momik? mimik? (Insane, crazy, or kook customer?)

[R. Joe Campbell]

Matthew,
   When I saw your first message, I thought it was *probably* from "miqui"
'die', but "momik" would be reflexive and "miqui" is intransitive, so
that's out.  "mimik" could be a reduplicated form, meaning among other
things, continuation or intensity, but it would depend on the dialect
being one of those that didn't glue on an "o-" prefix to indicate
pastness -- the loss of the final "i" of "miki/miqui" would indicate
pastness.

   In "classical Nahuatl", "miqui" frequently indicated not necessarily
literal death, but simply disfunction.  "apizmiqui" meant 'he's dying of
hunger or just he's hungry.' It was associated with numbness in the body
-- we are only speaking figuratively in English when we say 'my foot is
dead'.  If I say "ni-xoco-miqui" (pardon my Hispanic orthography habit),
I don't mean that I'm *dying* for or from wine (sourness =3D wine - from th=
e
grape or whatever source), but I mean that I am winely disfunctional.
Richard referred to one of the modern dialect's form of dead person:
miquic??   In "classical", the adjective would be "micqui".  A person who
was "toto-micqui" would not be literally dead, just impotent ("tototl"
means 'bird').

   It sounds to me like he was making an observation about the guy's
competence -- he is continually disfunctional.

   Could you ask your employee what state he's from, the name of the
village, and the nearest larger town?  It would be interesting to try to
identify the dialect. =20
  =20

> So far as I can tell, Nahuatl is one of the most amazing languages that I
> have ever run into.  :)
>=20

I highly admire your taste in languages.

Best regards,

Joe

p.s.  Here are some examples from the Florentine Codex;  I had hoped that
this list would turn out to be more fruitful, but.....

62.  *ixmimiqui*.  achtopa quinpepenaya in mimatini, in mozcaliani, in
    tlanemiliani, in mocxiyehecoani, in amo icximimiquini: in cenca
    tlamahuiztiliani, in cualli intlatol, in chicahuac, in coanezqui:
    in moch quitquiticac in innacayo, in itlachieliz in amo
    ixmahmahui, in amo ixmimiqui: in acan mixtzacuilia in huel
    imicxitlan tlachie:  first they selected those who were wise,
    able, prudent; the agile, not the halt; the very honorable, the
    well-spoken, the strong, the gracious hosts; those of good bearing
    [and] appearance, not cowardly, nor bewildered, nor shy; those of
    stalwart gaze. <i:xtli-dupl-miqui> (b.9 f.3 c.7 p.34)
63.  *ixmimiquiliztli*.  ixcuepoctli: ixpopoyotiliztli
    ixtezcaihcihuiztli, ixtotolicihuiztli, ixmimiquiliztli,
    ixpopoyotlachializtli.  squint eyes, blindness, blindness from
    cataracts, sun-blindness, blinded vision. <i:xtli-dupl-miqui-liz>
    (b.10 f.8 c.28 p.144)

10.  *apizmic*.  temamauhti in tzacualoc, huel tonac in apizmic:  it
    terrified one, when they were shut in, that indeed in large
    numbers they died of hunger. <a:pi:ztli-miqui-prt1> (b.12 f.7 c.35
    p.105)

21.  *axixmiqui*.  intla ye aca axixmiqui, in zan icel yoaltica quiza:
    in ahzo metztona, anozo tlayohua: ihcuac quimottitia:  if someone
    wished to urinate, and went forth quite alone at night, when,
    perhaps, the moon shone or it was dark, then they appeared to him.
    <a:tl1-xi:xtli-miqui> (b.5 f.2 c.13 p.179)

24.  *ciammiquiliztli*.  ca ye toconmatiz, ye toconixcahuiz, ye
    toconcenmatiz in netoliniliztli, in apizmiquiliztli, in
    teocihuiliztli, in amiquiliztli, in atetzocoaquiliztli, in
    ciammiquiliztli:  for now shalt thou come to know, feel, and deal
    exclusively with misery, hunger, starvation, thirst, emptiness,
    fatigue. <ciahui1-miqui-liz> (b.4 f.6 c.17 p.62)


39.  *icximimiqui*.  inic aca itech quinehuaya, tlahuelilocati,
    tennecuilihui, ixnecuilihui, matzicolihui, icxicopichahui,
    icximimiqui, momacuecuetza, tencualacquiza:  when one was under
    their spell, possessed, one's mouth was twisted, one's face was
    contorted; one lacked use of a hand; one's feet were misshapen
    -one's feet were deadened; one's hand trembled; one foamed at the
    mouth. <icxitl-dupl-miqui> (b.1 f.1 c.10 p.19)
40.  *icximimiquia*.  inic aca itech quinehuaya, in tlahuelilocatia,
    tennecuilihuia, ixnecuilihuia, matzicolihuiaya, icxicopichahuia:
    icximimiquia, momacuecuetzaya, tencualacquizaya:  when someone was
    under their spell, he was possessed, his mouth was twisted, his
    face contorted, he lacked use of a hand, his feet were misshapen,
    his feet were deadened, his hand trembled, he foamed at the mouth.
    <icxitl-dupl-miqui-ya3> (b.1 f.5 c.Ap p.72)

64.  *iztamicqui*.  in tlahueliloc ayohuachnamacac, quinamaca in
    ayohuachpalan, in quipihyac, in chichic, in ayohuachtlacectli,
    iztacuahuitl, iztachichic, tlaztamictilli, iztamicqui ;.  the bad
    seller of gourd seeds sells spoiled, stinking, bitter ones;
    toasted gourd seeds [which are] too salty, bitter with salt,
    briny. <iztatl-miqui-prt1-c2> (b.10 f.4 c.18 p.68)



338.  *mimiqui*.  amo huel quitoca, zan onciammiqui, onmociauhcanequi,
    mimiqui in inacayo, za otlica chachapantiuh, ayocmo huel nenemi:=20
    he could not pursue it; he was exhausted, vexed; deadened was his
    body; he only went flattened on the ground; he could walk no more.
    <dupl-miqui> (b.5 f.1 c.3 p.159)
339.  *mimiqui*.  in momazacoahuiani, intla elti, iciuhca mimiqui:  he
    who partaketh of the ma=87acoatl, if aggressive, quickly dieth.
    <dupl-miqui> (b.6 f.10 c.22 p.126)
340.  *mimiqui*.  no inamic, in mimiqui tlatlaci piltontli,  also it
    is the remedy when the child has a fatal cough. <dupl-miqui> (b.10
    f.9 c.28 p.159)
341.  *mimiqui*.  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. <dupl-miqui> (b.11 f.13 c.7
    p.131)
342.  *mimiqui*.  in mimiqui, in cecepoa tocxi, anozo telpan mococoa:
    yehuatl quicehuia in cocolli,  for one whose feet are deadened,
    benumbed, or who suffers from a chest ailment, this alleviates the
    ailment. <dupl-miqui> (b.11 f.15 c.7 p.160)
343.  *mimiqui*.  ihuan in aquin mimiqui, in quin opeuh coni,  and he
    who has epilepsy, after it has just begun, drinks it. <dupl-miqui>
    (b.11 f.15 c.7 p.160)
344.  *mimiqui*.  auh in ihcuac aca huel ic mimiqui in iyollopan in
    omocentlali alahuac: moteci in iztauhyatl, ihuan in cuauhyayahual
    yehuatl in iyollo itlacoyo: moxixipehua in ipan iehuayo,  and when
    someone is anguished in his heart, or a humor is oppressive,
    iztauhyatl and quauhyayaual are ground up, that is, the center of
    the stalks; its surface bark is peeled off. <dupl-miqui> (b.11
    f.16 c.7 p.165)


667.  *miquizhiyaltic*.  huel temamauhti in iyel: huel ihyac,
    miquizhiyaltic, ihyalpatic:  frightful is its spray, truly
    stinking, a deathly stench, a bad stench. <miqui-liz-ihya-l1-tic>
    (b.11 f.2 c.1 p.13)


794.  *ocihuamic*.  quicua in aquin icnooquichtli, in ye huecauh
    ocihuamic, inic amo cocoyez in ipampa itlalnamiquiliz in itechpa
    cihuatl: ca quicehuia in tonacayo, in cenca techtolinia itechpa
    cihuatl.  and one who is a widower, whose wife has died long ago,
    eats it in order that he will not suffer because of his thoughts
    regarding women; for it quiets his body which suffers much with
    regard to women. <o:-cihua:tl-miqui-prt1> (b.11 f.19 c.7 p.190)


1043.  *tetlamictilia*.  quil ic tetlamictilia:  it is said that he
    thereby makes one impotent. <p52-p51-miqui-caus02-ben> (b.11 f.6
    c.2 p.54)
1044.  *tetlamictilia*.  tetlamictilia in totoli iyacacuitl:  the
    erectile process of the turkey makes one impotent.
    <p52-p51-miqui-caus02-ben> (b.11 f.6 c.2 p.54)

1045.  *tetlanmimictia*.  teitipozahua teiztlacmeyaltia,
    tetlanmimictia, tetlancecepoa, .  it swells one's stomach, causes
    one to salivate, deadens one's teeth, sets one's teeth on edge.
    <p52-tlantli-dupl-miqui-caus02> (b.11 f.12 c.6 p.118)

1046.  *teyolmictia*.  temacpalitotia tecochtlaza, teyolmictia,
    tezotlahua,  he dances with a dead woman's forearm; he robs by
    casting a spell, causing people to faint, to swoon.
    <p52-yo:lli-miqui-caus02> (b.10 f.2 c.11 p.39)
1047.  *teyolmictia*.  in canin tlacua ocelotl: achtopa, tehipotza, ic
    teyolmictia, ic tezotlahua.  wherever the ocelot eats, first it
    hisses at one in order to terrify one--to make him swoon away.
    <p52-yo:lli-miqui-caus02> (b.11 f.1 c.1 p.3)



1111.  *xocomic*.  ic macuilli in quic, ic huel ihuintic, huel
    xocomic, aocmo quima in quenin nen:  thus he drank five, with
    which he became well besotted, quite drunk; he no longer knew how
    he acted. <xocotl-miqui-prt1> (b.10 f.12 c.29 p.193)

1112.  *xocomiccayotl*.  pipillo, coconeyo, ihuincayotl,
    xocomiccayotl:  babyishness, childishness, besottedness,
    drunkenness. <xocotl-miqui-ca:5-yo:tl1> (b.6 f.20 c.43 p.250)

1113.  *xocomiccayotl*.  in ihcuac aca huel itla quichihua, anozo
    huellatoa: amo quitoaya in aquin. in cenca huel onoconchiuh, anozo
    huel onitlato: zan quitoa. onoconchiuh, anozo onoconito in
    pipillotl, in coconeyotl, in ihuincayotl, xocomiccayotl: anozo in
    chocholocayotl, in aaccayotl:  when one did something well or
    spoke well, he did not say: "i did it very well," or, "i spoke
    well"; he just said: "i have performed, or i have said a thing of
    babyishness, of childishness, of besottedness, of drunkenness; or
    of folly, of imperfection. <xocotl-miqui-ca:5-yo:tl1> (b.6 f.20
    c.43 p.250)
1114.  *xocomicqui*.  in tlahuelliloc tetzon tetlapololtiani,
    tlaixmamateloani, ihuintitl, tlahuanqui xocomicqui,  the bad one
    of noble lineage [is] a scandalizer, a flatterer --a drinker,
    besotted, drunk. <xocotl-miqui-c2> (b.10 f.1 c.5 p.20)
1115.  *xocomicqui*.  xoxouhcaoctli quitinemi, mihuintiani,
    cuatlahueliloc, iyellelacic, xocomicqui, tlahuanqui,  he goes
    about drinking crude wine --a drunkard, foolish, dejected; a
    drunk, a sot. <xocotl-miqui-prt1-c2> (b.10 f.2 c.11 p.37)


1165.  *zozotlacmiqui*.  auh intla za oc aca nenitztoc, aoc huel
    molinia, aoc huel mocuechinia, aoc huel momapatla, huel
    zozotlahua, zozotlacmiqui in inma, in imicxi,  and if now some
    only in vain sat looking, they could not move, nor stir, nor
    resist. they were stunned; their arms and legs were deadened.
    <dupl-zotla:hua--miqui> (b.4 f.10 c.31 p.103)