Intelligibility between Nahuatl dialects

[Mark David Morris]

I've found my studies of classical Nahuatl with R. Joe Campbell, with its
focus on morphology, a very good background for trying to chat with
Nahuatl speakers from the La Malinche belt of Tlaxcala (Contla-San Isidro)
and people from some parts of Puebla.  The gravest problem I have faced,
which is very grave indeed, is the social stigma attached to the language.
My most productive conversations have either been facillitated by
very, very good local contacts or a couple of shots of tequila.  Learning
classical Nahuatl will never be an impediment; however, stumbling into a
Nahua speaking community with good ears and an open mind is still the best
way to go  - or to state that negatively, people who come into an
isolated community (where Nahuatl is spoken) with an agenda
will probably be mistaken for the worst.  I'd be very interested in
hearing how other people get around the social stigma of indigenous
languages in their field work, specifically such things as breaking the
ice with Nahuatl speaking strangers.

best,

Mark Morris



















~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more
grief. Eccl 1:18

To realize that our knowledge is ignorance, this is a noble insight. To
regard our ignorance as knowledge, this is mental sickness.  Only when we
are sick of our sickness, shall we cease to be sick.  The Sage is not
sick, being sick of sickness; This is the secret of health.  TTC 71

MDM, PhD Candidate
Dept. of History, Indiana Univ.