DOCSLIB.ORG

New Náhuatl Orthography Project

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
New Náhuatl Orthography Project Un nuevo sistema para la escritura náhuatl A New System for Writing Nahuatl por Eduardo Trager by Ed Trager texto en español editado por Carlos Guardiola Spanish text edited by Carlos Guardiola publicado 1 junio, 2016 Published June 1st, 2016 editado por última vez 19 diciembre, 2016 Last updated December 19th, 2016 http://unifont.org/nahuatl http://unifont.org/nahuatl Indice Contents Introducción Introduction Los orígenes de una nueva Origins of a New Alternative alternativa A Quick Overview Un resumen rapido Nahuatl Phonemes Fonemas en náhuatl Vowels Vocales Vowel Signs Signos vocálicos Writing Long Vowels Escritura de las vocales largas Compound Vowel Signs Signos vocálicos compuestos Native Consonants Consonantes nativas Saltillo and /h/ Saltillo y /h/ Consonant /l/ Consonante /l/ Non-native Consonants Consonantes no nativas Non-native Vowels Vocales no nativas Special Signs Signos especiales Punctuation Puntuación The Complete Abugida El abugida completo How to write the letters Como escribir las letras Memory Aid Chart of the Letters Tabla mnemotécnica de las letras Example 1 Ejemplo 1 Example 2 Ejemplo 2 Example 3 Ejemplo 3 Advantages Vantajas Disadvantages Desvantajas Future Work Trabajo en el futuro Technical Implementation Notes Notas sobre la implementación How to Write in the Abugida técnica Online Cómo escribir en el nuevo OpenType Font and Tools alfasilibario en linea References and Notes La fuente OpenType y herramientas Referencias y notas Introducción Introduction México tiene una larga historia de la There is a long history of writing in Mexico. escritura. Antes de la conquista española, hay Before the Spanish conquest, a rich system of un rico sistema de pictogramas que pictograms that had both ideographic and funcionaron ideográficamente y phonetic functions served as mnemonic fonéticamente y sirvieron como dispositivos devices to inform readers of the names of mnemotécnicos para informar a lectores de places, people, dates, and important events. los nombres de lugares, nombres de In Nahuatl for example, a fish (michin) drawn personas, fechas y eventos importantes. Por on top of a stylized hill representing a ejemplo, en náhuatl un pescado (michin) geographic place (can) informed the reader dibujado en la cima de una colina estilizada that the place where they have fish —still known (can) informaba al lector de que el texto se today as Michoacán— was the subject of refería al lugar de los que tienen los pescados discussion (Figure 1). —y que aún hoy se conoce como Michoacán (Figura 1). Fig. 1. El nombre Michoacán escrito en pictogramas aztecos. The place name Michoacan written in Aztec pictograms. 1 No mucho tiempo después de la conquista, Not long after the conquest, an orthography apareció una ortografía basada en las based on Spanish spelling conventions was convenciones ortográficas españolas para developed to write Nahuatl, the lingua franca escribir el náhuatl, la lingua franca del of the Aztec Empire up to that time. For imperio Azteca hasta aquel momento. Por example, Alonso de Molina —who came to ejemplo, Alonso de Molina —que llegó a Mexico as a child in 1522 and grew up México en su niñez en 1522 y creció jugando playing with local Nahuatl-speaking children con los niños nahuatlatos en Tenochtitlán en in Tenochtitlan as it was being transformed el momento que se estaba transformando en into Mexico City— began writing his la ciudad de México— comenzó a escribir su invaluable Vocabulario en lengua castellana y inestimable Vocabulario en Lengua Castellana y mexicana by 1555, less than 40 years after the Mexicana en 1555, menos de 40 años después arrival of the Spaniards. 2 de la llegada de los españoles. 2 . La introducción del alfabeto latino fue The introduction of the Latin alphabet was notablemente beneficiosa y dio lugar a la notably beneficial and resulted in the producción de numerosas obras en la production of numerous works in the lengua náhuatl durante los primeros siglos Nahuatl language during the first several después de la conquista. Sin embargo, el centuries after conquest. Nevertheless, using uso de las convenciones ortográficas Spanish spelling conventions for Nahuatl has españolas para escribir náhuatl nunca ha never been an ideal solution. sido una solución ideal. Hoy en día, después de siglos de abandono, Today, after centuries of neglect, there is a hay un positivo resurgimiento del interés en hopeful resurgence of interest in the la preservación y restauración de las lenguas preservation and the reemergence of indígenas en muchas partes del mundo, indigenous languages in many parts of the incluso en México. No obstante, hoy existe world, including in Mexico. However, today un sentimiento entre algunos grupos de que there is a sentiment among some groups that el sistema ortográfico de náhuatl basado en the Spanish-based orthographic system used español y usado desde el siglo dieciséis puede for Nahuatl since the mid-1500's can be ser difícil para que los niños monolingües difficult for indigenous Nahuatl-speaking nahuatlatos apprendan en el caso en que school children to learn since they may not todavía no conozcan español o la ortografía yet know Spanish or Spanish spelling española cuando se enfrentan a la escritura conventions when they are first introduced por primera vez. 3 to writing in their own language. 3 La ortografía tradicional también contribuye The traditional system also contributes to a la confusión de los estudiantes no nativos confusion among non-native learners of de náhuatl que también pueden estar no Nahuatl who may also be unfamiliar with familiarizados con las convenciones Spanish orthographic conventions. And even ortográficas españolas. Y en el caso de que when students are completely familiar with los estudiantes estén completamente Spanish orthography, they can still familiarizados con la ortografía española, encounter problems and confusion because todavía pueden encontrarse con problemas y of the quirky castilianization of the spelling of confusiones debido a la extraña Nahuatl words containing phonemes that are castellanización de la ortografía de palabras foreign to Spanish. 4 náhuatl que contienen fonemas ajenos al español. 4 Tomemos por ejemplo la palabra tecuhtli Take for example a word like tecuhtli (lord or (señor o noble). ¿Cómo se pronuncia esto? te- nobleman). How is this pronounced? te-ku-tɬi ku-tɬi no parece correcto porque náhuatl does not seem right because Nahuatl lacks carece de la vocal /u/. ¿Así quizás debería ser the vowel /u/. So maybe it should be te-koh- te-koh-tli o te-koʔ-tli? ¿O tal vez el cu tli or te-koʔ-tli? Or maybe the cu is supposed representa el fonema /kʷ/, por lo que to represent /kʷ/ so we have te-kʷo-tli or te- tenemos te-kʷo-tli o te-kʷa-tli? ¿O tal vez tekʷ- kʷa-tli? Or is it just tekʷ-tli? In fact this last tli? Actualmente, este último —tekʷ-tli— one —tekʷ-tli— seems to be the correct one, parece que ser el correcto, pero esto no es but this is not at all obvious. tan evidente. En México, diferentes grupos de hablantes de In Mexico, different groups of Nahuatl náhuatl siguen usando diferentes sistemas de speakers continue to use and educate ortografía para escribir su idioma y educar a children in schools using different sus niños en las escuelas, a pesar de que la orthographic systems, even though SEP (La Secretaría de Educación Pública en México Secretaría de Educación Pública de Mexico) (SEP) ha promulgado una ortografía moderna has promulgated a modern standard estandarizada. En general, los expertos y los orthography. In general, experts and educadores coinciden en que la ortografía educators agree that the modern SEP moderna de SEP es más facil de aprender que orthography is easier to learn than the la ortografía clásica. 5 , 6 classical orthography. 5 , 6 En realidad, la ortografía moderna The modern orthography promulgated by promulgada por la SEP es mejor en unas SEP is in fact better in some ways. maneras. Sin embargo, parece que hay Nevertheless, there appear to be a number of razones por las que el sistema moderno no ha reasons why the modern system has not alcanzado la aceptación universal. achieved universal acceptance. Academics Académicos y personas cuyo primer idioma and people whose primary language is es el español tienden a rechazar el uso de la Spanish tend to dislike the use of the letter k letra k en el sistema moderno en lugar de las in the modern system in place of the letters c letras c y q utilizadas en el sistema clásico. and q used in the clasical system. For Por ejemplo, aunque el dios Azteca example, the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl becomes Quetzalcóatl se convierte en Ketsalkoatl en el Ketsalkoatl in the modern system. Admittedly sistema moderno, es cierto que Ketsalkoatl no Ketsalkoatl looks unusual, but that is only es lo habitual. Esto es simplemente debido a because so many of us are accustomed to que muchos de nosotros estamos seeing the traditional spelling with Q. acostumbrados a ver la ortografía tradicional con Q. Otros, incluyendo los hablantes nativos de Others, including native speakers of Nahuatl, náhuatl, piensan que el uso de la letra u find the use of the letter u in the modern representando la semivocal /w/ en la system to represent the semi-vowel /w/ a ortografía moderna es un poco curioso. ¿Por curious choice. Why not just use a w as in qué no se utiliza una w como en la ortografía English orthography? inglesa? Otros dicen que el uso de la letra j para Others say that the use of the letter j to representar el saltillo (oclusión glotal) /ʔ/ en la represent the saltillo or glottal stop /ʔ/ in the ortografía moderna es problemático. En modern system is problematic. In many muchos dialectos modernos de náhuatl, el modern dialects of Nahuatl, the /ʔ/ phoneme fonema /ʔ/ ha convertido en un fonema /h/ has evolved into an /h/ phoneme (as in the (como en la palabra house en inglés).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Universidaddesonora
    U N I V E R S I D A D D E S O N O R A División de Humanidades y Bellas Artes Maestría en Lingüística Adverbial clauses in Veracruz Huasteca Nahuatl from a functional-typological approach TESIS Que para optar por el grado de Maestro en Lingüística Presenta Jesús Francisco Olguín Martínez 2016 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABBREVIATIONS INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1 Veracruz Huasteca Nahuatl: Some basic grammatical facts 5 1.1 Grammatical background 9 1.1.1 Phonological sketch 9 1.1.2 Word verb forms, noun phrases and adpositional phrases 10 1.1.2.1 Word verb forms 10 1.1.2.2 Noun phrases 13 1.1.2.3 Adpositional phrases 14 1.1.3 Simple clause 15 1.1.4 Alignment system 17 1.1.5 Primary object language 19 1.1.6 Head-marking language 20 CHAPTER 2 Adverbial clauses: Theoretical preliminaries 22 2.1 Function and form of adverbial clauses: Some basic notions 22 2.2 Adverbial clauses: A semantic and morphosyntactic analysis 30 2.2.1 Temporal clauses 30 2.2.1.1 Precedence 31 2.2.1.2 Subsequence 37 2.2.1.2.1 Subsequence: Chronological order 38 2.2.1.2.2 Subsequence: Cause/reason 40 2.2.1.3 Simultaneity 43 2.2.2 Conditional clauses 47 2.2.3 Concessive conditionals 51 2.2.4 Cause/reason 53 2.2.4.1 Agentive external cause for the event 54 2.2.4.2 Non-agentive external cause for the event 55 2.2.4.3 Eventive external reason for the action 55 2.2.4.4 Non-eventive external reason for the action 56 2.2.4.5 Eventive internal reason for the action 56 2.2.4.6 Non-eventive internal reason for the action 57 2.2.5 Concessive clauses 57 2.2.6 Purpose clauses 62 2.2.7
    [Show full text]
  • Phonetic Properties of Oral Stops in Three Languages with No Voicing Distinction
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2018 Phonetic Properties of Oral Stops in Three Languages with No Voicing Distinction Stephanie M. Kakadelis The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2871 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] PHONETIC PROPERTIES OF ORAL STOPS IN THREE LANGUAGES WITH NO VOICING DISTINCTION by STEPHANIE MARIE KAKADELIS A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Linguistics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2018 © 2018 STEPHANIE MARIE KAKADELIS All Rights Reserved ii Phonetic Properties of Oral Stops in Three Languages with No Voicing Distinction by Stephanie Marie Kakadelis This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Linguistics in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Date Juliette Blevins Chair of Examining Committee Date Gita Martohardjono Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Douglas H. Whalen Jason Bishop Claire Bowern (Yale University) THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT Phonetic Properties of Oral Stops in Three Languages with No Voicing Distinction by Stephanie Marie Kakadelis Advisor: Juliette Blevins Almost all studies on the phonetics of oral stop voicing patterns focus on languages with a voicing distinction. This gives rise to some debate regarding which aspects of voicing patterns arise from inherent articulatory effects related to the production of a voicing distinction, and which aspects are intentional adjustments by speakers meant to enhance a phonological contrast.
    [Show full text]
  • American Languages
    SENRI ETHNOLoGIcAL STuDIEs No. 39 NATIVE MIDDLE AMERICAN LANGUAGES AN AREAL-TYPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE by Yoshiho YASUGI National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka 1995 Acknowledgments I wish to express my deep appreciation and gratitude to Lyle Campbell for his valuable comments and suggestions. This work is an outgrowth of my doctoral dissertation, entitled "An Areal-Typological Study of Middle American Indian Languages" (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 1993). Chapters 2, 3 and 6 were written as part of the proj ect titled "A Comprehensive Study of the Func- tion and Typology of Language" headed by Masayoshi Shibatani, with a grant-in- aid from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of the Japanese Govern- ment. I would like to thank Tasaku Tsunoda, a member of my dissertation commit- tee, for supplying numerous references as well as for his helpful comments and criticisms on earlier versions of this study. I owe a considerable debt to him for pointing out to me that the square proposed in Chapter 6 has a cyclic nature and that this is a new type of relation. I would like to acknowledge the advice and sup- port of the other members of my committee: Etsuko Kuroda, Osahito Miyaoka, Hiroyasu Tomoeda, Osamu Sakiyama, and Yasuhiko Nagano. I am so much in- debted to them that it is unlikely that I will be able to repay their kindness fully. Since English is not my native language, I frequ'ently do not perceive subtle differences in meaning and cannot always chOose the best possible phrasing. Even worse, I feel that my logic significantly differs from that of native English speakers.
    [Show full text]
  • Nahua Perspectives in Mardonio Carballo's Tlajpiajketl
    Down the Rabbit Hole and into the Moon: Nahua Perspectives in Mardonio Carballo’s Tlajpiajketl (2014) _________________________________________________ ADAM W. COON UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, MORRIS Abstract In this essay, I analyze Nahua artist Mardonio Carballo’s Tlajpiajketl (2014) and how this work breaks with a limited Western notion of what constitutes a text. This bilingual Nahuatl- Spanish book/website/CD collection questions traditional conceptualizations of what constitutes “Indigenous literature” by incorporating figures such as Alice from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Carballo’s Tlajpiajketl tells the story of a young tlajpiajketl (guardian of the maize field) and his quest to compose the “maize song.” This journey takes him from the wooden platform overlooking his field down a Wonderlandesque rabbit hole into a world replete with plays on perspective, language, and time. One of the most impressive moments from the book is a scene in which the boy’s defense against a bird attack on his crop combines with movements against sixteenth- century colonizers and present-day NAFTA. I argue that this work points to new horizons in Nahua cultural production that fight visual and acoustic colonialism through a diverse array of media. For my analysis, I employ Mapuche literary critic Luis Cárcamo Huechante’s concept acoustic and visual colonialism and the Nahua perspectives ixtlamatilistli (knowledge with the face), tlaixpan (that which is in front), and yoltlajlamikilistli (knowledge with the heart). Acoustic and visual colonialism identifies pervasive settings within mainstream media where only voices of a dominant elite in the State-sanctioned national language are heard. In contrast, the Nahua perspectives mentioned displace media colonialism.
    [Show full text]
  • Phonological Description of Huasteca Nahuatl from Chicontepec
    CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE A PHONOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF HUASTECA NAHUATL FROM CHICONTEPEC, VERACRUZ A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in Linguistics By Andrés Ehecatl Aguilar May 2013 The thesis of Andrés Ehecatl Aguilar is approved: _________________________________________________________ _____________________________ Professor Fermín Herrera Date _________________________________________________________ _____________________________ Professor Kie Zuraw Date _________________________________________________________ _____________________________ Professor Tineke Scholten, Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank some of the people and organizations that helped make this thesis possible. First, I would like to thank CSUN Graduate Studies and the Association of Retired Faculty for their support in this project. I would like to thank the CSUN Department of Linguistics/TESL for providing a space for their students to flourish. Also, this thesis would not have been possible without collaboration with IDIEZ. I would like to thank my teachers Catalina Cruz de la Cruz, Sabina Cruz de la Cruz, Delfina de la Cruz de la Cruz, Eduardo de la Cruz Cruz, Ofelia Cruz Morales, and John Sullivan. I am eternally grateful to my committee members, professors Fermín Herrera, Kie Zuraw, and Tineke Scholten for their guidance, knowledge, and time. I would like further thank professor Tineke Scholten for her mentorship and tireless support during my time at the CSUN. Lastly, I would like to thank my family. To my parents and sister, thank you for teaching me so many things throughout my life that helped make me who I am. To my wife, thank you for your endless support, for always believing in me.
    [Show full text]
  • A Uto-Aztecan Perspective
    Ancient Mesoamerica, 11 (2000), 55–75 Copyright © 2000 Cambridge University Press. Printed in the U.S.A. CACAO AND CHOCOLATE A Uto-Aztecan perspective Karen Dakina and Søren Wichmannb aSeminario de Lenguas Indígenas, Instituto de Investigaciones Filológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México, DF, Mexico bAmerican Indian Languages and Cultures, Department of History of Religions, University of Copenhagen, Artillerivej 86, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark Abstract The origin of the words ‘cacao’ and ‘chocolate’ and their use in the reconstruction of the early history of Mesoamerica, remain very controversial issues. Cambell and Kaufman (1976, American Antiquity 41:80–89), for example, proposed that the word ‘cacao’ originated from Mixe–Zoque languages, thus possibly representing Olmec traditions. According to this argument, other Mesoamerican languages, including Nahuatl, borrowed the word as a symbol of prestige and Olmec influence. Other researchers claim the word ‘chocolate’ represents a more recent neologism, a possible Maya–Nahuatl hybrid, due to the late appearance of the word in central Mexico’s Colonial sources. We refute the putative Mixe–Zoque origin of ‘cacao’ and provide linguistic evidence to propose that ‘cacao,’ like ‘chocolate,’ is a Uto-Aztecan term. Analysis of these words highlights general and particular evolutionary trends that originate from the Uto-Aztecan language family. In addition, we show that these two words were initially used as descriptive terms to refer to the shape of the plant’s bean and the techniques of drink preparation. Etymological evidence verifies the use of a Mayan term for cacao as early as the Classic period (fourth century a.d.).
    [Show full text]
  • Historical Linguistics.’ H Graham Thurgood, American Anthropologist L
    212 eup Campbell_119558 eup Historic Linguistic 23/07/2012 14:41 Page 1 THIRD EDITION ‘Campbell has done an exemplary job of providing a modern introduction to T HIRD E DITION historical linguistics.’ H Graham Thurgood, American Anthropologist L This state-of-the-art, practical introduction to historical linguistics – the study of I I language change – does not just talk about topics. With abundant examples and N S LYLE CAMPBELL exercises, it helps students learn for themselves how to do historical linguistics. G T Distinctive to the book is its combination of the standard traditional topics with O others now considered vital to historical linguistics: explanations of why languages U change; sociolinguistic aspects of linguistic change; syntactic change and I grammaticalization; distant genetic relationships (showing how languages are R related); and linguistic prehistory. In addition, this third edition contains: two new S chapters on morphological change and quantitative approaches; a much expanded I T HISTORICAL chapter on language contact with new sections on pidgins and creoles, mixed C languages and endangered languages; new sections on the language families and I A language isolates of the world; an examination of specific proposals of distant genetic C relationship; and a new section on writing systems. L S With its clear, readable style, expert guidance and comprehensive coverage, Historical LINGUISTICS Linguistics: An Introduction is not only an invaluable textbook for students coming to the subject for the first time, but also
    [Show full text]
  • Adverbial Clauses in Veracruz Huasteca Nahuatl from a Functional-Typological Approach
    LIAMES, Campinas, SP, v. 20, 1-21, e020001, 2020 Adverbial clauses in Veracruz Huasteca Nahuatl from a functional-typological approach Jesús Francisco Olguín-Martínez Universidad de California en Santa Barbara, E.U. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4555-4213 Zarina Estrada-Fernández Universidad de Sonora, México https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7249-2452 abstract: This paper analyses adverbial clauses in Veracruz Huasteca Nahuatl (vhn), a Uto-Aztecan language spoken in Mexico. We argue that the formal properties of adverbial clauses in vhn are motivated by general functional principles, particularly, their semantic values. We address seven semantic relations: temporal pre- cedence, temporal subsequence, temporal simultaneity, cause/reason, purpose, result, and spatial relations. We support the analysis not only with evidence from vhn, but also from other languages of the world where two morphosyntactic devices are important: adverbial conjunctions and tam morphology. Our main claim is that the different semantic relations encoded within adverbial clauses take on specific formal mechanisms to express those particular communicative situations. keywords: Adverbial clauses; Semantic relation; Nahuatl. resumen: Este trabajo analiza las cláusulas adverbiales en náhuatl de la Huasteca veracruzana (nhv), lengua yuto-azteca hablada en México. Argumentamos que las propiedades formales de las cláusulas adverbiales en nhv están motivadas por principios funcionales de carácter general, particularmente, sus valores semánticos. Nos concentramos en siete relaciones semánticas: precedencia temporal, subsecuencia temporal, simultaneidad temporal, causa/razón, propósito, resultado y relaciones espaciales. Sostenemos nuestro análisis no solo con evidencias de nhv, sino también de otras lenguas del mundo donde dos propiedades morfosintácticas son im- portantes: las conjunciones adverbiales y la morfología tam.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mesoamerican Indian Languages Cambridge Language Surveys
    THE MESOAMERICAN INDIAN LANGUAGES CAMBRIDGE LANGUAGE SURVEYS General Editors: W. Sidney Allen, B. Comrie, C. J. Fillmore, E. J. A. Henderson, F. W. Householder, R. Lass, J. Lyons, R. B. Le Page, P. H. Matthews, F. R. Palmer, R. Posner, J. L. M. Trim This series offers general accounts of all the major language families of the world. Some volumes are organized on a purely genetic basis, others on a geographical basis, whichever yields the most convenient and intelligible grouping in each case. Sometimes, as with the Australian volume, the two in any case coincide. Each volume compares and contrasts the typological features of the languages it deals with. It also treats the relevant genetic relationships, historical development, and sociolinguistic issues arising from their role and use in the world today. The intended readership is the student of linguistics or general linguist, but no special knowledge of the languages under consideration is assumed. Some volumes also have a wider appeal, like those on Australia and North America, where the future of the languages and their speakers raises important social and political issues. Already published: The languages of Australia R. M. W. Dixon The languages of the Soviet Union Bernard Comrie Forthcoming titles include: Japanese/Korean M. Shibatani and Ho-min Sohn Chinese J. Norman and Mei Tsu-lin S. E. Asia J. A. Matisoff Dravidian R. E. Asher Austronesian R. Blust Afro-Asiatic R. Hetzron North American Indian W. Chafe Slavonic R. Sussex Germanic R. Lass Celtic D. MacAulay et al. Indo-Aryan C. P. Masica Balkans 7. Ellis Creole languages J.
    [Show full text]
  • Nahuatl Contemporary Writing: Studying Convergence in the Absence of a Written Norm
    Nahuatl contemporary writing: studying convergence in the absence of a written norm by Jonathan Israel Escobar Farfán Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Sheffield Faculty of Arts and Humanities School of Languages and Cultures March 2019 Abstract Language revitalisation (LR) is influenced by a concern with authenticity around which written conventions are largely seen as the result of careful designs based on authentic spoken usage. This dissertation proposes to see written conven- tions as the result of an authentication process carried on by a community of practice of writers, and to explore the points of convergence in this practice as a set of examples which could eventually become shared conventions in most varieties of a linguistic continuum. I focus on the revitalisation of Nahuatl, a linguistic continuum spoken in Mexico. The study of convergence in the written practice of Nahuatl must be carried out in a context of ideological, linguistic, and orthographical heterogeneity. I have tested a methodology to extensively in- vestigate points of convergence between eight contemporary Nahuatl texts from eight contemporary varieties, comparing them with Classical Nahuatl (CN), an old Nahuatl variety codified in prescriptive sources. I have attempted to locate commonalities in these texts by identifying nuclear clauses (NCs): morphosyn- tactic structures which are a common feature across the Nahuatl continuum. I have used a Finite State (FS) model of CN to attempt a morphological anal- ysis of the word types found in the contemporary texts. The word types that could be plausibly analysed as CN NCs by our FS model, were proposed as plausible points of convergence between the texts and CN.
    [Show full text]
  • Proto-Aztecan Vowels: Part I Author(S): Lyle Campbell and Ronald W
    Proto-Aztecan Vowels: Part I Author(s): Lyle Campbell and Ronald W. Langacker Source: International Journal of American Linguistics, Vol. 44, No. 2 (Apr., 1978), pp. 85-102 Published by: The University of Chicago Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1264522 Accessed: 24/02/2010 19:51 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=ucpress. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The University of Chicago Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to International Journal of American Linguistics. http://www.jstor.org InternationalJournal of AmericanLinguistics VOLUME44 April 1978 NUMBER2 PROTO-AZTECAN VOWELS: PART I1 LYLE CAMPBELL ANI) RONALDW.
    [Show full text]
  • Registro De La Variación Fonológica En El Náhuatl Moderno Un Estudio De Caso Sep Manuel Bartlett Díaz Secretario De Educación Pública
    CRISTINA MONZON registro de la variación fonológica en el náhuatl moderno un estudio de caso sep Manuel Bartlett Díaz Secretario de Educación Pública Luis E. Todd Subsecretario de Educación Superior e Investigación Científica Teresa Rojas Rabiela Directora General del c ie sa s Registro de la variación fonológica en el náhuatl moderno Cristina Monzón Registro de la variación fonológica en el náhuatl moderno Un estudio de caso 1 ediciones de la casa chata 34 Portada: Leonor Guerrero Tovar Edición al cuidado de Ramón Córdoba Alcaraz Primera edición: 1990 ® Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social Ediciones de la Casa Chata Hidalgo y Matamoros, Tlalpan; Código Postal 14000, México, D. F. ISBN 968-496-163-4 índice Agradecimientos ................................................................. 9 Introducción ..................................................................... 11 PRIMERA p a r t e ; COMPARACIÓN DE SISTEMA FONOLÓGICOS Y DIVISIÓN DIALECTAL EN LA SIERRA DE ZONGOLICA: UN ESTUDIO DE CASO 1. Comparación de sistemas fonológicos ........................ 19 2. División dialectal ......................................................... 77 3. Identificación dialectal ....... 101 SEGUNDA p a r t e : MARCO FONOLÓGICO PARA EL ESTUDIO DESCRIPTIVO DEL NÁHUATL MODERNO 4. El índice alofónico y sus implicaciones para la obtención de datos ............................................................................. 123 5. Comparación de sistemas fonológicos .............................191 índices correlacionadores......................................................203
    [Show full text]