nahuatl

Thân thiện

A student learns about the Nahuatl language in a history class.

Definition

Noun: 1. The Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Nahuatl people: This refers to a family of related languages and dialects spoken primarily in central Mexico. It was the language of the Aztec Empire. 2. A member of any of various Indian peoples of central Mexico: This refers to an individual belonging to one of the ethnic groups whose traditional language is Nahuatl.

Usage Examples

• As a language:
  • Scholars study classical Nahuatl to understand Aztec codices.
  • Several communities in Mexico still speak modern variants of Nahuatl.
• As a person:
  • The Nahuatl explained the traditional farming techniques to the anthropologists.
  • She is a Nahuatl from the state of Puebla.

Advanced Usage

• Nahuatl is often used in academic contexts to refer specifically to the classical form of the language used during the height of the Aztec civilization.
• The term can function as an attributive noun (acting like an adjective) to describe related cultural items.
  • The museum has an impressive collection of Nahuatl poetry.

Variants and Related Words

• Nahuatlism (n): A word or linguistic feature borrowed from the Nahuatl language into another language (e.g., "tomato," "chocolate").
• Nahuatlaca (n, historical/ethnological): A broader term sometimes used to refer to Nahuatl-speaking peoples collectively.

Synonyms

• Aztec (n): While often used synonymously, "Aztec" refers more specifically to the Mexica people of Tenochtitlan, who spoke Nahuatl. "Nahuatl" is a broader linguistic and ethnic term.
• Mexicano (n): A term used in some historical contexts and by some speakers to refer to the language or people.

Related Phrases and Terms

• Nahuatl speaker: A person who speaks the Nahuatl language.
  • He is a fluent Nahuatl speaker from the Huasteca region.
• Nahuatl word: A lexical item originating from the Nahuatl language.
  • 'Avocado' is an English word that comes from a Nahuatl word (āhuacatl).

Học thuật

Noun

1. the Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Nahuatl
2. a member of any of various Indian peoples of central Mexico

Từ đồng nghĩa

• nahuatl