Translation/pronunciation
r. joe campbell
campbel at INDIANA.EDU
Tue Aug 31 04:11:22 UTC 2004
> > In the modern dialects that I'm familiar with, 'quimichin' is used for
> > "mouse" and 'quimich-ilama(tl)' is used for "rat". (ilamatl = old woman)
> > This is in villages where the folk-zoology classifies 'raton' "mouse" and
> > 'rata' "rat" as the male and female of the same species.
>
> Is this an example of a pun or play on words, perhaps, with quimich-
> acting as both a dimunitive ("little" old lady) as well as a hint that the "old
> lady" in question is indeed a rodent?
>
I don't think so -- in Tepoztlan 'piolama' is a hen -- a mature female
chicken.
Geoff,
When you said that 'quimichin' might indicate "diminutive" or
"small", depending on context, I reflected on my internalized
semantics... and, though the *referent* is small, I couldn't dredge up
a feeling that Nahuatl seemed to lean on that for expressing the idea
of "smallness". So I made a list of all the 'quimich-' occurrences in
the Florentine Codex. The numbers are related to their alphabetical
order, but I'll move the most relevant ones to the beginning of the
list, sometimes with a comment:
*** I doubt that the two following items have anything to do with the
smallness of the mouse itself:
quexilquimichcuitlatl**
10. *quexilquimichcuitlatl*.
small bit of filth about the groin (b.10 f.8 p.138b).
quexilquiquimichcuitlatl**
11. *quexilquiquimichcuitlatl*.
small bits of filth about the groin (b.10 f.8 p.138b).
*** This one looks like a hit for your theory:
quimichetl**
14. *quimichetl*: frisoles de ratones son negros i menudos.
mouse bean mouse beans; they are black and small (b.11
f.27 p.285).
*** Here 'quimichnacaztic' is associated with "tiny" -- "like a
mouse's ear". Well, I will admit that the ear of a mouse is smaller
than that of a goat, a fox, an armadillo, etc.,...
quimichnacaztic**
47. in ticehuac in xoxouhqui, in patzahuac, in chilacachtic,
in xamanqui, in cacaltic, in *quimichnacaztic*, quicenneloa,
quicepanneloa, quimotlaltia, itlan caquia, quicepanmictia,.
the whitish, the fresh cacao beans he intermixes, mingles,
throws in, introduces, ruins with the shrunken, the chili-seed-like,
the broken, the hollow, the tiny. (b.10 f.4 p.65).
*** 'quimichtetl' is used to refer to a "small black bean",
so that's another point scored for the association between 'quimichin'
and "smallness".
quimichtetl**
56. ipanitia, in cualli etl in amanehua, in chipactic, in tetzcaltic,
in tolontic, in telolotic, in chipaccaltic, in huel quizqui
tonacayotl, in mitoa huel maquiztli, huel chalchihuitl,
huel teoxihuitl, in tlahtiloni, in toptemaloni, in petlacaltemaloni,
in cuezcomatemaloni, in ecoztli, in echichilli paletl, in
iztaquetl, in epitzactli, in xaltetl, in *quimichtetl*,
in ecuicuilli, in cuicuiletl, in ecoztapayolli, in ayecotli,
in cuahuecoc..
separately, in one place, he prices, sorts, selects the
good beans, the new crop --the clean, the smooth, the round,
the pellet-like, the very clean; the well-formed food, the
so-called good bracelet, good green stone, good turquoise;
that worth being stored, worth being put away in the bag,
in the reed box, in the storage bin; the yellow beans, red
beans, brown beans, white beans, small beans, whitish beans,
small black beans, pinto beans, spotted beans, round yellow
beans, large black beans, wild beans. (b.10 f.4 p.66).
So what do our fellow listeros think?
Joe
====================
aquimichin**
1. *aquimichin*:.
water mouse (b.11 f.2 p.18).
calquimichi**
2. in otomi. quicua in epatl, quicua in coatl, quicua in mototli,
in cuauhquimichi in tlalquimichi, in *calquimichi*:.
the otomi ate skunks, serpents, squirrels, forest mice,
field mice, house mice. (b.10 f.11 p.180).
calquimichin**
3. *calquimichin*:.
house mouse (b.11 f.2 p.18).
cuauhquimichi**
4. in otomi. quicua in epatl, quicua in coatl, quicua in mototli,
in *cuauhquimichi* in tlalquimichi, in calquimichi:.
the otomi ate skunks, serpents, squirrels, forest mice,
field mice, house mice. (b.10 f.11 p.180).
cuauhquimichin**
5. *cuauhquimichin*:.
forest mouse (b.11 f.2 p.18).
moquimichcuepti**
6. in ihcuac, i, mochihua: huel motenmatia in ootztin, tlahueimatia,
momauhtiaya: ma nelli *moquimichcuepti*, ma quiquimichtinmocuepti,
in impilhuan..
when this came to pass, women with child feared evil; they
thought it portentous; they were terrified [lest], perchance,
their [unborn] children might be changed into mice; each
of their children might turn into a mouse. (b.7 f.1 p.8).
moquimichpahuia**
7. inic maci quimichin: mizton, gaton quinmictia: momonhuia,
motlapehuia: *moquimichpahuia*..
thus is a mouse caught: the cat kills it; it is snared,
it is trapped; it is poisoned with quimichpatli. (b.11 f.2
p.18).
niquimichpahuia**
8. *niquimichpahuia*..
I take quimichpatli. (b.11 f.13 p.131).
niquimichti**
9. ic mitoa in tlatolli *niquimichti*: quitoznequi, nitetlanencati:.
hence is said the saying, "I mouse him"; that is to say,
"I eavesdrop on one." (b.11 f.2 p.17).
quimichcuani**
12. cincuani, nochcuani, *quimichcuani*, nacacuani:.
it is an eater of ripe maize ears, of tunas, of mice, of
flesh. (b.11 f.5 p.43).
13. *quimichcuani*, cuetzpalcuani, zacatzilcuani:.
it is an eater of mice, of lizards, of ‡acacilin [birds].
(b.11 f.5 p.45).
quimichi**
15. in tetlanochili *quimichi* tenxochitl, ehcatlatole, tecoconahuiani,
xochihua, tetenxochioyani, tetenxochitzotzonanii tepahuiani:.
the procurer [is like a] mouse; [he is] a beguiler, a windbag,
an enticer, a seducer, a seducer with words, a wheedler,
a tempter. (b.10 f.2 p.37).
16. in itech ca in itech mochihua *quimichi*, tochi. etc..
they are on, they form on mice, rabbits, etc. (b.11 f.10
p.99).
17. ahzo motlatlaloa in *quimichi*, in anozo tlein yolcatl itech.
perhaps the mice, or whatever creature the worm lives on,
flees. (b.11 f.10 p.99).
18. in iuh mitoa, in tecuani, in coyotl, oztoc ichan in tochin,
in mazatl, cuauhtla ichan, in michi atlan ichan, in coatl,
in *quimichi* tlacoyocco ichan..
so it is said: the home of the wild beast, of the coyote,
is in the cave; the forest is the home of the rabbit, of
the deer; the home of the fish is in the water; the home
of the serpent, of the mouse, is in the hole. (b.11 f.26
p.275).
*** #19 was a spurious hit... not related to mouse...
quimichin**
20. inic neci in *quimichin* quicoyonia in chiquihuitl, anozo
tecomatl, anozo xicalli quitencuacuaya..
in order for it to be evident, the mouse made a hole in
a large basket, or gnawed the edges of gourd dishes or bowls.
(b.5 f.3 p.191).
21. ihuan nohuian tlacocoyonia in *quimichin*,.
and everywhere the mouse made holes. (b.5 f.3 p.191).
22. inic cempoalli on chicuei capitulo, itechpa tlatoa in *quimichin*
itentlacahual..
twenty-eighth chapter, which telleth of the gnawed leavings
of a mouse. (b.5 f.3 p.193).
23. in *quimichin* in zazo tlein quicua: ayac huel quicualiaya,.
whatsoever a mouse had gnawed none might eat. (b.5 f.3
p.193).
24. quilmach in aquin quicualia in quicahua *quimichin*, itech
tlatlamiz,.
it was said that he who ate what a mouse had left would
be falsely accused. (b.5 f.3 p.193).
25. ca mitoa: oquichtequico in *quimichin*, oquichtacacua..
for it was said that the mouse came to steal it; he came
to eat it in stealth. (b.5 f.3 p.193).
26. ipampa i, in ayac huel quicualiaya in itentlacahual *quimichin*..
wherefore no one might eat gnawed leavings of a mouse.
(b.5 f.3 p.193).
27. no iuh ipan mitoz: in aquin quicua itentlacahual *quimichin*,
itech tlatlamiz, in zazo tlein tlatolli, anozo in tlein
polihuiz..
likewise it was said of it that he who ate the gnawed leavings
of a mouse would be accused falsely of some sort of story
or of that which might be missing. (b.5 f.3 p.193).
28. in ihcuac huetzi intlan pipiltotonti: in tenanhuan itlacoyocco
contlaza in *quimichin*, anoce impilhuan, quimilhuia: itlacoyocco
xictlali in quimichin:.
when the teeth of small children dropped out, the mothers
cast them into a mouse-hole, or they said to their children:
"place it in the mouse-hole." (b.5 f.3 p.195).
29. in ihcuac huetzi intlan pipiltotonti: in tenanhuan itlacoyocco
contlaza in quimichin, anoce impilhuan, quimilhuia: itlacoyocco
xictlali in *quimichin*:.
when the teeth of small children dropped out, the mothers
cast them into a mouse-hole, or they said to their children:
"place it in the mouse-hole." (b.5 f.3 p.195).
30. auh in itlacual yehuatl in *quimichin*, in huezacotl, in
at cana ipan quiza, totzintli:.
and its food is mice, kangaroo rats, and small birds, if
one of them somewhere passes by it. (b.11 f.1 p.9).
31. in iuhqui tozan, in iuhqui *quimichin*, tlallan ichan: zan
huel no iuhqui..
like the gopher, like the mouse, its burrow is underground,
just the same [as theirs]. (b.11 f.2 p.11).
32. in itlacual: *quimichin*, nextecuilin, tlalomitl:.
its food is mice, nextecuillin worms, tlalomitl worms.
(b.11 f.2 p.13).
33. inic chicome parrapho: itechpa tlatoa in yoyolitoton, in
iuhqui yehuatl, *quimichin*: ihuan in oc cequintin, zan
no iuhque.
seventh paragraph, which telleth of the small animals,
like the mouse, and of others like it. (b.11 f.2 p.17).
34. *quimichin*:.
mouse (b.11 f.2 p.17).
35. inin *quimichin*: nextontli, chichintontli, poyactontli,
yayamazpil, yayamaztontli:.
this mouse is a little ashen, blackish, a little dark,
rather yielding, a little soft. (b.11 f.2 p.17).
36. ic no motocayotia *quimichin*: in tetlahnenqui, ipampa in
manel canin: cacalaqui ca concaqui, ca concui in tlatolli:
ihuan ontlanemilia,.
hence also the eavesdropper is also called mouse, because
no matter where, he continually enters the house, he hears
and acquires the information and inquires into one's affairs.
(b.11 f.2 p.17).
37. inic maci *quimichin*: mizton, gaton quinmictia: momonhuia,
motlapehuia: moquimichpahuia..
thus is a mouse caught: the cat kills it; it is snared,
it is trapped; it is poisoned with quimichpatli. (b.11 f.2
p.18).
38. ihuan itoca atozan, zan ye yeh in *quimichin*:.
also its name is water gopher. it is the same as the mouse.
(b.11 f.2 p.18).
39. in cuauhtla nemi *quimichin*, huiac, tomahuac..
it is a mouse which lives in the forest; it is long, thick.
(b.11 f.2 p.18).
40. in milpan in ixtlahuacan nemi, *quimichin*..
it is a mouse which lives in the maize fields, on the plains.
(b.11 f.2 p.18).
41. in techan nemi *quimichin*..
it is a mouse which lives in one's house. (b.11 f.2 p.18).
42. zan ye no yeh in *quimichin*, (tepiton. ololtontli)..
it is the same as the mouse, [small, small and round].
(b.11 f.2 p.18).
43. zan ye no yeh in *quimichin*)..
[it is the same as the mouse.] (b.11 f.2 p.18).
44. inic mitoa tetzompa, in otlacua in oixhuic: cuauhtitech,
metitech quinzozo in imalhuan: in *quimichin*, in cuetzpalin..
it is called tetzompa because, when it has fed, when it
is satiated, it impales its catch --mice, lizards --on trees
[and] on maguey leaves. (b.11 f.5 p.45).
45. *quimichin*, cuetzpalin in quicua,.
it eats mich [and] lizards. (b.11 f.5 p.46).
quimichme**
46. in tonalco, *quimichme*, tapayaxti, yolcame in quincua..
in the winter it eats mice, salamanders, [small] animals.
(b.11 f.1 p.9).
quimichpatli**
48. quinamaca tlapalhuatzalli, tlacuahuac tlapalli, tlapalnextli,
nocheztli, zacatlaxcalli texotli, tetizatl, tlilli, tlacehuilli,
tlalxocotl, axi, tzictli, tlaaxnelolli, tlahuitl, tlilxochitl,
mecaxochitl huei nacaztli, teonacaztli, tlacuatl, tlacuacuitlapilli,
xiuhtotonti tlanelhuatotonti, chapopohtli, tecopalli, copalli,
nacazcolotl, *quimichpatli*, matlalin, tlaliyac, apetztli..
he sells dried pigment, bars of cochineal pigment, cochineal
mixed with chalk or flour, [pure] cochineal; light yellow,
sky blue pigment; chalk, lampblack, dark blue pigment; alum,
axin, chicle, bitumen-mixed chicle, red ochre; tlilsochitl,
mecaxochitl, uei nacaztli, teonacaztli; opossum, opossum
tail; small herbs, small roots; bitumen, resin, copal; nacazcolotl,
quimichpatli; a blue coloring made from blossoms; sulfate
of copper, iron pyrites. (b.10 f.4 p.77).
49. ic mopotonia in tlanechicolli, tecomaxo coyoxochitl *quimichpatli*,
tzitzicaztli iyetl xoxouhqui,.
if it worsens, a poultice of assorted [herbs] is applied;
tecomaxochitl, coyoxochitl, quimichpatli, tzitzicaztli,
iietl, xoxouhqui. (b.10 f.9 p.149).
50. *quimichpatli*,.
quimichpatli (b.11 f.13 p.131).
51. inic mitoa *quimichpatli*: in quiquimichti, tlacualli quin
nelhuia, intla quicua ic mimiqui, tlatlacocotoca in incuitlaxcol..
it is called quimichpatli for this reason: it is food [for]
mice, because, it is asserted, if they eat it, they die
of it; their intestines break up. (b.11 f.13 p.131).
quimichpil**
52. ma *quimichpil* oconatlic..
the mouselet may have drunk it (b.6 f.18 p.227).
53. ic ihcuac quitoa. ma *quimichpil* oconatlic..
then at that time they say: "the mouselet may have drunk
it." (b.6 f.18 p.227).
*** #54 and #55 were spurious hits
quimichtizque**
57. ipampa intla oncochizque, quilmach quiquimichtin mocuepazque,
*quimichtizque*..
because if they were to sleep--it was thought--they would
turn into mice; they would become mice. (b.7 f.2 p.27).
quimichtlaolli**
58. itla quitlaza in *quimichtlaolli*, in cuezcontlaolli, in
tlaolpalaxtli, in tlaliyac, in cocoyac, in quipiyac,.
he tosses, he casts into it the mouse-gnawed maize, the
maize shelled in the bin, the spoiled maize, the fetid,
the bad, the stinking. (b.10 f.4 p.66).
quiquimichti**
59. quilmach: intla zan cali yez: amo huel macizque in *quiquimichti*,
quilmach zan quimonihuatica..
it was thought that if it were in the house, they could
not be caught; it was said that it would warn them. (b.5
f.3 p.191).
60. inic cempoalli omome capitulo, intechpa tlatoa in *quiquimichti*..
twenty-second chapter, which telleth of mice. (b.5 f.3
p.191).
61. quitoaya in ye huecauh, quilmach in *quiquimichti* huel quimati,
in aquin momemecatia: in ahzo telpochtli, anozo cihuatl..
they said, in times past, that it was thought that mice
knew well him who had a paramour, whether a young man or
a woman. (b.5 f.3 p.191).
62. inic mitoa quimichpatli: in *quiquimichti*, tlacualli quin
nelhuia, intla quicua ic mimiqui, tlatlacocotoca in incuitlaxcol..
it is called quimichpatli for this reason: it is food [for]
mice, because, it is asserted, if they eat it, they die
of it; their intestines break up. (b.11 f.13 p.131).
quiquimichtin**
63. ic matlactli capitulo, oncan mitoa: in tetzahuitl inic motetzahuiaya,
in intechpa azcame, anozo cuecueya: ihuan in *quiquimichtin*..
tenth chapter, in which is related the omen, by which a
portent was drawn, of ants or frogs, and mice. (b.5 f.2
p.173).
64. ihuan in yehuatl texolotl: in ihcuac quimaci, in quinmohhuia
*quiquimichtin*: in texolotl quiyahuac quihuallaza,.
and [concerning] this pestle: when they caught, trapped
mice, they cast the pestle out the doorway. (b.5 f.3 p.191).
65. ipampa intla oncochizque, quilmach *quiquimichtin* mocuepazque,
quimichtizque..
because if they were to sleep--it was thought--they would
turn into mice; they would become mice. (b.7 f.2 p.27).
quiquimichtinmocuepti**
66. in ihcuac, i, mochihua: huel motenmatia in ootztin, tlahueimatia,
momauhtiaya: ma nelli moquimichcuepti, ma *quiquimichtinmocuepti*,
in impilhuan..
when this came to pass, women with child feared evil; they
thought it portentous; they were terrified [lest], perchance,
their [unborn] children might be changed into mice; each
of their children might turn into a mouse. (b.7 f.1 p.8).
tetzauhquimichin**
67. no iuhqui in *tetzauhquimichin*, anozo tetlaquechililli.
pl' chililti: mochi yehuan quintlaliaya, quintetoquiliaya,
in atlaca, in tecocoliani:.
so also the ominous mice, perhaps [as reported in] tales,
all these, the inhuman people, the enemies, placed and buried.
(b.5 f.2 p.173).
tiquihquimichintinemi**
68. amo no cencan moyolic in tinenemiz, amo no tiquinhuihuilanaz
in mocxi: inic amo mopan mitoz tihuilaxpol tixocotexpol,
teticapol: inic amo mopan mitoz titlatlaztiminitinemi, *tiquihquimichintinemi*:
inic amo no ticamanalli timocuepaz, titoloz: timimixiuhcanehnemi,.
neither art thou to travel very slowly, nor to drag thy
feet, lest it be said of thee that thou art a dragger, thou
art a lout, thou art a fat one; lest it be said of thee
that thou goest waddling, that thou goest like a mouse;
also lest thou turn thyself into an object of derision,
incline thy head, travel like a pregnant woman. (b.6 f.10
p.121).
tlalquimichi**
69. in otomi. quicua in epatl, quicua in coatl, quicua in mototli,
in cuauhquimichi in *tlalquimichi*, in calquimichi:.
the otomi ate skunks, serpents, squirrels, forest mice,
field mice, house mice. (b.10 f.11 p.180).
tlalquimichin**
70. *tlalquimichin*:.
field mouse (b.11 f.2 p.18).
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