translation

[Michael Mccafferty]

On Fri, 25 Jun 2004, John F. Schwaller wrote:

> At 06:29 AM 6/25/2004, you wrote:
> >There is a basic stem in Nahuatl /xo:-/ that means 'green'. It does appear in
> >a non-reduplicative form, as in /xo:tl/ 'a green thing',
>
> [stuff cut out]
>
>
> >What the foregoing implies is that there is a noun stem in the form of /xoc-/
> >(/c/ = /k/) that means 'green'. Of course, this means that this stem is either
> >homophonous with or identical to the stem for 'pot', /xoc-/. At the same time
> >maybe that -c- can be explained another way. Ahmo nicmati.
>
>
> Basically I would posit the following [admitting that I am not an expert in
> these aspects]: we do not have a stem /xoc-/ meaning "green" because we
> have a stem /xo:-/ meaning "green."

They would not be mutually exclusive. Languages in general often have
different terms meaning the same thing and those terms can resemble each
other.

 Your construction analysis is
> absolutely correct.  As you rightly point out the /-c-/ forms what we
> consider an adjective although in fact a form of the preterite, so there is
> a possibility that we could back form a noun out of the "adjective" but
> since we already have a perfectly good noun, why bother?

The "back-forming" of such nouns in order to understand the underlying
structure of terms, indeed to nouns that no longer exist, is
a common phenomenon in Nahuatl. Also, it happens, a lot, with verbs, as
you know.


  I think the
> critical point in the analysis is the jump from /xoxo:-/ to
> /xoxoc-/.  That's where I got lost.
>

Right. Joe probably has a two-cents worth to toss in here but he's not
around at the moment. Maybe Fran can add something.

Michael


>
>
>
>
> John F. Schwaller
> Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean
> 315 Behmler Hall
> University of Minnesota, Morris
> 600 E 4th Street
> Morris, MN  56267
> 320-589-6015
> FAX 320-589-6399
> schwallr at mrs.umn.edu
>
>
>

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

R. Hunter