Earth/matriXSCIENCE IN ANCIENT ARTWORK
Ancient Egyptian HieroglyphsCompared to Selected Nahuatl Word-Concepts(Alfonso Caso’s “The Aztecs, People of the Sun”)
Charles William Johnson
For the past few years, I have been comparing the linguisticcorrespondence between the Egyptian [Kemi] hieroglyphs and some of theNative Indian languages of the Americas [Johnson, 2004 for Maya andNahuatl; Johnson, 2006 for Atakapa, Chitimacha, and Tunica; Johnson2006, for Taino; and, Johnson 2007, for Purépecha]. Much of this work maybe viewed on the web-site, Earth/matriX, Science in Ancient Artwork:www.earthmatrix.com.
metut neter = hieroglyphs, “words of the gods” [Budge, page 335b]
metu ra en Kam-t = “word of the mouth of Egypt”, i.e., theEgyptian language [Budge, page 335b]
In these studies, my research shows that the different Native Indianlanguages of the Americas relate in different ways to ancient Egyptian. Withregard to Nahuatl specifically, I find it significant that if the letter “L” isdropped from many of the words of the Nahuatl language of the ancientAztecs [Nahuas or Mexicas], then similar/same word-concepts appear thatresemble the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the language of the Kemi. Infact, it would appear as though ancient Nahuatl without the letter “L” isactually ancient Egyptian. Consider a brief selection of phonemic andmorphemic examples in this regard.
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Nahuatl Ancient Egyptian [Transliteration without the "L" ]
aCaTL akat aKHaH-TCaLLI kai KaMeTLaTL metat MeT, aToLLiN oin uN, uNNTiLMaTLi timati THeMa-TXoLoTL shoot ShuT
[Note.- I employ a combination of capital and small letters throughout thisstudy for emphasis only; they are not presented as such in the originalsource material.]
The word-concept NAHUATL itself is often interpreted as“something that makes an agreeable sound, or someone who speaks well”[Karttunen: 157]. Further analysis is offered regarding the root NAHUA-,which is said to reflect meanings of “audible, intelligent, clear” having to dowith sorcery and spells as well as with language itself. [Karttunen: Ibid]
In ancient Egyptian, Na represents a prefix meaning a negative “no”or “not”. In ancient Egyptian one could say Na-HuTR for the meaning of nodoubt, as in clear, with the corresponding roots, NaHuaTL [liquid R ~ L].Other options exist in ancient Egyptian as in Na HuaT, not filth; Na Ha-T,not obscure, also suggesting clear.
I have the impression that the word-concept NAHUATL itself mayrepresent some kind of disguise in the language. The root of the wordNahuatl may be based on the word-concept NAHUAL, whose meaning isgiven as “a disguise or mask”. NAHUALLI = sorcerer; NAGUAL = witch.The ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs do not contain many word-concepts withthe letter “L”, while in ancient Nahuatl there exists a widespread use of theletter “L”, so much so that it would appear to be a conscious addition to thelanguage itself. Other options to consider for ancient Egyptian: Na Ha-t, noplace to hide; Na Ha, no retreat, no going back; Na Ha-t, no land, amongothers.
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With methodological procedures based solely on syntax and grammar,one would not be able to make comparative linguistic studies. In order toexplain linguistic correspondence among languages, one must necessarilybegin with the word-concepts, whether it be in regard to the Latinlanguages, the Indigenous languages of the Americas or, to ancient Egyptian(hieroglyphs). The study of language structure, syntax and grammar, isbased precisely on word placement in writing and speaking.
Some students in comparative language studies propose to researchsyntactical and grammatical parallelisms between languages, and not thelexical or phonetic aspects when comparing languages among themselves.[www.celtiberia.net/verrespuesta.asp?idp=6997&pagina=1]. However, Iam unable to imagine how one would examine the parallel syntax andgrammatical aspects of two languages, without examining the word-conceptsthat make of the syntax and grammar of those languages. The word-conceptsform the basis of structure and word placement in a language’s syntacticaluse and grammatical practice. The proposal to carry out comparativelinguistic studies without reference to the word-concepts represents animpossibility in my view.
Most languages are based on word-concepts that reflect syntacticaland grammatical aspects, such as composite verbal declinations and such:voltéaselo in Spanish, to cite an elementary example. Voltéaselo is not aword as such, but rather a word-concept, a syntactical and grammaticalexpression, involving the subject (tú/se) | verb (voltea) | object (lo)relationship of a statement-event. In fact the word-concept “Voltéaselo”represents a complete imperative sentence, a complete structure in syntaxand grammar.
In my mind, both aspects, word placement and word-concepts, areprerequisite in comparative linguistic studies. One cannot privilege oneaspect over the other, for both make up a language as such. I realize that it isvery tedious and tiresome to have to examine each and every word-conceptin comparing two languages, while it is probably less demanding to comparesyntax and grammar. But that is what is required in a blow-by-blow analysisof as many word-concepts as possible. That is what I have been carrying outin the Earth/matriX essays on the comparative linguistics between the NativeIndian languages of the Americas and the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
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In this essay, I offer additional examples of similarities between theancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and selected word-concepts from the Nahuatllanguage.
I have selected Nahuatl word-concepts from a book by the legendaryAlfonso Caso, entitled, The Aztecs, People of the Sun. This selection is areasonable one as Alfonso Caso offered not only a significant range ofNahuatl word-concepts treating the religious and philosophical beliefs of theAztecs or Nahuas, but he also offered detailed and extensive explanations ofmany of those word-concepts. I encourage all to read these explanations inAlfonso Caso’s work.
Much debate exists whether to refer to the people who spoke/speakNahuatl as Mexicas, Nahuas or Aztecs. Given the title of the Caso’s book, Iwill generally speak about the Aztecs, but often reference the Nahuasregarding the Nahuatl language itself.
The Nahuatl words selected in Caso’s book constitute an excellentselection of word-concepts related to some of the most meaningful ideas andbeliefs of the ancient Aztecs. Certain criteria exist behind the selection madeby Alfonso Caso in his study. Therefore, one may consider the group ofword-concepts that he has selected to constitute a micro-universe of relevantphilosophical and religious ideas. Further, one may consider his selectionresponds to an analytical purpose in his work.
The explanations assist me in understanding possible relationshipsbetween the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and the Nahuatl word-concepts.For example, even though a specific word-concept might reflect the meaningof the Sun [TONATIUH], Caso goes on to offer elements in the explanationthat assist in understanding related concepts, such as the Sun shines [TONA]or, the concept of warmth [TONA] related to the sun. The additionalexplanations help in searching for word-concepts in the Egyptianhieroglyphs that not only speak to a linguistic correspondence to the Sun, butto other word-concepts, such as to shine or warmth. These expandedcomparisons will become obvious throughout the following essay.
Additionally, I have used Frances Karttunen’s work, An AnalyticalDictionary of Nahuatl [University of Oklahoma, 1983]. The explanatorytexts offered by professor Karttunen also allow for expanded comparisons
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that further demonstrate possibilities of linguistic correspondence betweenthe Nahuatl word-concepts and ancient Egyptian.
For the references to the word-concepts in the ancient Egyptianhieroglyphs, I continue to use the work by E.A. Wallis Budge, An EgyptianHieroglyphic Dictionary [Dover, 1978; original publication date 1920]. Inspite of the critiques leveled against Budge’s work, I have found that thecorrespondence between Budge’s dictionary and the Native Indianlanguages of the Americas is amply confirmed. When I search for a word-concept similar to a Nahuatl word-concept in Budge’s dictionary, I oftenfind the same/similar combination of phoneme and morpheme; thesame/similar consonants and vowels.
In this manner, the Nahuatl word-concepts confirm the ancientEgyptian hieroglyphs as to their root consonants and vowels; and, vice versa,the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs generally confirm the phonemic andmorphemic expressions of the Nahuatl word-concept.
Nahuatl Ancient Egyptian
TEQUI = to cut TEQ = to cut
CACTLI = shoe UKHATA = shoe
In the first case, TEQ = TEQ, the main root is confirmed both as consonants[T, Q] and as vowel [e]. In the second case, confirmation for both is revealedin the initial K-consonantal sound and the initial vowel [a]. These two casesare representative of numerous comparisons of two word-concepts betweenNahuatl and ancient Egyptian ---not to mention various other Native Indianlanguages of the Americas as my research and writing have shown.
For example, when I am searching for a word-concept in Nahuatl inthe index of English words in Budge, a particular English word might not belisted in Budge’s index. So I then proceed to the Egyptian hieroglyphicentries themselves in the Budge dictionary, and with that generally find asimilar phonemic/morphemic expression to that word-concept. Uponobserving TEQUI, to cut something, in Nahuatl, one may go directly to therelated entries in the Budge dictionary with relative assurance that asimilar/same word-concept will make its appearance. And, so it does as inTEQES, to pierce, to cut, to stab; among other related Kemi concepts.
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In the work by Budge, the same/similar morpheme may be reflected ina similar/same phoneme with slight variations in the phonetic value of aparticular consonant or vowel, as in the following examples regardingconsonants and vowels:
Tebteb = to stab, to slay, to kill [B876b]TCHeteb = to stick with a knife or spear, to stab [B914b]
and, in terms of vowels, repetition and variation often exist:
khAmes = ear of corn [B573a]khEmes = ear of corn [B548a]
However, a word-concept in one of the Native Indian languages of theAmericas may employ a specific vowel, and the search in Budge's dictionaryvery frequently will turn up a similar/same word-concept that even has thatsame vowel. These cases represent a confirmation of both languages. TheBudge dictionary has been criticized for the use of vowels. However, basedon the comparisons with Nahuatl, I tend to disagree with those criticisms.Consider another confirmation for the vowel “a” along these lines [CA ~KHA]:
Nahuatl Ancient EgyptianCACAMATL, secondary ear of maize | KHAMES = ear of corn
The correspondences that I have found in both languages representconfirmations to me that Budge got it right. The reader will understand thispoint better as numerous word-concepts from both Nahuatl and ancientEgyptian are examined in the following entries. By examining many of theentries one will observe a similarity in the consonants and vowels employedin both languages for the same/similar word-concept.
An example regarding the word-concept for “house” in Nahuatl[calli], produces a search for “house” in ancient Egyptian [ka], which reflectthe same/similar phoneme.
Nahuatl Ancient Egyptian
CALLI house | KA house
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An intriguing datum in this regard is to find a similarity with regard to acomparison for the same word in both the Maya language system andancient Egyptian as follows:
Maya Ancient Egyptian
NA house, abode NAA-T abode, house
From these two distinct cases one obtains the view that one languageconfirms the other. In my book, The Sound of Meaning, both Nahuatl andMaya were compared to the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Indirectly, then,one could then make comparative analyses of Maya and Nahuatl to oneanother from that text.
My studies consider groups of word-concepts in one language incomparison to groups of word-concepts in another language. This procedureoffers a view that the comparative linguistic correspondence is not limited tothe isolated comparison of two words. Rather, the word-concepts arepresented to show how certain phonemes and morphemes are inter-related asgrouped together in one language and how that group of word-conceptsrelates to a similar group of word-concepts in the other language.
Take for example the following comparative analysis of the word-concept Huitzilopochtli in Nahuatl with ancient Egyptian extracted from mybook, The Sound of Meaning. The format presented in that book is distinctfrom the one presented in this brief study of Caso’s work.
hummingbird HUITZILOPOCHTLI HUITI one of 75 forms of Ragod; Aztec god PAUTIU primeval beingof war and love HIU birdshummingbird HUITZILLIN HU, HUI to beat. to strike, to crush,tohummingbird HUITZACATZIN slay, to killhummingbird HUITZTZITZIQUIH HUI-NI a fighter or beater
HUIT beating[ something very HUIT a doorkeeper goddesssmall TZITZIQUI ] HUIT-RA a class of divine beings
HUIT-RA (?) a group of four goddessesof
offeringsHUITI one of the 75 forms of RA
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HUI illumination, lightHUIT rainHUI a demon animalQUI little one
to prick somethingwith a thorn HUITZHUIA QATCHA thorns, scrub, stubble,bush thorn, spine HUITZTLIsomething coveredwith thorns HUIHHUITZYOH
[ F. Karttunen (page 91) states that HUITZILOPOCHTLI and HUITZTLI arecontrasting word-concepts, meaning possibly with different roots. ]
bill, beak, pointed stone TEHUITZTLI[ stone + thorn TETL + HUITZTLI ]
The preceding comparative analysis is not limited to isolated words,but rather sets of phonemes and morphemes in different word-concepts fromboth languages. The sense that one obtains from such a comparison is thatthe two languages are in fact somehow related.
Further, with this example, one may note how the predominance ofthe consonants [H, T] and vowels [e, i] are shared in both languages, whereeither language would offer a confirmation of the other. The impression isobtained that the visible differences between the comparative word-conceptsfrom one language to another may be due more to the different systems oftransliteration employed in either [as in TZH and TCH]. And, even if onewere to emphasize a difference in pronunciation between the TZH and TCHsounds, the fact still remains that both cultures used a similar initialphoneme which is stunning in itself, given all of the other relationshipsfound in this particular example.
The purpose of the previous comparison was to consider word-concepts in relationship to the philosophical meaning of the Nahuatl word-concept Huitzilopochtli. In order to complete that analysis, one would haveto include Nahuatl word-concepts of HUEHUETL, an upright drum,HUEHUEHUAH, master of drums and, HUIHUIXCA, to tremble, shake.
The previous analysis of HUITZILOPOCHTLI was as far as I hadgotten at that time. Only now I decided to look up the word “beak” in theancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Please, do not ask me why I did not do this
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when I first wrote about the word-concept HUITZILOPOCHTLI in TheSound of Meaning, for I know not why. It was simply an omission on mypart. But, now, consider my amazement when I finally searched for the wordbeak in the ancient Egyptian:
Nahuatl Ancient Egyptian
TEHUITZTLI = bill, beak, pointed stone THES-TI the beak of a bird
Other word-concepts that may now be considered in regard to theprevious entry would be as follows:
Nahuatl Ancient Egyptian
HUITZILLI = hummingbird ISATT = to tremble, hover like a bird
HUITEQUI = to whip, to beat HUIT = beating, bastinadosomeone
HUITECOC = bolt of lightning HUI = illumination, light
QUIYAHUITL = rainstorm HATHI = rainstorm
and so on; the list of newly found word-concepts would require an additionalstudy of this particular group. I have not been able to date to find the wordfor hummingbird in ancient Egyptian. But, I find the comparison of HuiTZiito iSaTT to be most suggestive. The reversal or transposition of phonemicroots [TZ ~ STT] is quite common, even within ancient Egyptian itself.
It stumps me as to how a linguist could observe such a linguisticcorrespondence as in TeHuiTzTi ~ TheS-Ti, [both meaning the beak of abird] and yet cling to the age-old idea that no relationship whatsoever existsbetween the language of the Nahuas and the ancient Egyptians. In my mind,with these kinds of examples of linguistic correspondence between theancient Kemi and the ancient Nahuas, the only thing that remains is towonder what kind of contact existed between these two cultures ---notwhether it existed.
Nahuatl:
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TETL + HUITZTLI > TEHUITZTLI
Ancient Egyptian:
TES + QATCHA > THES-TI
It would appear that in both languages contractions of some lettersmay have come into play whereby the soft-H [in Nahuatl] and hard-Q [inancient Egyptian] sounds were eliminated. Now, eliminate the letter “L” inthe Nahuatl as well as the vowels in both word-concepts and the followingcorrespondence obtains:
TTHTZT = TSQTCH
Again, the similarities of one confirms the other. They are far too similar andcoincidental in phonemes and morphemes to be distinct and unrelated in myview.
Now, any linguistic correspondence between Caso’s set of word-concepts and similar/same sounds [phonemes] and meanings [morphemes]to the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs offers us a second group of word-concepts. In a sense Caso’s reasoned selection serves as a means ofcreating a reasoned (non-random) selection within the ancient Egyptianhieroglyphs. Thus, the comparison of the combined sets of word-conceptsproduces an insight into the possible linguistic correspondence betweenthese two languages.
With this comparative method of groups of word-concepts that I havebeen employing in my studies, it is much more difficult to speak aboutrandom coincidences of isolated pairs of words. The inter-related sets ofword-concepts in one language speaks to the significance and predominanceof those phonemes and morphemes in that language. Now, that combinedwith a similar set of word-concepts in the other language eliminates thepossibility of similarly random, isolated phonemes and/or morphemes. WithCaso’s work we are looking beyond random linguistic coincidences andconsidering the philosophical basis symbolized behind the word-concepts.
In this comparative analysis, the word-concepts taken from Caso’sbook appear in sequential order page by page as Caso presents them in his
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discourse. Hence, the entries of word-concepts in this study do not appear inalphabetical order, but rather according to their sequential appearance inCaso’s book [symbolized page C1 through page C125].
The list of Nahuatl word-concepts that follows reflects the main onesthat Alfonso Caso cited in his book from beginning to end. I have includedselected word-concepts for which I was able to find linguisticcorrespondences with the Egyptian hieroglyphs, as well as some word-concepts for which I was unable to distinguish any correspondences. Thisdoes not mean that no correspondences exist, but rather that at this stage ofmy research I did not find any.
In order to make the text agile in this essay, I employ the followingabbreviations for pagination reference: “C” for Caso; “B” for Budge; and,“K” for Karttunen. Each of these three letters will be followed by a pagenumber corresponding to each of their books. Entries of Nahuatl word-concepts without any pagination reference derive from my notebooks orfrom a public-access glossary prepared by Miguel Rodríguez Villegas[http://aulex.ohui.net].
In the format for the entries in this study, I first cite the word-concept(s) identified by Alfonso Caso [C-page number] in his book, TheAztecs, People of the Sun. Then, immediately after that, I list any alternateor related expressions given by Frances Karttunen [K-page number] in thecited Nahuatl dictionary. Those entries, if present, are followed by thecorresponding (and sometimes non-corresponding) word-concepts from theEgyptian hieroglyphs offered by E.A. Wallis Budge [B-page number andcolumn letter a or b] in his cited dictionary that may be relevant tocomparing the Nahuatl entries by Caso and Karttunen.
Further, the main entries from Nahuatl and the Egyptian word-concepts are at times complemented with a hypothetical transliteration of aplausible construction between the two sets of word-concepts. The word-concepts exist, so one may imagine their juxtaposition to one another. Eachparticular set of entries is divided by an horizontal line between thepreceding and following entry, thus offering a self-contained analysis foreach entry. When no correspondences or related word-concepts are presentin the Karttunen or Budge dictionaries, then the Caso entry stands alone.
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Consider the following example of an entry of the word-conceptNEZAHUALPILLI from the Nahuatl, as it appears in this study:
NEZAHUALPILLI = the prince who fasts [C29] (Caso)PILLI = noble person; offspring, child [K195] (Karttunen)
nesu = prince, king’s son [B392a] (Budge)pi = belonging, his [B234a] (Budge)hua = surplus, over abundance, excess [B470a] (Budge)uah = to leave behind [B147b] (Budge)uah = to offer libations [B148a] (Budge)
Hypothetical transliteration: neza-hual-pilli | nesu-uah-pi
Transliteration: nesa-hua-pii | nesu-uah-pi
prince-fasts-his | prince-leaves-his
One last suggestion to the reader. I find it helps to understand thecomparative linguistic correspondences listed below by saying them outloud. In some cases, one can actually hear the transformation of one word-concept into another through verbalization. For example, pronounce theNahuatl COYOCTIC in sequence with the ancient Egyptian QER-TI-T andnote their sound differentiation and similarity [KyooKTiK ~ KeRTiT]. Or,pronounce the Nahuatl for shoe, CACTLI [without the “L”] together withthe ancient Egyptian UKHATA for shoe: KaKTi ~ uKHaTa.
Now, let us begin.
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Linguistic Correspondences Between the Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphsand Nahuatl, Based on the Works of Alfonso Caso and Wallis Budge.
__________
TEPOZTECATL = he of the copper ax [C7]TEPOZTLALLI = iron fillings, rust [K231]
tehes-t = metal, copper (?) [B842b]parthal = iron, iron weapons [B232a]baa = metallic substance, copper [B210a]baa en pet = iron in the sky [B210]
The word-concept parthal is one of the extremely rare exceptions inthe ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs that contains the letter “L” according tothe entries in Budge’s dictionary. Other examples of word-concepts with theletter “L” in ancient Egyptian are: IR (IL) = mirror [B143b]; BAR (BAL)= greatness of eye, i.e., pride [B203b].__________
TLOQUE NAHUAQUE (or PALNEMOHUAN) = “the god of theimmediate vicinity; that one through whom all live” [C8]
-TLOC = adjacent to, close to [K308]-NAHUAC = near to, adjacent to [K157]NAHUAQUEH = the one that is close to all things [K157]
“Name given to God, used with Tloque which means the same thing, anepithet for divine presence” [paraphrased from K157]
TLOQUEH NAHUAQUEH = the universal, all-pervadingdeity [K309]
Tcher-t = the Great Hand in heaven [B908b]tcher = to be near the limit or boundary, by the side of
something near [B908b]tcher, tcheru = limitless eternity [B908b]tcher = all the gods [B908b]tcher ha-t = from the beginning [B909a]tchertcheru = ancestral gods [B909a]tcher er tcher = to the limit of all, all, all of it [B909a]tchertiu = ancestors, human or divine, of ancient time [B909a]
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and so on…
naheh = eternal [B343b]Nu (Nenu) = the Sky god [B349b]nuti (nenti) = the two halves of the sky [B350a]nuiu (nunuiu) = beings of Nu, dwellers in heaven [B350b]nu = to tie, to bind together [B351b]nuheh = eternity [B355b]
Hypothetical transliteration: ToQue NaHuaQue | TCHer NaHeH
PALNEMOHUAN = “the god of the immediate vicinity; that one throughwhom all live”
pa = to be, to exist [B230b]pau-t = matter, substance, the matter or
material of which anything is made [B230b]pau = primeval time (?) [B230b]nehmi = deliverer, stealer [B385a]nehm-t = deliverance, rescue [B385a]
__________
OMETECUHTLI = “two lord” [C9]a.k.a. TONACATECUHTLITEUCTLI = lord, member of the high nobility; “In older
Nahuatl texts this is misleadingly writtenTECUTLI or TECUHTLI…”. [K237]
uhemuti = second [B177a]uhem = second time [B177a]uhem = to repeat [B179b]
In this case, ometecuhtli probably means “renewed” god; em uhem, asecond time, anew [B177ab].
Tehuti = the ibis god, the scribe of gods [B886a]Tehuti= chief titles of…Thoth the Great, etc. [B886ab]Tehuti (Tchehuti) = the ibis-god, the scribe of the gods
[B886a]Tehuti an arit = Thoth as bringer of the eye [B886b]Tehuti Hapi = Thoth and the Nile god [B886b]
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Tehuti khenti neb Tuat = an ape-god, a form of Thoth [B886b]Tehuti sheps = the holy Thoth [B886b]
Thehhut = gods who rejoice, or divine rejoicings [B858b]
Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
Hypothetical transliteration: oMeTeCuHTi | uHeM TeHuTi
The Nahuatl word-concept, TEOTIHUACAN, the place of the gods, is apyramidal site outside of Mexico City, which was identified as such by theNahuas, although it preceded the Nahuas in time.
The word-concept Tehuti in ancient Egyptian appears to share nearly adirect relationship to the use of the word-concept of Tecuhtli in Nahuatl, asin titles of the gods. When the letter “L” is eliminated from the Nahuatlword, the following correspondence appears:
Tecuhti | Tehuti = title for god
With the widespread use of TEUCHTLI in Nahuatl one could imagine afollowing of Thoth.
The preceding examples of comparison offer a group of word-concepts that illustrate the relational meanings, and not simply an isolatedpair of cognates. Many examples of linguistic correspondence among groupsof word-concepts appear in this study as will become clear below.__________
OMECIHUATL = “two lady” [C9]a.k.a. TONOCACIHUATLCIHUATL = woman, wife [K35]
meh = a sign placed before ordinal numbers; first;second [B316a]
senui = two [B673b]sen-nu = second; second time [B673b]
s[a]-t = woman, any woman [B583a]s[a] = a male human being; man [B583a]
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s hem-t = woman [B613b]ka-t vulva, vagina, mother; concubines, women
in general [B785b][the lord and the lady of our flesh and sustenance; the lord and mistress offood symbols of fertility and corn C9]
Hypothetical transliteration: oMeCiHuaT| MeH Sa-T__________
OMEYOCAN = “the two place” [C9]
meh = a sign placed before ordinal numbers; first;second [B316a]
akhemti = the two regions (?) [B79a]
ka-t = place (?), district (?) [B783b]aan = camp, place, station [B114a]
Hypothetical transliteration: oMeyoCaN | MeH aaN__________
CHALCHIHUATL = precious liquid [blood of man] [C13]CHALCHUHUITL = precious green stone; turquoise [K45]CHALCHIHUATL = precious bloodEZTLI = blood [K79]-EZYO = one’s own blood [K79]-EZZOH = someone, something bloody [K79]NEZ, NOYEZ = my bloodTLAEZOTILLI = bloodyTLAEZOTIA = to bleed
senf = blood [B606a]senfu = gods of blood, a flux of blood [B606a]
snef = blood [B677a]snif = blood (?) [B676a]
tesher = blood, gore [B886b]tesher-t = lord of blood (?) [B889b]
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Hypothetical transliteration: eZTi | TeSHeR [st | tsh]__________
XOCHIYAOYOTL = flowery war [C14]
sha, shau = flower, flowering bud [B721B]haa-ut = fight, fighters [B461b]hai-t = war, fight [B461b]
Xochi in Nahuatl would be pronounced as “shochi”, thereforereflecting a phonetic similarity to the ancient Egyptian “sha or shau”. Onecould then imagine a comparison of phonemes and morphemes as:
Hypothetical transliteration: XoCHiyaoyoT | SHau-Haa-uT
flower-war | flower-war
To take prisoners to sacrifice to the Sun.__________
QUETZAL = quetzal bird feathers, long like a serpent, [C14]plumed serpent [quetzal bird + serpent]
IHUITL, TOTLACATL = bird featherAZYOTL, QUETZALLI = feathers
shu-t = feather [B773a]shuti = two feathers or temples of Osiris [B733a]shuti = a crown ornament consisting of a pair of
feathers [B733b]shu-t Tehuti = Thoth’s feather, a kind of plant [B733b]
qerh = serpent [B776b]kaka = serpent [B791a]ketfi = serpent [B799b]khut = serpent [B537b]
__________
TEZCATLIPOCA = smoking mirror, god of darkness,patron of evil ones [C14]
TEZCA-TL = mirror [K239]
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POCA = POCTLI, i.e., smoke [K200]POPOCHTLI = incense
Some mirrors made by the ancient Aztecs were made out of obsidian stone.
aten = mirror [B98b]tes = stone or metal knife [B844a]teshi = stone [B844a]thesu vii = seven gods who assisted at the judgment and
condemnation of the wicked [B869b]
petchpetch = incense [B257b]
Hypothetical transliteration: TeZCaT-PoCTi | aTeN-PeTCH
mirror-smoking | mirror-[smoking]incense__________
QUINAMETZIN = giants [C15]
nekht, nekhta = giant, mighty man [B389a]
Note inverted consonants: QuiNametzin | NeKHta
[qn ~ nkh]__________
MEXOCOTL = double maguey [C18]__________
AXOLOTL, AJOLOTE = salamander [C18]__________
FOUR EARTHQUAKE = Here, Alfonso Caso makes reference toFour Earthquake in Nahuatl; or, NAHUI OLLIN. Consult other studies ofmine regarding this particular word-concept [www.paleoanimation.us for astudy of the MACUILLI OLLIN]. [C20]__________
TZITZIMIME = stars and planets [C20]
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CITLALLI, CITLALIN = starCITLALTZITZIMITL = planet
seshet = planet(?), comet or shooting star [B701a]mu = stars of the water [B293a]
Hypothetical transliteration: TziTZiMiMe | SeSHeT-Mu
stars planets | planets stars__________
OCELOCOPILLI = Ocelot skin [C23]OCELOTL = jaguar [K176]COPILIHUI = to twine, curl, coil [K42]
useru = mighty, strong beings, hieroglyph: lion [B182a]uati = lion [B154b]
Hypothetical transliteration: oSeoT | uSeRu-uaTi
[TLILOCELOTL] TioCeoT | UatI-UsErU
In this particular case, one may note the equivalence of the liquids: L(ocelotl) | R (useru). It does happen that word-concepts with a letter “R”often correspond to a Nahuatl word-concept that has a letter “L” in thesame/similar position.
skhet = to twist, to tie [B695ab]qabu = the folds of a serpent, indings, coils [B763a]kap = to cover with clothes, to dress, to hide, to
conceal [B786b-787a]
CUETLAXTLI = skin, hide
khau-t = skins, hides [B530a]khar = skin, hide [B536a]khen-t = hide, skin, water-skin [B576a]qebu = the internal coils of a serpent [B768a]qeba-t= garment, shirt [B768a]
__________
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EHECAILACACOZCATL = breastplate of the wind [C23]EHECATL = breeze, wind [K76]
heh = warm wind [B451b]mehit = north wind [B318b]mehit-per-t-tem-tem = the wind by which the magical boat
sailed [B318b]sehu = wind, air [B683a]sheheb = the hot south wind [B750b]shehbi = the god of the south wind [B750b]shersher = air, wind, sniffings of air [B750a]
QUECHQUETL = breastplate
usekh = pectoral, breast ornament [B183b]usekh-en-Khens = the collar of Khensu, an amulet [B183b]usekh-en-tchet = “collar of eternity” [B183b]
CEMANCATL, CEMANCAYOTL = eternity
utcha = breastplate [B193a]__________
EPCOLOLLI = twisted shell; transverse cut of largesea shell [C23]
ECYOLOTLI, ECTLI = seashell
paquit = shell [B233a]khabu = warped, bent, twisted [B530a]
Note consonants: ePKooi | PaQit
[KhaBu inverted: PC ~ PQ > KHB]__________
QUETZALCOATL = [C24]QUETZAL = quetzal bird feathers, long like a serpent,
plumed serpent
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shu-t = feather [B773a]shuti = two feathers or temples of Osiris [B733a]shuti = a crown ornament consisting of a pair of
feathers [B733b]shu-t Tehuti = Thoth’s feather, a kind of plant [B733b]
qerh = serpent [B776b]kaka = serpent [B791a]ketfi = serpent [B799b]khut = serpent [B537b]
Hypothetical transliteration: quetzacoat | shuti ketfi
QueTZaCoaT | SHuTi KeTfFi
COATL = twin brother [C24]
Also, then, the precious twin, the morning and the evening stars:
morning star | evening star
QUETZALCOATL | XOLOTL
neter tuaut = star morning, Venus [B403b]skhetu = a class of stars [B695b]siu = star [B647a]siu siti = shooting star [B647a]siu uati = Venus as morning star [B647a]
Hypothetical transliteration: SHooT | Siu uaTi
evening star | morning star
I find this example of linguistic correspondence to be most intriguing, andwhich cannot be explained away by happenstance. In Nahuatl the word-concept for evening star has a “sholotl [xolotl]” sound without the letter“L”; and, the word-concept in ancient Egyptian for morning star has asimilar sound of “siu uati”.__________
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TLILLAN TLAPALLAN = the land of the black [night] and [C25]the red [day]
TLAUATIC = rust redCHICHILTIC, CHILTIC = red
tchau = evening, darkness, night [B897a]tesh = red [B889a]tesher = red [B845a]tesh-t (tesher-t) = the red land (?) [B889b]Tesh-t (Tesher-t) = the red land, i.e., the desert [B889b]tesher-t = the “Red” Crown, which symbolized the
sovereignty of Lower Egypt, or the North[B890a]
Hypothetical transliteration: CHiTic | teSH-T__________
CE ACATL = one reed [year of the name of Quetzalcoatl] [C25]CEPA = once, one time [K32]
sep = one at a time [C25]
aiq = reed [B2b]akhi =reed [B8b]akhah-t = reed [B9a]
Hypothetical transliteration: Ce aCaTl | Sep aKHah-T
one reed | one reed__________
TELPOCHTLI = he who never grows old [C27]POCH = young man [K199]
tcham = youth, young man [B898a]
Hypothetical transliteration: TePoCHTi | TCHaM [p ~ m bilabials]
young man | young man__________
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YAOTL = the enemy [C27]YAOYOTL = war, battle [K335]YAOTLA = to make war on others [B335]
aati = enemy [B1a]at = enemies [B12b]aatu = foes, enemies [B27b]tchar = enemy [B899a]tcha, tchar= enemy [B895a]tchai = enemy [B895b]tchau-t enemy [B895b]
aha = to wage war [B132a]aha-a = to wage war [B132a]
__________
TEXCAPOCHTLI = shining smoke [C28]POCTLI = smoke, vapor, fumes [K200]TEZCATL = mirror, glass [K239]TEZCATL = mirror with the sense ‘smoking’ [K239]POCHTLI = SMOKE [k239]
Note that Caso has it spelled with an “X”, TEXCAPOCHTLI, where asKarttunen lists the more common spelling with a “Z”, TEZCATLIPOCA.TEZCATLEPOCA = personal name [K239]
aten = mirror [K98b]ir (il) = mirror [a rare letter “L” entry] [K143a]
tehen = to shine [B887a]thehen = to sparkle, to scintillate, to shine [B858b]tep = to shine upon, to illumine [B876b]het = smoke [B516b]senter = the substance used in censing or smoking,
incense [B609b]s-neter = to smoke [B609b]
patch = matter, substance, ball or tablet or cake of incense[B233ab]
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Hypothetical transliteration:
TeXCaTePoCHTi | TeHeN PaTCH__________
IXCOZAUHQUI = yellow face [C28]IZCOZTIC = something clear yellow [K112]IXTLI, XAYACATL = faceCOZTLI, COZTIL = yellow
ha = a face [B460a]aat = of a livid color, pale (of the face), yellow [B113a]aatch = pallor, paleness (of the face) [B113a]ksantha = yellow [B797b]kheft-her = face [B545a]
__________
NEZAHUALPILLI = the prince who fasts [C29]PILLI = noble person; offspring, child [K195]
nesu = prince, king’s son [B392a]pi = belonging, his [B234a]hua = surplus, over abundance, excess [B470a]uah = to leave behind [B147b]uah = to offer libations [B148a]
Hypothetical transliteration: neza-hual-pilli | nesu-uah-pi
Transliteration: NeSa-Hua-Pii | NeSu-uaH-Pi
prince-fasts-his | prince-leaves-his__________
IZTZACOLIUHQUI = the curved, flint knife [C29]ITZ-TLI = , obsidian, obsidian (knives)COLIUHTOC = curvedQUI = to set, to do something
tes = flint knife [B888a]
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tehnu = flint knives (?); obsidian knives [B842a]set = flint, stone [B630b]
skhet = to twist [B695A]__________
TEPEYOLOHTLI = the heart of the mount[ain] [C29]YOLOTL, YOLOTLI = heart
tep = high ground [828a]
ha-t = heart [B460a]hati =heart [B460b]aai-ha-t = to wash the heart [B28a]
Hypothetical transliteration: TePeyooHTi | TeP-HaTi
mount-heart | high ground-heart__________
CUAUHXICALLI = eagle vase for burning and storing [C30]human hearts
CUAUHTLI = eagle [K64]XICALLI = gourd vessel [K323]CALLI = house [K22][ XICALLI = calabash or vessel, those sacrificed in the war of flowers
pronounced “shikai”, XICALLI, without the “Ls”]
akhamit = eagle [B135b]tchert (?) = a powerful bird, vulture, hawk, eagle [B910b]
qahu = applied to tanks in which fish are kept [B766b]khu = vases [B537b]kathab = pot, vessel, vase [B791b]
shaaut = human sacrifices [B731a]shauta = vase, pot, vessel [B731a]shait = slaughter [B731a]
CAXITL = cup, bowl, vessel [K26]
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CAXTLI = cup, vessel [K26]__________
CHIMALLI = shield [C31]
kam = shield [B788a]akam = shield [B94a]aqem = shield [93a]
sbeshi = shield [B659a]mess = shield [B324a]
Hypothetical transliteration: CHiMai | KaM
shield | shield__________
ATLATL = dart thrower [C31]TLACOCHTL = darts [C31]
ah = spears, arrows [B75b]uti = to thrust, to throw, to shoot out, to dart out [B190a]at = to smite, to pierce [B96b]ut = to shoot out fire [B190b]uttut = shooters [B190b]
at = twig, branch (of a palm) [B96b]at-t = cords [B97a]ata = boomerang [B97a]aten-t = staff of office, mace [B99a]aten-petch-t = stringer of bows, bow-bearer [B99a]atha, athai = to seize, to snatch away, to lay violent
hands on, to steal [B101a]at = to seize, to grasp, to smite [B102a]atiu, attiu = smiters, slaughterers [B102a]
tcheb = spear [B905a]sh eser = arrow, dart [B754a]
__________
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TONATIUH is called…CUAUHTLEHUANITL andCUAUHTEMOC [C33]
TONATIUH = sun [K246]TONA = to be warm for the sun to shine [K245]
Tonatiuh is said to be the figure at the center of the Aztec Calendar,representing the Sun.
Tatenen = an ancient Earth-god, one of thecreators of the world; Tathunen [B821a]
Tenn = a primitive earth-god [B838a]Ten-ti = a form of the Sun-god [B839b]Tennu = a god, the “father of the gods” [B839a]
aaten, aathen = disk of the sun [B26b, 827a]Aaten = the disk of the sun [B27b]
Hypothetical transliteration: ToNaTiuH | TaTeNeN
Root consonants: TNTH | TTNN
s-shem = to make warm or hot, to heat [B623a]s-shemm = to warm, to heat [B700a]
Seshem Tathenn = see Tathenn [B700a]
Tatenen-t = primitive earth-goddess [B868a]Thathait = a form of the Sun-god [B852a]Tatunen = Tatuinen [B821a]Tatenen = an ancient Earth-god, one of the
creators of the world; variations,Tatunen, Tathinen [B821a]
Tathenen = an elemental god with four forms [B821a]Tathenen = the territory of the above-mentioned
god [B821a]
One may find it logical to observe the relationship of the word-concept “warmth” in reference to that of the Sun in both cultures, and even
28
to the concept of an Earth god. But, to find both with similar rootconsonantal phonemes, albeit in distinct order, is quite stunning.
warm [tona] > ToNaTiuH | warm [Seshem] TaTuNeN
CUAUHTLEHUANITL = the eagle who ascends [C33][morning]
CUAUH-TLI = eagle [K64]
thesi = to lift up, ascends [B861a]
hema = to ascend [B447b]hi = to rise up [B468A]heri = to ascend [B498b]
CUAUHTEMOC = the eagle who fell [evening] [C33]CUAUH-TLI = eagle [K64]MOCAHU = to cease [K150]
tem = to die, death, end [B835a]tem = to make an end of, to finish the course [B833b]
The preceding examples of comparison offer a group of word-concepts that illustrate the relational meanings, and not simply an isolatedpair of cognates.__________
The sun:
XIUHPILTONTLI = the turquoise child [C33]XIHUI-TL = grass; turquoise; green stone;
XIUH is used in compounds to conveythe sense of greenness [K324ff]
PIL = offspring, child [diminutive also] [K194]-TONTLI = small [K247]
uatch = to be green; turquoise [B150ab]uatch-t = green; green stone in general [B150ab]
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heb = a precious stone, turquoise (?) [B475a]
per-t = what comes forth, offspring [B240b]pi = to fly, to ascend [B234b]pi = flea [used to call children] [B234b]
tunnu = babe, child [B825a]tun = a green substance [B873a]
Hypothetical transliteration: XiuH-Pi-ToNTi | uaTCH-Pi-TuNNu__________
XIUHCOATLS = serpents of fire surround the sun [C33]XIUHUITL = comet (fire implied) [K324-325]COATL = snake; twin [K36]
seshet = planet (?), comet, or shooting star [B701a]Aa-t-t-aru = a fiery serpent, blood-drinking serpent [B109a]heter = to join together, to unite, to be twins [B520b]heter = twins [B520b]khut = snake [B537b]khutt = a serpent goddess (?) [B537b]Khut-Tuat = a fiery, blood-drinking serpent [B537b]
Hypothetical transliteration: XiuH-CoaTL | SeSHeT KHuT
comet snake | comet snake
The concept of “twins” is significant in this case as in the two serpents inthe Aztec Calendar ---the struggle of day and night. One could understandthe meaning of the fiery snakes as being fiery twins. This leads us to the nextword-concept regarding the struggle between two serpents.__________
COATEPANTLI = war of serpents [C33]COATL = serpent [K36]COATL = twins [K36]TEPANTLI = wall, boundary [K229]TEPANCUATL = wallkhut = snake [B537b]
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khutt = a serpent goddess (?) [B537b]Khut-Tuat = a fiery, blood-drinking serpent [B537b]
pena-t = overthrow [B236b]per-a = war [B241a]
tchera= wall, fort [B910a]tchera-t = wall, palisade, wooden palings for defence [B910b]tu-t = walls, defences [B823b]sebti = wall [B661a]__________
HUITZILOPOCHTLI = represents the blue sky, the sky of dayand incarnation of the sun [C33]
HUITZ-TLI = hummingbird [K91]HUITZ-TLI = thorn [K91]OPOCH-TLI = left, left-hand side [K179]
[ F. Karttunen (page 91) states that HUITZILOPOCHTLI and HUITZTLIare contrasting word-concepts, meaning possibly with different roots. ]
huiti = one of 75 forms of Ra [the Sun] [B470b]pautiu = primeval beings [B230b]pauti = the primeval god, the god who created himself
and all that is [B231a]hiu = birdshu, hui = to beat. to strike, to crush, to slay, to kill [B468b]hui, ni = a fighter or beater [B468b]huit = beating [B468b]huit = a doorkeeper goddess [B470b]huit-ra = a class of divine beings [B470b]huit-ra (?) = a group of four goddesses of offerings [B469a]
isatt = to tremble, hover (like a bird) [B143b]
qatcha = thorns, scrub, stubble, bush
bill, beak, pointed stone TEHUITZTLI [K219][ stone + thorn TETL + HUITZTLI ]
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thes-ti = beak [B537b]
[ Although debate exists, the generally accepted literal meaning ofHUITZILOPOCHTLI is "humming bird on the left"; OPOCHTLI = left,left-hand side; see above also OPOCHTLI. The meaning of "on the left"refers to the cardinal direction "South", as "hummingbird from the south".Further, see HUNUM in the Maya section where the hummingbird did notenjoy such an importance in that belief system as it did for the Nahuapeople. ]
left-handed OPUCHI AABET the east, left side
[ Given that TZITZICA means "to stuff something tight, to compresssomething in a container", then note how HUITZTZITZIQUIH may mean"hummingbird-stuffed in container-small", if we consider QUI in ancientEgyptian for root "small".]
place abounding YTZICOTLAin thorns; figuratively, UITZICOTLAthe South__________
ATLTLACHINOLLI = water, a burned thing or the holy war [C36]ATL [AUH] = water [K13]TLACHI = on or towards the ground, down [K273]TLETIA = to burnTLANIA = to burn oneself
at = fluid, liquid [B96b]atr = river, stream, canal, Nile [B99b]atru = watered land, a watering place [B99b]at = dew [B101b]at-t = pool, lake (?) [B140b]taa ta = to put on the earth, i.e., to give birth to,
to land at a place [B865b]ta = to burn [B817b]tchat-tu (?) = to burn, fire [B900b]tchar = to burn [B899a]tchafu = to burn [B897b]
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Hypothetical transliteration: aTTaCHiNoi | aT TaaTa__________
METZLI = the moon [C36]
meh utcha-t = the filling of the eye, i.e. full moon on thelast day of the second month of Pert, thesixth month of the Egyptian year [B316b]
aah = the moon, the Moon god [B29b]Aah meh Utchat = the full moon [B29]aabi-t = the left eye of Ra, i.e., the Moon [B18b]
Hypothetical transliteration: MeTZi | MeH uTCHa-T__________
MIXCOATL = the cloud serpent (the milky way) [C37]
mes = serpent [B323b]meskh-ti = constellation [B326a]Meskh-ti, Meskh-t = constellation of the Great bear [B326a]Mesq-t = the place of resurrection in heaven; the place of
resurrection on earth [B327b]Mesq-t sehtu = a portion of the sky [B327b]mesqatt = region of resurection in the Tuat [B327b]Mesktt = the boat of the setting Sun [B328a]
Hypothetical transliteration: MiXCoaT | MeSKH-T__________
TLAHUIZCALPANTECUHTLI = the lord of the house ofdawn [C37]
TLAHUIZCALLI = the rosy light of dawn [K270]TLAHUITL = red ocre [K270]IZCALIA = to hatch [K270]TLAHUILLI, TLAHUI = to dawn
tuai = god of dawn [870b]
Hypothetical transliteration: TaHui | Tuai
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One recalls the English word “twilight” in this regard.___________
CENTZON MIMIXCOA = north [C37]
CENTZON HUITNACHUAC = south [C37]___________
TZONTEMOC or TZITZIMIME = planets, those who fell headfirst [C37]
TZONTECOMATL = head, skull [K317]MOCAHU = to cease [K150]TZOTECOMATL = skull
tchatcha = head [B901b]___________
TLAMAITL = (incense pots), hands of fire [C38]
tchemten = a substance for making incense [B907a]
Hypothetical transliteration: TaMaiT | TCHeMTeN
incense pots | incense substance___________
XIUHTECUHTLI = lord of the year, lord of grass, turquoise [C38]XIUHUITL means all three, year, grass, turquoiseXIHUITL = year [K324]XIHUITL = grass, green stone, turquoise [K324]XIHUITL = comet [K324]
XIUHTIC = last year, a year ago [K327]
s-ua rekh = to make green [B649b]s-atch = to make to be green [B640b]shen-ta = grass [B745b]sben = grass [B658a]inkuun = grass or seed [B143a]sem = herb, grass, pasture [B667a]
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senf = last year [B606a]snef = the year that is past, last year [B677a]
__________
NAHUAL = disguise = XIUHCOATL = serpent of fire (with a hornwith seven stars and worn over thenose [C38]
na = not [B341b]na = prefixed to words, e.g.,…, great; many… [B341b]nau = these are they who are behind [B342a]nau, nu = ostrich [B343a]nahi = to make a sign with the eye, to wink (?) [B344a]naa = to paint, to depict in order [B346a]nau (?) = design, painting, drawing [B346a]
Caso mentions that the two serpents transport the sun on its coursethrough the sky. One should remember that the ancient Egyptians believedthat the serpent swallowed the sun only to have it exit its mouth later. Thebest example in Aztec art of the two serpents is that of the Aztec Calendar.__________
MATLACUEITL = the lady of the green skirts [C42]MATLA = net, sling [K139]MATLALIN = green [K139]CUEITIA = to get dressed [K68]
m’ta = cloth [291b]maa-t = a goddess, the personification of law [B271b]maat = a goddess who opened the mouth of the
dead [B271b]maati = two goddesses of truth [B272a]
khe-t = clothes [B525a]khet = terraces on sides of hills planted with trees [B567a]qat-t = grass [B765b]
ah = to be green of land [B75a]ah-t = field, place of land [B75a]
35
uatch-t = green [B150a]uatchit = green land [B150a]uatch-t, uatchit = ceremonial bandlet made of green
cloth [B150b]
qet = fine linen [B779a]kathata = garment [B791b]
Hypothetical transliteration: MaTaCueiT | uaTCH-T
(m)atct | atcht
One can imagine in ancient Egyptian an inverted order: m’ta qat-t [cloth grass]__________
AZTATZONTLI = headdress [C43]TZONTECOMATL = head, skull [K317b]TZONTLI = head of hair [K318]
thaua = to dress the hair [B850a]tai-t = clothing, apparel [B818b]
ames = headdress [B55a]abes = headdress [B40a]aft = head cloth [B43b]atga = head cloth [B104a]afen-t = head cloth, headdress [B120a]ha = cap, head covering [B458b]
khe-tha-t = headdress [B525b]kha-t = head cloth [B525b, 528a]
teben = head covering [B827b]
stit = headcloth [B631a, 714a]seshenn = head cloth [B623b]
Hypothetical transliteration: aTaTZoNTi | SeSHeM__________
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QUETZALMIAHUAYO = maize, the precious blade [C44]MIYAHUAYO = tassel maize [K149][MIA = MIYA] [K149]CACAMATL = secondary ears of maize [K19]
khames = ear of corn [B573a]khemes = ear of corn [B548a]bat = cornstalk [B208a]kemes = cornstalk [B794b]
shames-t = ear of corn [B726b]
Hypothetical transliteration: QueTZqMiaHuayo | SHaMes-t
QTZMH | SHMT__________
MALINALLI = grass [C44]MALINA = to wind, twist…, “fused with the prefix
‘TLA-’, this means ‘to make rope’.”
nuh = grass ropes [B355a]nuh = to bind, to tie, to fasten [B355a]nuh = string, cord, rope [B355a]
inkuun = grass or seed [B143a]sem = herb, grass, pasture [B667a]qema = reed, coarse grass [B770a]
__________
NAPPATECUHTLI = the lord of straw [C45]NAUHPA = four times [K160]ZACATL = hay
tchaa = straw, weed [B902b]tcha = straw [B902b]teha = straw [B886a]tehamut = straw [B886a]
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Tehuti = the ibis-god, the scribe of the gods [B886a]Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
__________
CHICOMECOATL = seven serpent [C45]CHICOME = seven [K50]
sefekh = seven [B665b]skef = seven [B690a]
qerh = serpent [B776b]kaka = serpent [B791a]ketfi = serpent [B799b]khut = snake [B537b]
Hypothetical transliteration: ChiCoMeCoaT | SkeF KHuT__________
CHICOMOLOTZIN = seven ears of corn [C45]CHICOME = seven [K50]ELOTL = ear of fresh young maize with the kernels
already formed [K77]
sefekh = seven [B665b]skef = seven [B690a]
at = corn, grist [B97a]su-t = corn [B592a; 648b]thab-t = grain, corn [B850b]
The number seven is an omen of good luck.__________
CENTEOTL = god of corn [C46]CENTLI = dried ear of corn [K31]TEOTL = god [K228]
senn-ti = worshipper, adorer [B603a]senn ta = to pay homage to the earth [B603b]
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senti-ta = earth’s foundation [B609a]sen-t (?) = ground, basis, foundation [B675b]
kenu = ear of corn [B795a]
su-t = corn [B592a]sesheser = corn [B701a]
Tepi a = a man or god of olden time [B830a]neter, nether = the word in general use in texts of all periods
for God and “god” [B401]__________
ILAMATECUHTLI = the lady of the old skirt [C47]ILAMATL = old woman [K103]TEUCTLI = lord, member of the high nobility; “In older
Nahuatl texts this is misleadingly writtenTECUTLI or TECUHTLI…”. [K237]
No matter which form of the word-concept may be acceptable to the reader,one cannot but admit the similarity in correspondence between/amongTEUCTLI, TECUTLI, TECUHTLI and the ancient Egyptian TEHUTI,especially regarding their profuse appearance in so many related word-concepts.
aa-t = old woman [B15a]aaut = old woman [B18a]
tehuti = Thoth [B886ab]tehuti = god of the 13th day of the month [B886b]Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
Hypothetical transliteration: wihout the letter “L” in Nahuatl:
iaMaT TeuCTi | aauT TeHuTi__________
XILONEN = the tender ear of corn, green corn [C47][a borrowed deity]
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CACAMATL = secondary ear of maize [K19]
shames-t = ear of corn [B726b]khemes = ear of corn [B548a]khames = ear of corn [B573a]kemes = ear of corn [B794b]kenu = ear of corn [B795a]
__________
XOCHIPILLI = prince of flowers [C47]XOCHITL = flower [shochitl] [K329]-PILLI = noble person [K194]-PILLI = “appendage” [K195]-PIL = offspring [K195]
sha, shau = flower, flowering bud [B721B]
shepsi = to be noble [B737a]shepses = to be honorable [B737a]sheps = noble, honorable [B737a]shepsu = nobility, majesty [B737a]shepsu, shepsesu =nobleman, gentleman [B737a]shepsi = a holy vessel, a sacred vase [B737a]
sah = to be free born, to possess high rank and nobility [B591a]
Hypothetical transliteration: XoCHiPii | SHau-SHePSi
shoshipii | shau-shepsi
flower noble | flower noble__________
CHINAMPAS = floating gardens [C47]CHINAMITL = fence of cane…, “it is also a term of social
organization referring to a unit closelyequivalent to a calpolli. The sense allshare to some degree is enclosure.” [K52]
40
khenti sha (?) = a large garden with a lake in it [B558b]khent = garden land, plantation [B558b]khent = garden, orchard [B559b]khait = garden [B529b]
nema = to float, to sail [B374a]nem, nema = lake [B374a]nem = flowers [B374b]
__________
XIPE TOTEC = our lord the flayed one [C49]XIP = peeling [K325]XIPEHUA = to flay, skin, peel [K325]TOTECUIYO first person plural possessed form
of TEUCTLI = Our Lord God [K247]
sep = to cut, to slay [B596a]sheb = to cut, to slay [B662a]sepi = shred, strip of cloth [B596b]shi = fiend, demon [B731b]ship = shame, disgrace [B731b]shepi = ashamed, disgraced [B736a]shep-t = shame [B737b]sepit = remains, gleanings [B596a]
s-pekha = to open the bowels [B662a]
teher-t = skin, hide [B887a]tehra = dressed hide [B887a]
anem = skin of human beings, or animals, hide, pelt [B61b-62a]anemu = skins, i.e., human beings [B62a]
tehuti = Thoth [B886ab]Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
Hypothetical transliteration: XiPe ToTeC | SePi TeHuTi
shipetotec | sepi tehuti
41
to flay lord | to shred lord__________
YOPITZONTLI = headdress [B51][see: AZTATZONTLI]
ames = headdress [B55a]abes = headdress [B40a]aft = head cloth [B43b]atga = head cloth [B104a]afen-t = head cloth, headdress [B120a]ha = cap, head covering [B458b]
khe-tha-t = headdress [B525b]kha-t = head cloth [B525b, 528a]
teben = head covering [B827b]
stit = headcloth [B631a, 714a]seshenn = head cloth [B623b]
__________
COATLICUE = lady of the skirt of serpents [C53]__________
CIHUACOATL = serpent woman [C53]CIHUATL = woman, wife [K35]COATL = serpent [K36]CUEITL, CUEXATL = skirt
s[a]-t = woman, any woman [B583a]s[a] = a male human being; man [B583a]
s hem-t = woman [B613b]ka-t vulva, vagina, mother; concubines, women
in general [B785b]
senf = garment, dress [B606a]she en menkhut = clothes chamber, wardrobe [B606a]seha = to array, to dress [B613b]
42
set = to dress, to array in fine apparel [B631a]sek = to cover, to dress [B703b]
uiti = dresser of the dead [B158a]
khu = to dress [B537b]qerh = serpent [B776b]kaka = serpent [B791a]ketfi = serpent [B799b]khut = snake [B537b]
Hypothetical transliteration: CiHuaCoaT | Sa-T KHuT
woman snake | woman snake__________
TONANTZIN = our mother [our warmth] [C53]TONACAYO-TL = daily nourishment [K245]TONA = to be warm [K245]
tepai-t (?) = food, nourishment [B832a]__________
TETEOINAN = the mother of the gods [C53]__________
TOCI = our grandmother [C54]
teftef = father of father, grandfather [B833a]mu-t = mothe of mothers, grandmother [B294b]
__________
CIHUATETEO = the woman who dies in childbirth [C54]CIHUATL = woman, wife [K35]TETEOH = god [K228]
s[a]-t = woman, any woman [B583a]
tehuti = Thoth [B886ab]Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
43
Hypothetical transliteration: CiHuaTeTeo | Sa-T TeHuTi
woman lord | woman lord
The Aztec woman who died in childbirth was believed to have gone toheaven.__________
TLAZOLTEOTL or IXCUINA = the goddess of filthy things,patron of childbirth,newborn [C54]
CUITLAHUAC = dried excrementCUITLATL = excrementCATZACTIC, TZOYOC = dirty
afa = filth [B119b]
as = filth [B9b]saa-t = filth [B635a]sta = filth [B708a]
hes = dung, filth [B509b]hus = dung, filth [B473a]ha = filth [B459a]hu-t = filth [B469a]hua-t = filth [B470a]
skenn = to rot away, to decay [B693b]s-khensh = to make to stink [B693b]sesher = dung, excrement [B700b]khu = dirt, what is nasty and foul [B537b]
Hypothetical transliteration: TaZoTeoT | Saa-T TeHuTi
Hypothetical transliteration: iXCuiNa | SKeNN__________
MICTLANTECUHTLI = lord of the dead [C56]
44
TEUCTLI = lord, member of the high nobility; “In olderNahuatl texts this is misleadingly writtenTECUTLI or TECUHTLI…”. [K237]
MIQUIZTLI = death
met-her = benevolent god of the dead [B336a]mit = death [B295b]muti, miti (?) = dead, dead person [B295b]muti-t, mit-t (?) = a dead woman [B295b]met = death [B331a]
tehuti = Thoth [B886ab]tehuti = god of the 13th day of the month [B886b]Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
Hypothetical transliteration: MiCTaNTeCuHTi | MeT-HeR TeHuTi
dead lord | lord dead lord__________
IXCOCHTECHIMALLI = horn on forehead [C56]-IXCO = on one’s face [K111]
IXCOCH = to nap [K111]CALTZACUALCO = prisonQUIZTIQUZA = be arrested
ab = horn, tusk of an elephant [B115b]ker-ti = the two horns [B796a]
khent, khenti = the nose, the face [B554a]khenti = forehead [B554a]khetemiu = prison, closed chambers [B569a]khena = prisoner [B550a]
-TECH = adjacent to, adhering or attached to [K216]
thek = to adhere [B862b]
MALLI = captive, prisoner [K134]
45
meh = something captured, prisoner [B317b]
Hypothetical transliteration:
iXCoCH TeCHi Mai | aB KheNT TheK MeH
horn-face adhered captive__________
CUECHCOCHTECHIMALLI = horn on forehead back of theneck [C56]
tekha = weigher, the pointer of the scales [B843b]teqem = unsheath a sword [B815a]tekhi = title of Thoth regulator of the seasons [B842b]teksa = broad, flat knife [B846b]
__________
TECOLOTL = owl [C58]TECOLOTL = devil, monster [B216]TLACATECOLOTL = devil
tcha, tchau = fiend, devil, demon, enemy [B895a]taru = fiends, demons, devils, enemies [B820a]
__________
TONATIUHICHAN = house of the sun [C58]TONATIUH = sun [K246]TONA = to be warm for the sun to shine [K245]-CHAN = at the home of [K45]
tep = to shine upon [B876b]tehen = to shine [B858b, 887a]tahen = to shine [B820b]
khanu = most sacred part of a temple [B573a]khan = dweller in [B573a]
Hypothetical transliteration: ToNaTiuHiCHaN | TeHeN KHaNu
46
shine house | shine temple__________
TECHCATL = sacrificial stone [C59]
akheriu = sacrifices [B79a]tes = flint knife [B888a]tehnu = flint knives (?), obsidian knives (?) [B842a]tehen-t = sparkle-stone, crystal [B842a]tekhanu (tekhnu) =a kind of stone [B843a]tekhi[t] = massacre, slaughter [B843a]tekhes = to slay, to kill [B844A]teq = to cut, to slay, to strike [B845a]
teknu, tekennu = human victim, a substitute in a deathceremony [B846a]
theknu = human victim [B862b]thektan = spies, human victims [B862b]
teksa = a broad, flat knife [B846b]teges = slaughter house (?) [B846b]
tes = a stone or metal knife [B844A]teshi = a kind of stone [B844b]
tchat-tu (?) = wand, rod, stick [B900b]tchat = to stick an animal, to cut the throat of
a beast [B900b]
tchetf-t = dagger, stilus, scraper [B915a]__________
TEOYAOMIQUI = the god of the enemy dead [C59][teo = god] [yao = enemy] [miqui = dead]YAOTL = enemy [K335]YAOYOTL = war, battle [K335]YAOTLA = to wage war [K335]MIQUI = to dieTLAMICTILIA = to die oneself
47
aati = enemy [B1a]at = enemies [B12B]aatu = foes, enemies [B27b]
aha = to wage war [B132a]aha-a = to wage war [B132a]haa = enmity, war, fight [B461b]haait = fighting, war, quarrel, enmity, fighters [B461b]haa-ut = fight, fighters [B461b]
mit = to die [B293a]mitiu = the dead, defeat, slaughter [B293a]
tehuti = Thoth [B886ab]tehuti = god of the 13th day of the month [B886b]Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
__________
CINCALCO = house of corn [C59]CINCALLI = corncrib [K35]
kenu = ear of corn [B795a]
kha-t = house [B570b]khaait = house, dwelling [B571b]
Hypothetical transliteration: CiNCaCo | KeNu Kha-T__________
CIHUATETEO = the goddess woman [C59]TEOTL, TETEOH = god, gods [K228]
s[a]-t = woman, any woman [B583a]
TEHUTI [many gods begin with this word-concept]
tehuti = Thoth [B886ab]tehuti = god of the 13th day of the month [B886b]tehuti khenti neb tuat = an ape god a form of Thoth [B886b]
48
tehutit = the great festival of Thoth [B887a]Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
Hypothetical transliteration: CiHuaTeTeo | Sa-T TeHuTi
woman goddess | woman goddess__________
TLALOCAN = elysian fields [C60]
Usekh-t Sekh-t Aanru = hall of the Fields of Reeds(the Elysian Fields) [B183a]
__________
MICTLANTECUHTLI = the lord of the underworld [C62]TEUCTLI = lord, member of the high nobility; “In older
Nahuatl texts this is misleadingly writtenTECUTLI or TECUHTLI…”. [K237]
MICTECACIHUATL = the mistress of the underworld [C62]
mit = to die [B293a]mitiu = the dead, defeat, slaughter [B293a]muti-t, miti-t (?) = a dead woman [B295b]mu-t = the weight used in a pair of scales [B295a]met = death [B331a]metenu = knife [B333b]mit = way, path [B293a]methen = way, road, path [B334b]methen = the Road god [B334b]metch-t-nebt-tuat = the name of the 6th division [B337b]
of the Tuatmaaiu su (?) = beings in the Other World [B267b]Maatiu = gods of truth [B272a]Mqetqet = the name of a god [B330b]mek-t = protection [B330b]
Ta-t = the Tuat or the Other World [B818a]
49
Taatt = a goddess who wore apparel for the deceasedin the Other World [B818a]
Tua-t = a very ancient name for the land of thedead and of the Other World [B871b-872a]
Tuati = the god of the Tuat [B872a]0
TEHUTI [many gods begin with this word-concept]
tehuti = Thoth [B886ab]tehuti = god of the 13th day of the month [B886b]tehuti khenti neb tuat = an ape god a form of Thoth [B886b]tehutit = the great festival of Thoth [B887a]Tchehuti = the god Thoth [B911a]
s[a]-t = woman, any woman [B583a]s[a] = a male human being; man [B583a]
s hem-t = woman [B613b]ka-t vulva, vagina, mother; concubines, women
in general [B785b]sihu = spell, charm, bewitchment [B647b]
__________
IXPUZTEQUE = he of the broken foot [C64]XOTL = foot
usam = crushed broken foot [B181a]sah = toe, finger (?); feet, legs (?) [B638a]
gepaut = feet [B807a]ret = foot [B435a]pat = foot [B233a]
__________
NESOXOCHI = the one who strews flowers [C64]XOCHITL = flower [K329]nesh (?) = to sprinkle [B393b]nesa = to cut, to dismember [B393b]neshen = to pluck a bird [B395a]nes = tongue, to talk too much [B389b]
50
nes = to devour, to consume [B390a]nesnes = to mince [B390a]
sha, shaut = flowering shrub, flower [B721b]
Hypothetical transliteration: NeSoXoCHi | NeSH SHauT
strew flowers | sprinkle flowers__________
NEXTEPUA = he who rains ashes [C64]NEXTLI = ashes, cinders [K171]
ses = ashes [B618b]sesfi = hot ashes [B696b]
__________
MICAPETLACALLI = the box of death [C64]PETLACALLI = woven wicker hamper [K192]
tcheb = a kind of cage of wicker work [B905a]
mit = to die [B293a]mitiu = the dead, defeat, slaughter [B293a]mu-t = the weight used in a pair of scales [B295a]met = death [B331a]metenu = knife [B333b]methen = way, road, path [B334b]methen = the Road god [B334b]metch-t-nebt-tuat = the name of the 6th division
of the TUAT {Other World} [B337b]mett-t-qa-utchebu = the name of the 10th division
of the TUAT [B336A]Metch-t = a gulf in the Other World [B337a]
__________
TZONTEMOC = he who fell head first [C64]TZONTECOMEH = one who has a head [K318]CUAITL = head
51
tchatcha = head [B901b]tchatchar = heads, people [B900b]tep = head [B828A]
__________
CHALMECACIHUATL = the sacrificer [C64]
akheriu = sacrifices [B79a]sma = bull or cow, slain for sacrifice [B667b]smamu = victories, sacrifice [B669a]
__________
ILHUICATL XOXOUQUI = blue heaven [C64]ILHUICATL = heaven, sky [K104]ILHUICAHUAH = lord of heaven [K104]
Uat-Heru = the path of Horus, i.e. heaven [B144b]uaths-t = what is held up, above, heaven, sky [B150a]uab-t = the holy place, a name of heaven [B156a]uthesit = heaven…, a name of the sky and of the
sky-goddess [B190a]Uatcha-t = “Eye”, a name of heaven, or the sky [B194a]
Consider hypothetical without the letter “L” in Nahuatl:
iHuiCaT | uaTCHa-T
sha = lake, pool…, water in a garden [B720a]shu-t = heaven, sky [B733a]shu = well, lake, cistern, tank [B733b]
__________
HUIXTOCIHUATL = the goddess of salt [C65]CIHUATL = woman, wifeZOHUATL = woman IZTATL = salt
s[a]-t = woman, any woman [B583a]s[a] = a male human being; man [B583a]
s hem-t = woman [B613b]
52
ka-t vulva, vagina, mother; concubines, womenin general [B785b]
hema = salt [B484a]hemai-t = salt [B484a]
sihu = spell, charm, bewitchment [B647b]
Hypothetical transliteration: HuiZToCHuaT | HeMai-T Sa-T__________
TONALPHUALLI = calendar [Monte Albán] [C66]Basis for Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec, Totonac, Huastec, Teotihuacan,
Toltec and Aztec calendars.
TONA = to be warm [k245]POHUA = to count something [K201]POHUALLI = a unit of twenty in the twenty-base
counting system [K202]TLAPOHUA = to count
tep = to shine upon [B876b]tehen = to shine [B858b, 887a]tahen = to shine [B820b]
teni= to count, to reckon, to estimate [B838a]tennu-t = number, quantity, amount…, to calculate
numbers [B838a]
thera = time, season, year [B857b]tepi aui = ancestors of the year [B830ab]henti = a period of 120 years at the end of which one whole
month was intercalated in the calendar [B488a]
henti renput = years as long as henti periods [B488a]
hebs = to reckon, to count [B477a]hebs beg-t = what covers the dead, the Underworld [B477a]
ap = to count, to reckon up, to number [B41a]
53
ap-t = numberings, census, number, measure [B41a]app-t = reckoning account [B41a]abt = month [B40b]abt = the gods of the twelve months each containing thirty
days [B40b]
[ 12 x 30 = 360;360 days as in the Maya and Aztec calendars,which contain eighteen months times twenty days ]
pekhar = to revolve, to make a circuit, to go round around, toencircle [B246a]
pekhar, pekharr = to revolve, to circuit [B246b]pekhar-t = circuit, journey [B246b]pekhar shut = at the turn of the day [B246b]pekharit = revolution (of time), the course of time, circle, the rolling
year [B247a]pekharu = course of time, revolution of the sun [247a]
__________
TLACHTLI = ball courts [C79]TLALCHI = on or towards the ground [K273]TLACHCUITL = piece of sod [K254]TLALLI = land, earth
ta = ground, land, earth, world, soil, dust [B815a]aat-t = ground, place [B27a]
tcherut = small balls [910a]sut-t = cake, ball [653a]
Hypothetical transliteration: Tai | Ta
earth | earth__________
NAHUATLATOLLI = disguised words [C84]TLAHTOLLI = word
54
n ha = behind [B339a]nau = these are they who are behind [B342a]nau = ostrich [B343a]
thes = proverb, formula, spell, incantation… [B860b]thesu = spells, speeches… [B860b]thes-t, thess-t = plot, crafty, design;
an abominable plot [B860b]
tchet, tchett = to speak, to say [B913a]tchet-t = word, speech, language [B913a]tcheti-t = something spoken, word [B913b]Tchet = the Divine Word, speech deified [B913b]
thesasiu = words, speeches [B862a]
Hypothetical transliteration: TaHToi | TCHeT
NaHuaTaToi | Nau THeS TCHeT__________
CHICOMOZTOC = seven caves [C84]Diviner’s name for the mouth or womb.CHICOME = seven [K50]COYOCTIC = hole, something perforated [K42]TEPECOYOCTLI = cave [K229]TEPETL = hill, mountain [K230]OZOTL = cave
sefekh = seven [B665b]skhef = seven [B690a]
at, ata = vagina, vulva, womb [B96b]
tephit = cave, cavern, den [B832ab]theph-t = hole in the ground, cavern, cave [B854b]teph-t = cave, cavern, hole in the ground [B877b]
qer-t = hollow, cavern, cave, source of the Nile,circle [B774b]
55
qeri-t = cave, cavern, natural hole in the ground [B775a]qerr-t = hole, cavern, grotto, circle in the Tuat [B775a]qer-ti-t = cavern, hole, cave, den [B775a]Qer-ti, Qerr-ti = the two caverns in the First Cataract
out of which the Nile was believedto rise [B775a]
Qertiu = the gods of the Nile caverns [B775a]
Pronounce COYOCTIC and QER-TI-T together in sequence.
hatu = caverns on the mountains [B465b]hahatu = pits, caverns [B464a]
metchut = a deep place, pit, cavern extendingunderground [B337a]
Hypothetical transliteration: CHiCoMoZToC | SKeHF MeTCHuT
seven cave | seven cave__________
CITLACUEITL = the lady of the starry skirt [C85]CITLALIN = star [K35]CITLALTI = to turn into a star [K35]
siu = star [B647a]siu siti = shooting star [B647a]Siu uati = the planet Venus as a morning star [B647a]sba = star [B655b]Sba = a star-god [B655b]Sbait = the star goddess Sothis [B656a]Sbaiut = star-goddesses in general [B656a]skhetu = a class of stars [B695b]
__________
CHALCHIUHTLICUE = lady of the jade skin [C85]CHALCHIHUITL = precious green stone, turquoise [K45]
__________
TZONTECOMAMA = he who bears the head [C85]
56
TZONTECOMATL = head, skull [K317]TZONTECOMEH = one who has a head [K318]
tchatcha = head [B901b]tep = head [B828A]
__________
CALMECAC = row of houses [B85]CALMECAC = name of one of the academies of
pre-Columbian Mexico where thenobles studied [K22]
kham = offices [B531b]kami-t = books of the black land, i.e., Egyptian
literature [B787b]gem, gemi =to find, to discover [B807a]
__________
MAXTLATL = loin cloth [C87]MAXACTLI = thighs, crotch [K141]
mat = a kind of cloth [B290a]m’tatcha = leather thongs [B290b]m’ta = cloth [B291b]m’tcha = phallus, male [B292a]
mas-t = thigh, a disease of the thigh [B275b]masti = pair of thighs, the two hip bones [B275b]Mastiu = the gods of the Thigh (Great Bear) [B275b]
The preceding examples of comparison offer a group of word-concepts thatillustrate the relational meanings, and not simply an isolated pair ofcognates.
untu= = loin cloth [B170a]khestch = loin cloth [B565b]saa-t = loin cloth [B641a]sua = loin cloth [B651b, 652a]
__________
57
TELPOCHCALLI = the house of the young men [C87]TELPOCATL = youth, young man [K221]
tcham = youth, young man [B898a]tcham nu thau = the generations of men, the human
race [B898a]kha-t = house [B570b]khaait = house, dwelling [B571b]khu-t = house [B537a]kheben = house (?) [B540a]khen, khenu = most sacred part of building, temple,
house [B575b]
Hypothetical transliteration: TePoCHCai | TCHaM Kha-T
young men house | young men house__________
TEPONAZTLI = wooden drum [C88]TEPONAZTLI = lateral log drum [K231]TEPOLLI = stump [K231]
tekhen = to beat a drum [B843b]teb = drum [B827a]teb = something beaten, drum [B827a]tebteb = to beat (of the heart) [B876b]teben = drum [B827b, 875b]tep = box, chest, coffer [B876b]thennu = plank or log of wood [B856b]
__________
HUITZTLAMPA = the land of the sun [C91]__________
MAXTLES = tail feathers of the Quetzal [C92]MAXAC-TLI = something divided like a road or the
crotch of a tree [K141]
m’tatcha = leather thongs [B290b]masti = pair of thighs, the two hip bones [B275b]
58
ma-ti = testicles [B269a]__________
MACEGUAL = common people [C94]MACEHUALLI = subject, commoner; indigenous person,
speaker of Nahuatl [K127]
m’shau = soldier [B288a]m’shauasha = a Libyan tribe or people [B287b]m’hau-t = tribe, clan, mob, crowd [B284a]ma (?) = a gathering of people [B269a]
__________
HUEHUETZ = vertical drum [Ciii]HUEHUETL = upright drum [K85]
huit = a beating, bastinado, a striking [B468b]hu, hui = to beat, to strike, to strike (a harp) [B468b]huiu = blows, smiters [B468b]hui ni = a beater, a fighter [B468b]nehem = to beat a drum [B381b]sekhi = to beat a drum [B685b]s ger = to beat a drum [B706a]tekhen = to beat a drum [B843b, 887b]
__________
And, with that the main word-concepts in Nahuatl that appear inAlfonso Caso’s book, The Aztecs, People of the Sun, are compared forpossible linguistic correspondence to the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Itshould be apparent now that the comparative linguistics are more tellingwhen groups of related word-concepts are set side by side. The linguisticcorrespondence is not merely random coincidences of two cognates [false ortrue as the case may be]. But, rather that a particular pair of appaentcognates in fact reflect various word-concepts that share common roots ofphonemes and morphemes.
To recall one particular example the Nahuatl word-conceptMAXTLATL comes to mind. One may consider a single comparative pair(say, MAXACTLI and MASTI) as representing a chance correspondence in
59
two distinct and independent languages. But, as one surveys the variousword-concepts in terms of the distinct morphemes and phonemes aspresented in the analysis below, then it becomes difficult to shrug off suchlinguistic correspondence as being merely randomly coincidental, as thoughby mere happenstance these two cultures just happened to have chosensimilar/same word-concepts for the same/similar events. EaxamineMAXTLATL once again before closing.
MAXTLATL = loin cloth [C87]MAXACTLI = thighs, crotch [K141]
mat = a kind of cloth [B290a]m’tatcha = leather thongs [B290b]m’ta = cloth [B291b]m’tcha = phallus, male [B292a]
mas-t = thigh, a disease of the thigh [B275b]masti = pair of thighs, the two hip bones [B275b]Mastiu = the gods of the Thigh (Great Bear) [B275b]
Comparisons of hypothetical transliterations of the roots of thedifferent word-concepts may be effected for a more telling correspondence,remembering that these are done without the letter “L” in the Nahuatl word-concepts:
MaXTaT | M’TaTCHa
MaXaCTi | MaSTi
MXTT | MT
MaXTaT | MaSTi
MaXaCTi | M’TaTCHa
Further, even if one were to allow the letter “L” to remain within the Nahuatlword-concepts, the linguistic correspondence would still be suggestive of thecomparisons:
MaXTLaTL | M’TaTCHa
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MaXaCTLi | MaSTi
And, so on. However, by eliminating the letter “L” in the Nahuatl word-concepts the linguistic correspondence becomes even more apparentbetween the Nahuatl language and the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
In order to prove that some kind of contact or history of commonorigin existed between the cultures of the Americas and the ancient Egyptianculture, one would have to find only a single example of linguisticcorrespondence that would be beyond any doubt of mere happenstance.From the comparison of the two languages cited in this study, I for onewould be ready to accept the idea that at some point in their history, theculture of the Nahuas [Aztecs] and the culture of ancient Egypt [Kemi]witnessed some kind of linkage between their societies.
Now, whether that common history or experience was based upon adirect contact between themselves or, whether they both descended from aproto-language that gave way to their own tongues, it is still impossible totell. Given the numerous aspects of similarity that exist within their societies[a similar calendar; pyramid builders; worshipping the Sun in a similarmanner; linguistic correspondence; etc.] I am tempted to conclude that somekind of direct contact existed between them. There are far too many commonpoints of similarity to shrug them off as random coincidences in theconstruction of a society, or in the construction of a language.
Remember, one could travel along the coastlines of all of thecontinents by foot or by skiff, except for Australia and the continent ofAntarctica. It is not necessary to travel across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceansin order to join the two hemispheres. As soon as someone reads one of mycomparative linguistic papers on the languages of the Americas and ancientEgypt, right away I am being asked “how did they cross the ocean?”. Firstly,that shows me that the comparative linguistic studies and the resultinglinguistic correspondence are effective and have achieved their goal inquestioning the predominant language studies of today. Second, it shows methat we do not really stop and think about how human beings travel on thisEarth; people of continental lands have an ocean-based mind.
The common theses of today accept the idea of peoples coming fromAsia and Europe crossing over the Bering Strait to the Americas. But, as
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soon as we speak about the ancient Egyptians, everyone imagines the oceanas the only means of travel to get from northern Africa to the Americas. Ifind that most intriguing and telltale of our own psyche rather than of whathistory has taught us.
There would appear to be two principal theses in dominating somescholars’ analysis of history today. If one traveled from Asia to theAmericas, it was done through the Bering Strait. If people traveled fromAfrica to the Americas it must have been done by way of the Atlantic Ocean.A student would be encouraged to research a doctoral thesis as to why thesetwo particular theses exist so predominantly in Western thought.
In a sense, they are effective impediments to exploring thecomparative linguistics of some of the languages from the Americas with theancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. They serve as an effective defense in factwhen one is confronted with the possibility that linguistic correspondencesexist among those languages to disregard such comparisons. Forget the factthat some scholars do not want to accept the correspondences, they do noteven want to dare make the comparisons. Evidently some kind of fear existsas to what paradigmatic concessions will have to be made as of recognizingthose comparisons and correspondences in the languages of the ancients.
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Observations
When I began my comparative linguistic studies between the Nahuatllanguage with regard to the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, I did not knowwhether any linguistic correspondence existed or not. I was surprised at firstto find word-concepts from either language that had initial consonants[phonemes] which were similar or the same. Then, I was further surprisedwhen I find that those phonemic values shared similar/same morphemicmeanings.
Today I am no longer surprised when looking up different word-concepts in both languages, but rather expect to find word-concepts thatshare the same/similar phonemic and morphemic expressions not only intheir initial consonant-vowel expression, but throughout the entire word-concept and in relation to various other related word-concepts. In fact, I amnow surprised when I do not find any apparent correspondence betweenphonemes and morphemes of a particular pair of word-concepts in Nahuatland ancient Egyptian [no matter to which historical stage they may be said topertain].
Now, if someone told me that in spite of all the linguisticcorrespondences laid out in this study were not the product of contactbetween the ancient Nahua culture and the ancient Kemi culture, then Iwould be definitely surprised. That would mean that the citedcorrespondences may pertain to the fact that the languages of these twocultures were derived from yet a third culture, a Mother culture, whoselanguage would have served as a proto-language to Nahuatl and ancientEgyptian.
However, were someone to tell me after examining all of thepreviously cited linguistic comparisons and correspondences that no contact(either direct or indirect), ever existed between the Nahuas and the Kemi,and that each language group invented/constructed its own languageindependently without ever hearing or seeing the other language group, well,imagine the odds of that happening. ---You just happen to say Metlatl and Ijust happen to say Me At, when “grind corn” comes to mind.
The extent to which the letter “L” is employed throughout the ancientNahuatl language compared to its near total absence in the ancient Egyptian
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hieroglyphs [per Budge], together with the linguistic correspondencebetween the root word-concepts of both of these languages in phonemic andmorphemic aspects causes me to conclude that some kind of relationshipexisted between these two apparently distinct language groups. When onedrops the letter “L” from the Nahuatl word-concepts, as illustrated in thisstudy, their relationship to the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs becomesapparent:
METLATL | MET AT METAT | MET AT.
Here come to mind the youthful game of Pig Latin, whose origin in theEnglish language is apparently unknown. The procedure in Pig Latin is, inwords that begin with a consonant, to move the initial consonant[s] to theend of the word and then add “ay”, as follows:
battle > attle-bay climb > imb-claydance > ance-day and so on.
When the word begins with a vowel, the “ay” is added to the end of the wordwith possible variations in sound: envy > envy-yay or envy-way, or envy-hay.
There appears to be a German variety of Pig Latin calledMattenenglisch employed in the working-class neighborhood in the Matte,where the first vowel is substituted by the letter “I”, along with adding theinitial consonant group. In Sweden there appears to be Fikonspraket, whichis similar to Pig Latin in English. France appears to enjoy the Loucherbemlanguage in codification, whereby the initial consonant group is moved tothe end of the word and the letter “L” is added to the beginning of the word,as well as an “M” at the end of the word.
Apparently, Nahuatl is not a Pig Latin form of ancient Egyptianhieroglyphs [subtracting the letter “L”]. Nor are the ancient Egyptianhieroglyphs are a form of Pig Latin to the ancient Nahuatl language [addingthe letter “L”]. Yet, a case could be made that the ancient Nahuatl languagemay have its phonetic procedure with regard to the letter “L” in some kindof codification inasmuch as its very name tag/root “NAHUAL” may suggest.The word-concept NAHUAL means a mask or disguise. [Further studyrequires examining the addition of letters “M” and “N” as word endings.]
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In studying Nahuatl, the richness of the language becomesimmediately apparent. One has only to examine some of the first dictionariesof the language drawn up by the Spanish clergy [see Bibliography] tocomprehend the depth of the Nahuatl language. The agglutinative feature ofthe Nahuatl language and the manner in which it varies the use of roots asprefixes and suffixes with the root word-concepts themselves is astoundingin my view. The precision reflected in its speech in that manner rivals anylanguage which has ever been developed. In fact, at times Nahuatl appears tostand alone; the sixteenth century dictionaries are telltale in this regard.
AHHUA = to scold someoneAHHUACHHUIA = to irrigate, to sprinkleAHHUACHIA = to irrigate, to sprinkleAHHUACHPOCTLI = rain cloudAHHUACHQUIYAHUI = to rain lightlyAHHUACHTELAHUI = to begin a hard rainAHHUACHTLI = dew, drizzle, mistAHHUACHTZITZICUICA = to rain lightlyAHHUACHYOH = something covered with dew
AH- = not, un-, in-HUACHTLI = seedand so on…
Another important aspect comparative linguistic studies between theNative American languages and ancient Egyptian concerns the listings ofword-concepts in the latter that begin with the prefix letter “S”, indicatingthe infinitive of certain verbs [Budge, sparsely populating pages 583 - 719].It is necessary to compare the roots of these s-words in ancient Egyptian totheir language counterparts in the Americas in order to discern a possiblerelationship of correspondence.
s-tchefa = to feed | tchefa = foods-rut = to fluorish | rut = to flourish
The s-words together with their roots that appear in the Budge dictionaryrequire further detailed study and comparison to the ancient Nativelanguages of the Americas.
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I began my studies in comparative linguistics of the ancient Egyptianhieroglyphs with the Native American languages in a search for evidence ofpossible contact between these cultures. Basically, I told myself then, that ifthe ancient cultures shared a common math and geometry, their languagesmust reflect evidence of that contact and exchange of knowledge. Languagewould be the smoking gun to any cultural contact between these cultures.
As I mentioned earlier, the cultures of the Americas and ancient Egyptare separated by oceans and most scholars reject any idea of possiblephysical contact between these cultures as ever having existed. Yet whenone studies the different aspects of these varied societies, whose artisticexpressions appear to be quite distinct, one is impressed by their similarities.Both the Egyptian and the ancient Nahuas [Aztecs] believed in a relationshipof the Sun to the serpent/snake. The ancient Egyptian thought that the Sunwas swallowed by a serpent through its mouth and exited its tail. TheNahuas believed that two serpents transported the Sun, as may be viewed inthe design of the Aztec Calendar.
The Aztec Calendar: Two Fire Serpents on Its Outer Edge Design
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Both the ancient Egyptians (12 months x 30 days) and the Nahuas (18months x twenty days) had a calendar based on 360 days plus an additionalfive days. The ancient Egyptians considered the extra five days to be goodluck days [renp-t ---tep renp-t], while the ancient Nahuas considered them tobe bad luck days [nemontemi]. Both the ancient Egyptians and the Nahuasbuilt pyramids. And, the reckoning systems of time that each one employedwere quite similar as I have been showing throughout the Earth/matriXseries of essays on ancient math and geometry.
Now, in addition to all of those similarities, one finds a definitelinguistic correspondence in phonemes and morphemes as shown in mycomparative studies of these languages. It would only make sense, that ifthese cultures shared a common origin or shared history at some point intheir lifetimes, that the languages would reflect that commonality. It wouldbe extremely difficult to make the case that all of these similarities are due toindependent discovery on the part of each culture. The odds of probabilityagainst such a theory of happenstance would be insurmountable in theanalysis.
Reasons exist for not wanting to recognize the possibility that theancient Egyptian culture and the Native American cultures may flow fromthe same/similar origin. Every idea that contemporary human beings sharetoday would come under examination and questioning. All of the ideas of“progress” would come into question. Many different aspects of the culturalparadigm that exists today in contemporary societies would be swept away.But, one should place aside those false fears in the face of knowledge aboutour past. The history of humankind on this planet demands clarification.
Some linguists may brush aside the comparisons that I have beenmaking with regard to the ancient Egyptian language/hieroglyphs and theNative American languages of the Western Hemisphere. But, one mustrealize that if only a single comparison reflects in fact a point of contactbetween these cultures, then the theses of contact between these cultureshave been confirmed. A single example is all that it takes. One does nothave to accept the hundreds of apparent matches in the comparisons. Oneonly needs to recognize a single example for our paradigmatic view ofhistory to change forever.
Once we accept the possibility that the diverse aspects of comparisonreflect contact between these cultures, then we need to focus our analytical
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skills upon discerning what that contact may have been. If we continue torepeat by rote the idea that no contact existed, then we shall certainly not belooking for any evidence of the contact. So, first things first; analyze thecomparative nature of the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to the NativeAmerican languages of the Western hemisphere and then research the natureof the possible contact.
To that purpose, I once again present linguistic correspondencesbetween the ancient Kemi/Egyptian language and the ancient Nahuatllanguage of the Americas.
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©2009 Copyrighted by Charles William Johnson.All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means prohibited.
Earth/matriX, Science in Ancient ArtworkP.O. Box 23126, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70183-1126, USA.
www.earthmatrix.com www.paleoanimation.us www.theschemata.com
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A SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ancient Nahuatl
DE MOLINA, Alonso, Vocabulario en lengua mexicana y castellana, Casa deAntonio de Spinosa, 1571, 162p.
DE OLMOS, Andrés, "Gramática y vocabulario de la lengua mexicana",Manuscrito, 1547, 288p.
Ancient Egyptian
BUDGE, E.A. Wallis, An Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary, Two Volumes,Dover Publications, New York, 1978, 1314p.
Extended Reading
CAMPBELL, R. Joe, A Morphological Dictionary of Classical Nahuatl, AMorpheme Index to the "Vocabulario en lengua mexicana y castellana" ofFray Alonso de Molina, Nahuatl Studies, Hispanic of Saminary, Madison, 1985.
CASO, Alfonso, The Aztecs, People of the Sun, University of Oklahoma Press,Norman, 1958, 125pp.
COLLIER, Mark; MANLEY, Bill, How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Universityof Califonia Press, Berkeley, 1998, 179pp.
DAVIES, W.V., Egyptian Hieroglyphs, University of California Press, Berkeley,1987, 64p.
DENISON, T.S., A Mexican-Aryan Comparative Vocabulary, "The radicals ofthe Mexican or Nahuatl language with their cognates in the Aryanlanguages of the old world, chiefly Sanskrit, Greek, Latin and Germanic",T.S. Denison Publisher, Chicago, 1909, 110pp.
FAULKNER, Raymond O., A Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian, GriffithInstitute, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1996, 327pp.
GARDINER, Sir Alan, Egyptian Grammar: Being an Introduction to the Studyof Hieroglyphs, Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, [First edition,1927] 1994, 646pp.
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GONZALEZ CASANOVA, Pablo, Los hispanismos en el idioma azteca,Publicaciones del Museo Nacional, México, 1934, 52pp.
JOHNSON, Charles William, Ancient Egyptian and Purepecha, Earth/matriXEditions, New Orleans, 2007.
JOHNSON, Charles William, Native Indian Languages of Louisiana Linked tothe Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Earth/matriX Editions, New Orleans, 2006. www.earthmatrix.com/indian_languages.html
JOHNSON, Charles William, The Sound of Meaning: Comparative Linguisticsof Ancient Egyptian, Maya and Nahuatl, Earth/matriX Editions, New Orleans,2004,154pp.
JOHNSON, Charles William, The Taino Language and Ancient Egyptian,Earth/matriX Editions, New Orleans, 2006.
KARTTUNEN, Frances, An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl, University ofOklahoma, Norman, 1992, 349pp.
RODRIGUEZ VILLEGAS, Manuel, Diccionario - Nahuatl en línea, PublicAccess, http://aulex.ohui.net, 2006, 112pp.
SWADESH, Morris, "Diffusional Cumulation and Archaic Residue asHistorical Explanations", pp. 624-637 in: Hymes, Dell, Language in Culture andSociety: A Reader in Linguistics and Anthropology, Harper & Row, New York,1964, 764pp.
SWADESH, Morris, "Linguistics as an Instrument of Prehistory", pp.575-584in: Hymes, Dell, Language in Culture and Society: A Reader in Linguistics andAnthropology, Harper & Row, New York, 1964, 764pp.
ZAUZICH, Karl-Theodor, Hieroglyphs Without Mystery, An Introduction toAncient Egyptian Writing, University of Texas, Austin Press, 1992, 121p.