Spanish/English Words w/Nahuatl Origin

Carlos Santamarina carlossn at ui.boe.es
Tue Nov 30 09:24:04 UTC 1999


Marcos Ochoa escribi=F3:

> Hello All,
>
> I am wondering if there is a list of english and/or spanish words that =
are
> strictly nahuatl in origin. I think chili and chocolate are two of the =
examples.
>
> Thank You,
> -Marcos Romero-Ochoa

Desde luego, en el espa=F1ol (ahora me refiero al de Espa=F1a) s=ED hay p=
alabras de origen
n=E1huatl, algunas de las cuales han adquirido un significado diferente a=
l original.
Algunos ejemplos:

- Petate (de petlatl, estera de ca=F1a tejida): en Espa=F1a, bolsa de equ=
ipaje del
soldado, o, figuradamente, l=EDo de mantas para dormir en el suelo. Es sa=
bido que los
aztecas dorm=EDan sobre una estera en el suelo.
- Petaca (de petlacalli, ba=FAl de petlatl): caja de cigarros, o botella =
plana de
bolsillo para licor.
- Tiza (de tizatl, gis): caso muy curioso, ya que en Espa=F1a se utiliza =
esta palabra
n=E1huatl, mientras en M=E9xico y otros pa=EDses hispanoamericanos se usa=
 =93gis=94, de origen
latino.
- Tocayo: respecto de una persona, cada uno de aquellos que tienen el mis=
mo nombre.
Aunque de incierta etimolog=EDa (pudiera ser de origen latino), parece si=
gnificar
=93nuestro nombre=94: to-ca(itl)-yo.

Y por supuesto, tomate, chocolate, chile, chile, etc. Ni que decir tiene =
que en el
espa=F1ol de M=E9xico hay numeros=EDsimos nahuatlismos.

                         Hasta pronto:   Carlos.

*Englis version:

Of course, in the Spanish (now I talk about Spain) yes, there are words f=
rom
n=E1huatl, some of which have acquired a different meaning from the origi=
nal one.
Some examples:

- Petate (of petlatl, mat of woven cane):  in Spain, stock market of lugg=
age of the
soldier, or, figuratively, mess of blankets to sleep in the ground.  It i=
s known
that the Aztecs slept over a mat in the ground
- Petaca (of petlacalli, trunk of petlatl):  box of cigarettes, or flat b=
ottle of
pocket for licor.
- Tiza (of tizatl, chalk):  case very peculiar, since in Spain this word =
is used
n=E1huatl (mainly in the schools, of course) while in Hispano-America, Me=
xico and
other countries " gis ", from Latin origin, is used.
- Tocayo:  respect to a person, each one of which has the same name.  Alt=
hough of
uncertain etimology (it could be from Latin origin), it seems to mean " o=
ur name ":
to-ca(itl)-yo.

And of course, tomate, chocolate, chile, chicle, etc.  It=92s not necessa=
ry to say
that there are a lot of words from nahuatl in the Spanish of Mexico.

        Read you soon:  Carlos Santamarina.



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