KMGH 11
Text Information
- Siglum
- KMGH 11
- Transliteration
-
ġlʾt lt
Giuliano Castagna
- Translation
-
Lt is beloved
Giuliano Castagna
- Language and Script
- Dhofari/Dhofari 1a
Interpretation
- Commentary
-
The following interpretation remains speculative until further examples of the phenomena described are discovered.
ġlʾt: It is possible to interpret it as a feminine third singular perfective verbal form from the Arabic and MSAL root √ġlw~y meaning 'to be expensive, dear, beloved' (Wehr & Cowan 1976: 682; Johnstone 1981: 85; 1987: 137). If so, we must interpret the <ʾ> as representing something that appears as a long vowel in the suffix conjugation of some third-weak verbal classes in MSAL varieties. Cf. Jibbali/Shehret ḥiṣ́ɔ̄́t < √ḥṣ́w 'she got cramp' and giźɔ̄́t < √glw 'she fell ill' (Al-Kathiri & Dufour 2020: 206-207). It should be said, however, that there is no evidence for the use of matres lectionis for word internal vowels, so if this etymology is correct, we must assume an intermediary stage: ġalawat > ̣ġalaʾat > ġalāt.
lt: If the above reading is correct, then it is possible to identify this as an attestation of the popular Arabian female deity, Allāt.
Giuliano Castagna
- Editio Princeps
- Al-Shaḥrī and King 1993
- Field Collector
- G.M.H. King and A.A.M. Al-Shaḥrī
- Technique
- Painted
- Direction of Script
- Right to left
- Al-Kathiri, A.A. & Julien Dufour. 2020. The morphology of the basic verbal stems in Eastern Jibbali/Śħrɛ́t. Journal of Semitic Studies 65/1: 171 222.
- Al-Shaḥrī, A.A.M. & King, G.M.H. The Dhofar Epigraphic Project. A Description of the Inscriptions recorded in 1991 and 1992. [Unpublished but available on http://www.ancientarabia.co.uk/ under "Projects"/"Dhofar epigraphic project".] 1993.
- [Wehr & Cowan] Wehr, H. & Milton Cowan. 1976. A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic. Ithaca: Spoken Language Services.
- Site
- Area G - East of Tawi Atir, Dhofar Governorate, Oman
- Date Found
- 1991-1992
- Current Location
- In situ
- Subject
- Religion
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