Nahuatl Question

Mark David Morris mdmorris at indiana.edu
Thu May 31 15:17:38 UTC 2001


List,

The message that follows was redacted from memory from some notes I made
last night; hence, it gets a little tangled on one of its points, but I
hope it contributes.

Regarding Chilchiltic Coyotl's suggestion that tlaellipaquiliztli could
serve for feeling, I wrote him or her yesterday that I thought the "e" of
elli would drop combined with the generic object prefix tla-.  After
consulting Simeon's dictionary at home, I learned I was mistaken.  But,
now I have other questions.  There are some composed words beginning witht
eh two syllables tlael, such as tlaelehuia, (I`m working without notes so
I may have mispelled the word) that are formed of tla- object prefix and
elli - chest, liver, something with life; this word I want to point out is
listed as "gemir" or "groan, yelp" and I take it to mean "raise up the
chest," (and not desire if I have mispelled the word).  The
tlaelpaquiliztli suggested by Chilchiltic is glossed by Simeon as related
to sensuality with negative connotations.  My questions are if someone
knows a way to determine if these two tlael syllables reprsent tla- object
prefix and elli (chest, liver, etc.) or the derogatory prefix tlael, found
in things such as tlaeltlacatl, bad fellow, and 2) if this derogatory
tlael is not itself composed of tla- elli and as a derogatory term
represents an extension of semantic meaning at some point in the
language's history (the Franciscans, the Mexica?)?

textually yours,
Mark Morris


P.S.  Due to some significant mistakes or continuing doubts in my
translation of the letter I presented to the list last week, I owe a
follow up explanation that I hope to get to on Saturday.




















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La muerte tiene permiso a todo

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



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