Valades image

[John D. Comegys]

I think I might know of the image for one letter. Please send the image.
Thanks.
John Comegys   robc at csufresno.edu

"" wrote:

> Plesae send me a cpoy of this image.  I would like to take a try at it!
>
> thanks!
>
> mario e. aguilar
> www.mexicayotl.org
>
> >
> > From: Galen Brokaw <brokaw at BUFFALO.EDU>
> > Date: 2003/10/30 Thu PM 04:12:10 EST
> > To: NAHUAT-L at LISTS.UMN.EDU
> > Subject: Valades
> >
> > Fray Diego Valades, the Tlaxcalan mestizo, includes in his RHETORICA
> > CHRISTIANA (1579) an illustration that includes an image for each letter
> > of the alphabet to be used as a mnemonic technique. He first explains in
> > Latin how this system works: the shape of the object is what establishes
> > the connection. So, a compass or a ladder could be used for the letter
> > A. He then provides another illustration in which he says he uses images
> > of things of the Indians that serve to represent the letters, but he
> > doesn't explain. And I don't see how any of the images that he includes
> > resemble the letters. Evidently at least one scholar has claimed that
> > these objects are meant to invoke Nahuatl words whose initial
> > sound/letter coincides with the letter assigned to the object in the
> > illustration. But, of course, this would not be consistent with the way
> > he explained the technique which is supposed to be based on the shape of
> > the image. It would seem that the only other solution would be to
> > establish merely an arbitrary relationship between the letter and the
> > image forming a kind of pictographic alphabet. Does anybody know if this
> > issue has been resolved? Has anybody every attempted to identify which
> > Nahuatl words the images might be attempting to invoke? If not, does
> > anybody know what exactly the relationship is between the images and the
> > letters in this diagram?
> > If anyone is interested in try to solve this puzzle, I can send you a
> > copy of the image that I scanned.
> > Interestingly, some of the images are clearly related to the
> > pictographic tradition of the codices. Valades was born in Tlaxcala, and
> > from the way he talks, it would seem he was very familiar with the
> > indigenous pictographic tradition. And if he produced the drawing for
> > this "indigenous alphabet", the style of at least the first couple of
> > images would seem to indicate this as well.
> > I am aware that Samuel Edgerton discusses Valades in his recent book,
> > which I have just requested through interlibrary loan. Does anyone know
> > if he addresses this issue?
> > Thanks,
> > Galen
> >