Translation

[Galen Brokaw]

Richely,
Are you sure you can get "torch light" out of that sentence? I assume
you are translating the segment "i:npan tlahuiz" as "by torchlight." But
it seems to me that the tlahuiz is probably another verb (the future of
tlahuia) that corresponds to the following two verbs. All of them,
"tlahuiz," "tonaz," and "tlaneciz" can mean "it will become light" or
"it will dawn." I haven't checked on this, but my first impression is
that what you have transcribed as "i:npan" might be understood better in
conjunction with "ayocmo:" to mean something like "before the time at
which".
With regard to the issue of "to" or "from," it seems to me that your
translation is correct. The use of the verb "to go" as opposed to
something like "to leave" or "to go out" is consistent with the "ompa"
as referring toward the place of Teotlixco as a place that is away from
the speaker.
So, if I am right (and the could be a very big "if"), then the sentence
might read:

"Let us go there to Teotlixco before it becomes light, before it dawns,
before it lightens."


Galen







Richley Crapo wrote:
> Would anyone like to try his/her hand at:
>
> "Ma tihuiya:n o:mpa in Teo:tli:xco ayocmo: i:npan tlahuiz, to:naz,  tlaneciz."
>
> "Would something like, "Let us go to Teotlixco by torchlight, before it is light, before it dawns!" capture it? Or would any of you recommend something different?
>
> I'm particularly curious whether one can distinguish between "to Teotlixco" from "from Teotlixco" in this. Could it be either one?
>
> And, finally, what is the etymology of Teotlixco? Is there possibly an elided vowel, e.g. Teo-atlixco > Teotlixco?
>
> Thanks.
> Richley
>
>