Altepetl: case of assimilation?

[Barajas, Octavio]

Notlacuilol Mixpantinzco Estimados Nahuat-listeros:

Can someone please explain the linguistic process that results in Altepetl? Why is it not atepetl* as predicated by early colonial Nahuatl grammar? Why does the letter <L> precede <tepetl>? Is this a case of linguistic assimilation? Or is something else taking place? How or why did this phrase become lexicalized this way?

I apologize if this may have already come up in prior dialogue. My search, suggested by a friend, in the Nahuat-listserv archive didn't turn up an answer.

Tlazohcamati, octavio


_______________________________________________
Nahuatl mailing list
Nahuatl at lists.famsi.org
http://www.famsi.org/mailman/listinfo/nahuatl