Words of Nahuatl Origin

micc micc at home.com
Thu Dec 2 01:51:40 UTC 1999


Does not churubusco come from Huitzliopochco, the place of
huitzilopochtli?

DAKIN ANDERSON KAREN wrote:
>
> Jim and Fritz,
> We got off the article with revisions to Ancient Mesoamerica not too long
> ago, so I'm not sure in which issue it will appear yet, but the basic
> arguments are that there is both Nahuatl dialect and early loanword
> evidence
> from a great number of Mexican languages, as well as from the Philippines
> and Spain (for instance an old dialect in Asturias), and I think 17th
> century Holland, that the original form for
> "chocolate" was
> (is in those dialects that have it) chikola:t(l), which became
> chokolatl by vowel harmony and was borrowed into Spanish that way  (cf.
> also that Churubusco comes from Huitzilopochtli). Chikolli (with some
> variation as far as long vowels in chi-), refers to a stick with twigs or
> short roots on one end used as beaters.  The same word is used in Morelos
> and parts of Guerrero for the long pool with a piece on the end used to
> harvest fruit.  In Isthus and Yucatan Spanish apparently chicolear means
> to beat chocolate or other liquid.  Our proposal for cacao is a bit more
> complicated, but relates it to the word for 'egg' in various Southern
> Uto-Aztecan languages -- It's probably better to leave it until the
> article comes out.  We will be interested to see what reactions there are,
> including those from this list.
> What to me was the most rewarding evidence  when the ideas were falling
> together was the fact that some speakers gave chikolat(l) to us right off,
> but other
> speakers who didn't give it to us when first asked, if I would hesitantly
> suggest it, they would break into smiles and say "Why that's the OLD
> word!".   Anyway, Soeren Wichmann and I hope that it will be out soon.
>
> Karen Dakin
> Instituto de Investigaciones Filologicas
> UNAM
>
> On Wed, 1 Dec 1999, Jim Rader wrote:
>
> > I believe Karen Dakin was one of the authors of this article, because
> > she mentioned it to me in e-correspondence last May.  The other
> > author is Soeren Wichmann.  Their theory is that the Nahuatl etymon
> > was <chikola:tl>, a word she says is attested in eastern Nahuatl
> > dialects.  I hesitate to provide further details if the article is
> > now in print and the data is presented somewhat differently.  Is
> > Karen on this list?  Maybe she could respond.  I haven't seen the
> > article.
> >
> > Jim Rader
> >
> >
> >
> > > At 11:07 AM 12/1/1999 -0700, you wrote:
> > > >chocolate - as i know - from "xocolatl" ("atl"=water and "xokolli"="sour
> > > >
> > > >fruit", both are also nahuatl words)
> > >
> > > There is an article which is appearing in Ancient Mesoamerica which
> > > questions this etymology.  As I recall the authors conclude that the word
> > > actually come from the use of the "molinillo" to stir up the chocolate for
> > > drinking.  If anyone knows the reference I'd appreciate it.  I saw the
> > > article under submission but don't know if/when it was ever published.
> > >
> > > J. F. Schwaller
> > >
> > >
> > > John Frederick Schwaller                             schwallr at selway.umt.edu
> > > Associate Provost                                        406-243-4722
> > > The University of Montana                           FAX 406-243-5937
> > >                           http://www.umt.edu/history/NAHUATL/
> > >
> >



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