altepetl

[Rikke Marie Olsen]

I think altepetl is a fossilized form. We have already discussed
(Chimalpahin) and largely agreed that there are exeptional forms, where
monosyllable verbs keeps the absolutive suffix in composites and
incorporations.



I believe that the original form was atl-tepetl. Only if you try to
pronounce it, it will sound more and more like al-tepetl the more you say
it. In other words I see it as an assimilation of 'tl' in front of 't' gives
'lt'.



I'm sorry if I'm repeating an answer from someone else. I haven't read every
answer thoroughly.



Rikke Marie



  _____

From: Nahua language and culture discussion [mailto:NAHUAT-L at LISTS.UMN.EDU]
On Behalf Of zorrah at ATT.NET
Sent: 28. maj 2005 20:08
To: NAHUAT-L at LISTS.UMN.EDU
Subject: altepetl



Maybe I didn't understand the lesson in the "Chimalpahin" thread, but can
someone please clarify why "altepetl" does not follow the general
assimilation patterns as these other examples do:


General Assimilation Examples:


1)  na:huatl + tlahto:lli (word, language) = na:huallahto:lli 'Nahuatl
language'



2)  a:tl + tla:lli (earth) = a:tla:lli 'irrigated land'


3)  a:tl + tlapechtli (bed) = a:tlape:chtli 'slope, side of a gully'



Also, in examples 2 and 3, is it the presence of the long vowel "a:" stem
that is left after the -tl is dropped, only to be confronted with a twin
"absolutive suffix-looking tl-" (of course the tl- of tla:lli or tlape:chtli
is NOT absolutive)


Looking at altepetl, is it the strong "a:" stem again, who this time will
accept a half-image or mirror-image of its former self?

4)  a:tl (water) + tepe:tl (hill) = a:ltepe:tl (town, pueblo)


What is going on here?

citlalin xochime

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