An investigation of the Luwian Hieroglyph &lt;sa5&gt;

The Hieroglyphic Luwian script has a number of apparent homophonic symbols (homographs), primarily within the and series and “presumably to be explained in terms of original distinctions either lost or not yet established by us”.1 The purpose of this paper will be to determine whether an underlying phonetic (or possibly phonological) quality distinct from the other signs can be identified for the sign . An accurate picture of the Hieroglyphic Luwian syllabary is key to understanding the language hidden beneath the script. In studying the nature of this sign, the scholar of Luwian will be better able to understand the phonetic and phonological system of Hieroglyphic Luwian, and to connect it to that of Proto-Anatolian and Proto-Indo-European. The paper will begin with an extended introduction detailing the historical position and linguistic features of the Luwian languages, as well as a brief discussion of the Anatolian Hieroglyphic script. Following this, data...Show moreThe Hieroglyphic Luwian script has a number of apparent homophonic symbols (homographs), primarily within the and series and “presumably to be explained in terms of original distinctions either lost or not yet established by us”.1 The purpose of this paper will be to determine whether an underlying phonetic (or possibly phonological) quality distinct from the other signs can be identified for the sign . An accurate picture of the Hieroglyphic Luwian syllabary is key to understanding the language hidden beneath the script. In studying the nature of this sign, the scholar of Luwian will be better able to understand the phonetic and phonological system of Hieroglyphic Luwian, and to connect it to that of Proto-Anatolian and Proto-Indo-European. The paper will begin with an extended introduction detailing the historical position and linguistic features of the Luwian languages, as well as a brief discussion of the Anatolian Hieroglyphic script. Following this, data reflecting the distribution of the sign in the corpus will be presented alongside a discussion of the sign's linguistic environments. The next section will suggest possible interpretations of this data, utilising primarily comparative and etymological arguments. The paper will conclude with a suggested interpretation of the sign.Show less

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An investigation of the Luwian Hieroglyph