tlahtlacolli pilcintzi

[Michael Mccafferty]

Tlaxtlahui, maestro.


iuhquin mihtoa nican nochan 
auh tiquihtoah inglescopa.

Michael

On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 idiez at MAC.COM wrote:

> You know how sometimes you read interesting theory, but then when you 
> run into it in real life, it's twice as good. Well this has to do with 
> indians' respect for nature and what it gives us to eat. Today I was 
> conversing with my friend, Delfina, about diminutive constructions in 
> nahuatl, and she throws this at me:
> In her town, Tepecxitla, if you see some kernals of corn, or beans, or 
> tortillas, or even water, that someone has dropped on the ground (or 
> kitchen floor), you say (with respect and a caring attitude):
> Nahuatl: "tlahtlacolli pilcintzi (piletzi, pilatzi, piltlaxcaltzi), 
> ¿quenque axcana inquipehpenah?"
> Spanish: "pobre maicito (o frijolito, o aguita, o tortillita), ¿por qué 
> no lo recogen Uds?
> English: "poor little corn (or beans, or water, or tortilla), why don't 
> you all pick it up?"
> And if there is some food that has spoiled, you say:
> Nahuatl: "tlahtlacolli piltlacualtzi, nictoyahuaz."
> Spanish: "pobre comidita, [desgraciadamente] la voy a tirar."
> English: "poor little food, [unfortunately] I'm going to throw it away."
> 
> John Sullivan, Ph.D.
> Profesor
> Centro de Estudios Prospectivos
> Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas
> Director
> Instituto de Docencia e Investigación Etnológica de Zacatecas, A.C.
> Francisco García Salinas 604
> Colonia CNOP
> Zacatecas, Zac. 98053
> México
> +52 (492) 768-6048
> idiez at mac.com
> www.idiez.org.mx
> 
> 


"I'm trying to think but nothing happens"

-Curly