yneyxcahuiltlamachiliztzin

Frances Karttunen karttu at NANTUCKET.NET
Fri Jul 9 22:10:01 UTC 2004


> 
> "ca amono huel yxcoyantzinco yneyxcahuiltlamachiliztzin" (228)
> 
> I have the feeling that this word says more than Tena's laconic "enseñanza."
> 


ixca:huia: can be used either reflexively or transitively. The prefix ne-
shows that in this case, it is reflexive.   The -l on the end makes it clear
that we are dealing with a nominalization from the verb, hence I would think
we are talking about singlemindedness here. The transitive verb machilia:
has the sense of discriminating among things (tla- being nonspecific
things).

The initial i- is, I am pretty sure the third-person possessive prefix.
(Notice the absence of a final absolutive suffix.)


So i:-ne-ixca:huil-tla-machiliz- would be something like 'his/her diligent
inquiry about things in general'

The -tzin implies politeness with respect to the possessor (not to the
abstract quality of inquiry).


Dos that seem more satisfying than simply "enseñanza"?

Fran



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