 It has been recently proposed that the element -καρνᾱσσός is cognate with Luwian (CASTRUM)ha+ra/i-na-sà / (CASTRUM)ha+ra/i-ni-sà 'fortress'.If so, the toponym is probably borrowed from Carian, a Luwic language spoken alongside Greek in Halicarnassus.The Carian name for Halicarnassus has been tentatively identified with 𐊠𐊣𐊫𐊰 𐊴𐊠𐊥𐊵𐊫𐊰 ("alos k̂arnos)" in inscriptions.