!! Nahua phonetic writing workshop

[Lloyd Anderson]

Announcing a

Nahua Phonetic Writing
Workshop for Epigraphers
We are pleased to announce a hands-on workshop in this exciting
new field, led by its pioneers.  The workshop will be held
all day Saturday, 21 June, 20003, in Washington, D.C.
This is the day before the 5th World Archaeology Congress,
which some may wish to attend part of.

The workshop will be led by Alfonso Lacadena,
     Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain,
and
Søren Wichman, Dept. of General and Applied Linguistics,
     University of Copenhagen, Denmark
with the assistance of Marc Zender, Dept. of Archaeology,
     Univ. of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The workshop registration is $85.
Necessary materials will be provided.

*****************************************************
     Nahua written records vary in their degree of phonetic writing,
some showing little, some like the Codex Santa María Asunción
showing much phoneticism.  As with Maya writing, this does not
mean that there are different systems, but only that there were different
scribal traditions.  Taking this phonetic writing at its face value, it is
possible to lay foundations of a new field of historical studies
in Nahua writing.  We can even to notice the reflections in written materials
of differences between Eastern and Western Nahua dialects, as the name
of the ruler spelled Tezoc rather than Tizoc.
     Alfonso Lacadena and Søren Wichman are pioneers in laying these
new foundations.  They are assisted in this workshop by Marc Zender,
an outstanding expert in Mayan glyphic writing.
     The workshop will be similar to Mayan hieroglyphic workshops.
Participants will be assisted to make discoveries themselves and to learn
methods of analysis, depending on the specifics of the written documents.
Knowledge of the Nahua language is of course helpful, but is not required.
Knowledge of linguistics is not required.  Participants who are interested
may ask about materials for learning basic Nahua.
*****************************************************

Those interested in participating should reply as soon as possible,
sending a check for $85 to reserve a place.  Checks should be made out to
Ecological Linguistics, and put "Nahua writing workshop" on the "for" line.
The exact location is to be announced, but will be accessible via the
Washington DC metro (subway).  Information on reasonable lodgings
can also be provided to those who wish it.

Nahua Phonetic Writing Workshop
c/o Lloyd Anderson
Ecological Linguistics
PO Box 15156
Washington, DC 20003

Inquiries can also be made by email <ecoling at aol.com>
or by phone (202) 547-7678.

Those interested in attending the first two days of the 5th
World Archaeological Congress, 22 and 23 June, 2003,
where there are a number of sessions on ancient writing
and on relations between oral and written traditions and archaeology,
should also make that interest known immediately.
Additional information will be available for those attending both the
Nahua Writing workshop and the first two days of the WAC5 Congress.

I am greatly looking forward to a fun time learning how the
Aztecs and their kin wrote using puzzling and sometimes funny rebus puns,
one glyph to mean something with a similar pronunciation
but different meaning!  Knowing even a little bit about this newly
understood writing system may give us quite a different perspective
on Maya or Mixtec writing or other parts of the enormous
cultural traditions of Mesoamerica, one of the great civilizations
of the world.  Join us!