wool, an eagle’s wing, galaktar, parḫuena- for the [god]s, [walla-] of the right ………. (and) she invokes the gods of the enemy city, and she speaks as follows.

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

References

• Kloekhorst, Alwin (2008) “kalank-”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Hittite Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 5), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 428
• Pokorny, Julius (1959) “gleǵ-”, in Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 401
• Puhvel, Jaan (1984) “kala(n)k-, gala(n)k-”, in Hittite Etymological Dictionary: Words beginning with K, Volume 4, Mouton, Foreign Language Study, pages 18–20
• Francia, Rita (2023) “HITTITE GALAKTAR “OPIUM (POPPY)”?”, in By God's Grace: Ancient Anatolian Studies Presented to Aram Kosyan on the Occasion of his 65th Birthday, pages 69–85