double and triple aux verbs

idiez at MAC.COM idiez at MAC.COM
Mon May 30 19:35:39 UTC 2005


Listeros,
        A while a ago I sent in an example of a double auxiliar verb. The 
native speakers here worked today on that point, and here are some of 
their examples (doubles and triples). One interesting point is the use 
of -tihuallahtihuallauh and -tiyahtiyauh. The meaning is very similar 
to the Mexican Spanish construction which goes. Ella estaba 
llori-llore. Estábamos camini-camine, etc.
        Note in example 12 how the relational construction has been stuck onto 
the verbstem.
        Another interesting thing is how local Spanish has been altered under 
the influence of Nahuatl. The construction -tehua, means something to 
the effect of "doing something before leaving". Nitlacuahteuhqui" = I 
ate before leaving. If you ask a native speaker from the Huasteca what 
the sentence means, they will say, "Dejé comido." Now perhaps the 
mestizos that live around nahua villages understand this, but no 
Mexican from other parts of the country would understand this 
expression, "Dejé comido." I had to ask lots of questions to get a 
"standard" Mexican Spanish translation. All in all, it's kind of 
evident with the following examples, that translations don't quite do 
it.
John

1. Tequititeuhtozquia.
Hubiera trabajado antes de partir.
2. Niatlacuitihuetzteuhqui.
Acarreé agua rápidamente antes de salir.
3. Nihualchocatinentiquizqui.
Vine andando llorando de paso.
4. Xiahquitihuallahtihuallauh.
Vente nadando seguido.
5. Nimotlalozquizteuhtihuetztozquia.
Hubiera salido corriendo de repente.
6. Ticualantihuallahtihuetzqui.
De repente mientras caminabas, te enojaste.
7. Niatlacuitihuetztihuallahtoc.
He venido acarreando agua rápidamente.
8. Nimotepotlamihtihuallahtiquiza.
Me vengo tropezando de paso.
9. Nimatlatzquihtihuallahtihuallahqui pan camión.
Me vine agarrando en el camión (durante el camino).
10. Nizaniltihualhuetztiquizqui.
Vine hablando rápidamente de paso.
11. Nimomimiltihuetztiquiza.
Vengo rodando rápidamente de paso.
12. Nimoixtenomimiltihuetztiquiza.
Vengo rodando rápidamente de paso frente a ti.
13. Nimocuatetzontihuallauhtihuetzqui
Vine pegándome en la cabeza rápidamente.

John Sullivan, Ph.D.
Profesor de lengua y cultura nahua
Unidad Académica de Idiomas
Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas
Director
Instituto de Docencia e Investigación Etnológica de Zacatecas, A.C.
Tacuba 152, int. 47
Centro Histórico
Zacatecas, Zac. 98000
México
Oficina: +52 (492) 925-3415
Fax: +52 (492) 925-3416
Domicilio: +52 (492) 768-6048
Celular: +52 (492) 544-5985
idiez at mac.com
www.idiez.org.mx
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