Cuaxochtli

[Jonathan D Amith]

Dear Joe and all,

In Guerrero xo:tla is a transitive verb meaning, basically, 'to create a 
deep line in' (for lack of a better translation). Thus it can be used to 
describe the action of a boat that plows through the water and leaves a 
large wake. It is also used for what a water snake does as it moves 
through the water, with its head up (partir el agua). Other uses are to 
the action of using spurs on the side of a donkey (scratching into its 
skin) to make it go faster (a losing proposition, by the way). Finally, 
it is somewhat jokingly used to indicate the action of signing ones name 
(rubric). Thus xihxo:tla 'sign it' (referring to the action of 
scratching the pen rapidly across the surface of the paper).

So, note that Molina among the cutting into strips has "hazer rayas". 
The cuttinig is probably a reference to how the cuero was cut, by using 
a sharp, obsidian perhaps instrument and pressing down to make a deep 
line in the material so that it would pull apart into strips.

Hence quitlalxochilia, etc.

So, if cuaxochtli etc. is related to this verb, which seems a good 
guess, it might be related to this action of rayando and only by 
extension to the linderos.

jda

R. Joe Campbell wrote:
> Yukitaka,
>
>     Prodded by questions and remarks from my wife (Mary Clayton),
> I recalled a verb that may be the key to answering part of your
> cuaxochtli problem.
>
>     "xotla" is 'to cut', usually slicing or into strips.  "nitlalxotla"
> is 'amojonar o alindar terminos o eredades' (according to Molina).
> In Book 5, p. 169 of the Dibble and Anderson edition of the Florentine
> Codex, "quitlalxochilia" (with the /tl/ palatalized to 'ch') occurs,
> meaning 'he makes marks on the ground'.
>
>     "xoch(tli) is apparently a patientive noun form derived from "xotla".
>
> This palatalization of /tl/ is also seen in "xapochtic", derived from 
> "xapo(tl)-tla", the "-tla" being a transitive verb formative.
>     Molina gives:
>
>     nitlaxapotla   abrir o horadar pared; agujerear; horadar o romper
>                    pared, seto o cosa semejante
>     nitexapotla    corromper virgen; desflorar; desuirgar
>
>     The patientive noun "tlaxapochtli" is a hole and you even get
> "ninotlaxopochhuia" 'caer en hoyo. o abarrancarse'.
>
>
>     So "cuaxochtli" is apparently (I withhold the word 'obviously')
> a slice or division, modified by a "cua-" element.  ...and we are left
> to wonder "where have all the flowers gone?"
>
> Saludos,
>
> Joe

-- 
Jonathan D Amith
Director: Mexico-North Program on Indigenous Languages
Research Affiliate: Gettysburg College, Yale University, University of Chicago
Of: 717-337-6795
H: 717-338-1255
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Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology
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