Help!

[M Launey]

Dear Tomas, dear listeros

Most probably it has to be read /i:n-/ (poss. pref. 3 pl), + the noun stem ne-cui-ti-l(-li), which (again most probably) is the object noun of cui-tia (/kwi:-tia/), which with a reflexive prefix means « to confess » (ni-c-no-cui-tia in no-tla-‘tlaco-l « confieso mis pecados »).

When derived from ditransitive verbs, object nouns usually keep the two object prefixes (of course indefinite), e.g. te-tla-mac-tli « gift », ne-tla-machti-l-li « wealth, prosperity » (mo-tla-mach-tia "he is rich, well-off"), ne-te-ilhui-l-li « complaint » (cf. mo-te-ilhuia « he complains to s.o. »). 

However, I have so far met two cases with ne- only : ne-mac-tli « gift » (often paired with axcaitl, or ilhuilli, ma’cehualli, cf. FC VI,39, VI,41), and ne-cuitlahui-l-li « mission, assignment » (cf. ni-c-no-cuitlahuia « I take care of it/him/her », FC VIII,67). When ne-mac-tli appears in the possessed form, the possessive prefix refers to the beneficiary (FC I,48 In-nemac catca in octli « Their reward was the pulque »), while the possessor of te-tla-mac-tli in the donor, cf. i-te-tla-mac-tzin in Dios « God’s gifts ».

Ne-cui-ti-l-li, which so far was unknown to me, could be a third example of the same morphological pattern. The meaning would then be « confession », and it would be great for this hypothesis if, in the text, the possessive prefix in- referred to the priests (who hear, or « receive » the confession) rather than to the penitent (who say, or « give » their confession to the priest) : this would be congruent with the meaning of in-nemac.


So I hope that this is the case. If not, I will not hang myself, and try to find another explanation.

Best

Michel Launey

> Message du 20/08/14 14:26
> De : "Tomas Amaya" 

> 
> Tocnihuan. 
> Do you have any idea about the meaning of "ynnecuitil / yn necuitil". 
> It appears in a colonial text (end of s. XVI) I am translating. 
> The context is: "ypan agosto quichihuasque quitequipanosque yn necuitil".
> It sounds me like "commitment", do yo have any other idea?
> 
> Namechtlazohcamati
> 
> Tomas Amaya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Nahuatl mailing list
> Nahuatl at lists.famsi.org
> http://www.famsi.org/mailman/listinfo/nahuatl
>
_______________________________________________
Nahuatl mailing list
Nahuatl at lists.famsi.org
http://www.famsi.org/mailman/listinfo/nahuatl