Suffix -NI

[David Wright]

Dear Susan:

I think that the problem you describe comes from trying to force these
Nahuatl words into Indo-European grammatical categories. I only see two
instances for using the -ni suffix, the third merely being the use of the
second with an adjectival sense. Strictly speaking there isn't a class of
adjectives in Nahuatl, only the adjectival use of various grammatical
categories. We may translate these words as adjectives, but they are really
something else when analyzed in a more literal manner.

As I see it, instrumental deverbal nouns are based on the passive or
impersonal voice of certain verbs. They are formed by adding the -ni suffix
to the passive or impersonal form, thus giving the word an instrumental
meaning: "something that is habitually used to (verb)" or "instrument for
(verb)ing", as you explain very well. In some cases the passive/impersonal
suffix -lo: precedes the instrumental suffix; in others the
passive/impersonal suffix is -hua, -ohua, -lohua, or -hualo:. If the verb is
transitive it takes an object prefix (te:- and/or tla-) or an incorporated
object. If the verb is reflexive it takes the ne- prefix.

Here are some examples:

tequi, "to cut" > tlateco:ni (tla + (tequi - i) + (lo: - l) + ni),
"instrument for cutting something" ("knife/axe");

hui:tequi, "to whip/beat" > te:hui:teco:ni (te: + (hui:tequi - i) + (lo: -
l) + ni), "instrument for whipping/beating someone" ("whip/paddle/switch");

ma:pohpo:hua, "to wash one's hands" > nema:pohpo:hualo:ni (ne + (ma:itl - tl
- i) + pohpo:hua + lo: + ni), "instrument for washing one's hands"
("towel");

yo:li, "to live" > yo:li:huani (yo:li (i > i:) + hua + ni), "instrument for
living" ("food", for example).

Getting back to your query, your example cualoni is translated by Molina as
"cosa comestible", in the sense of "instrument for eating" (not an
"instrument for eating something", such as a spoon or a tortilla, but an
"instrument with which to undertake the act of feeding oneself". Of course
all this makes for very clumsy phrases when translated literally into
English, so we use adjectives; hence the adjectival use of an instrumental
deverbal noun.

My last example, yo:li:huani, could perhaps be translated as with an
adjectival sense, such as "healthy" or "energizing", depending on the
context.

Perhaps you are looking at Siméon's glosses; he translates cualoni as
"Comestible, bueno para comer" and labels the word as an "adjectival verb".
Siméon's dictionary has many virtues, and will sometimes provide the
solution to a sticky problem, but his grammatical classifications and the
roots he proposes for inflected words are the weakest parts of the package.

My explanation is based on these sources: Andrews, 2003a: 345-347;
Campbell/Karttunen, 1989: 200-205, 248; Carochi, 2001: 180-183 (book 3,
chapter 2, § 2).

My examples are based on these: Campbell/Karttunen, 1989: 205; Carochi,
2001: 180-183 (libro 3, capítulo 2, § 2); Karttunen, 1992: 90, 137, 165,
219, 232, 295, 341, 342; Molina, 1571b: 39v, 67r, 105r, 134v, 157v.

Best regards,

David

*************************************
References

CAMPBELL, R. Joe; KARTTUNEN, Frances
1989 Foundation course in Nahuatl grammar, volume 1: text and exercises,
Missoula, The University of Montana.

CAROCHI, Horacio
2001 Grammar of the Mexican language with an explanation of its adverbs
(1645), James Lockhart, trad. and ed., Stanford/Los Angeles, Stanford
University Press/UCLA Latin American Center Publications.

KARTTUNEN, Frances
1992 An analytical dictionary of Nahuatl, 2nd. ed., Norman, University of
Oklahoma Press.

MOLINA, Alonso de
1571 Vocabulario en lengua mexicana y castellana, Mexico, Casa de Antonio de
Espinosa.

SIMÉON, Rémi
1999 Diccionario de la lengua náhuatl o mexicana, redactado según los
documentos impresos y manuscritos más auténticos y precedido de una
introducción, 15th. ed., Josefina Oliva de Coll, trad., Mexico, Siglo XXI
Editores.

*************************************
-----Mensaje original-----
De: nahuatl-bounces at lists.famsi.org [mailto:nahuatl-bounces at lists.famsi.org]
En nombre de Susana Moraleda
Enviado el: miércoles, 27 de julio de 2011 09:34
Para: Nahuat-l
Asunto: [Nahuat-l] Suffix -NI

Sorry to disturb everybody with a question that to many may seem stupid, but
I have no other alternative but to ask here, after having consulted a number
of grammars.  I ask you to please be patient with me.

Suffix -NI as far as I know, is added to verbs in three instances (other
than customary present):
1) as agentive - added to the present tense - e.g. CUICANI (one who sings)
2) as instrumental - added to the impersonal - e.g. NEITTALONI (instrument
with which to see oneself = mirror)
3) as adjective - added to the passive - e.g. CUALONI (eatable)

My problem is how to distinguish (2) from (3)
My reasoning is that, given that the impersonal is used with both transitive
and intransitive verbs (only with 3rd person sing), and the passive is used
only with transitive verbs, does this also apply in the creation of
instruments and adjectives?
So an intransitive verb can only become instrumental and not adjective?
and a transitive verb may become both instrumental and adjective?

For example
MICOHUANI (MICOHUA, impersonal, - death is going on - intransitive)
   can only mean "instrument with which to kill - poison", but not
"killable"?
NEITTALONI (ITTALO, passive, - he is seen - transitive/refl)
   can be "mirror", but can it also mean "mirrorable" or "seeable"?
How to distinguish the latter?

Sorry for the confusion and thanks a million for any feedback.

Susana












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