Hittite emotions in lexical and semantic groundsa research into the history of emotions through the Hittite records

Resumo

The present research observes and evaluates Hittite lexical sensibility to emotions, therefore it is an examination of Hittite ability or capacity to lexicalize what we nowadays label emotions. Hittite is used here in a cultural broad sense, encompassing also other Anatolian languages such as Luwian, Lycian, Lydian, Palaic, Hattic, Hurrian, and in lesser degree Akkadian, Sumerian and Phoenician (if parallels to Anatolian texts). After some theoretical backgrounds about emotion researches, and this in particular, the work follows with the identification of the relevant lexical units, the recollection of its previous interpretations and translations into modern languages, the loci of the attestations, text transliterations and translations wherein the attestations occur, and analytical commentaries, encompassing: a descriptive semantics of the general concept under analysis; critical review of previous translations into modern languages; discussion of special semantic contents, including its somatic relevancy; semantic evaluation of Akkadian and Sumerian glosses (occasionally also Phoenician); syntactical and aspectual notes; and the linguistical appraisal of the lexemes derivatives and origin (Proto-Indo-European or not), inter alia. The lexical units fully analyzed are grouped under five emotion clusters: “Love”, “Happiness, Joy, and Contentment”, “Apprehension, Fear, Panic, and Anxiety”, “Disgust, Hate, Anger, Rage, and Wrath”, and “Jealousy and Envy”. Additionally, the research comprises the identification of emotion lexemes related with other clusters, namely “Sadness, Sorrow, Mourning, and Grief”, “Shame, Embarrasment, and Guilt”, “Pride, Humiliation, and Self- Respect”, and “Reverence, Pity, and Compassion”, plus an extra chapter entitled “The expression of Tranquility”. The final part encompasses a discussion of the results, leading to conclusions about the great lexical amplitude of Hittite emotions, especially within the cluster of “Disgust, Hate, Anger, Rage, and Wrath” and “Apprehension, Fear, Panic, and Anxiety”. It was also possible to conclude that Hittite lexicon of emotions was mainly inherited from Proto-Indo-European