translation

[Michael Mccafferty]

I think Mr/Ms Robinson is on the trail.

xo-pan  'green-time'
xo-xo-pan 'green-green time'

-xoco  seems to be xocotl 'fruit', although I don't understand the lack of
the absolutive suffix -- unless this is a noun that "is allowed" to come
in two forms, one with an absolutive suffix and one without an absolutive
suffix, without any change in its meaning. Practically any noun can appear
in an as-if absolutive form without an absolutive suffix (and without any
possessive prefixes), but the meaning of the noun takes on a depreciative
meaning. Mazatl ohtlican 'it is a deer in the road'/ Maza ohtlican 'it is
a dirty ol' deer in the road'. Something like that.

I'd say, off-hand, that your term is, freely translated, 'fruit from the
heart of summer/spring'.

Michael

On Wed, 23 Jun 2004, Robert M Robinson wrote:

> Susana Moraleda-Dragotto wrote:
>
> >     Hello,
> >     I came across a Nahuatl text written in a book, and found an
> >     incredible word I was not able to decipher: XOXOPANXOCO (??!!).
> >     The complete text is:
> >
> >     Can a nicuicanitl huiya
> >     xochitl in noyollo ya
> >     nicmana nocuic a ohuaya ohuaya
> >     o xoxopanxoco o xoxopanxoco.
> >
> >     Thanks for your help.
> >
> >     Susana
> >
> >
> A very poetic word probably from a version of Angel Garibay's Romances.
> (Please correct me someone).
>
> John Bierhorst lists the word Xoxo:pan  freq. of xopan.
> 1) in summer, every summer; freely, in sping (when referringto new growth).
>
> He gives a great example:
>
> Xoxo:pan xihuitl i:pan tochi:huaco[h] = we come to do as herbs in
> spring, 14v:5 (Cantares Mexicanos)
>
> Xo:pan  is green place, green time, as opposed to the dry season. If you
> have seen Mexico in the dry season you would see the glaring absence of
> greenery.
>
> Xo:tl  means green.
>
> I would guess that x:o:co means "by means of green" .
>
> I could not imagine how to translate a word with green in it three
> times. The sound is incredible soft like flowiing water.
>
> I  am looking forward to what more experienced listeros make of it.
>
> R M Robinson
>
>
>

"...and cicadas sing
a rare and different tune..."

R. Hunter