By Agnieszka Brylak , Julia Madajczak , Justyna Olko y John Sullivan
Description: The dictionary expands on the original idea of linguist Frances Karttunen and historian James Lockhart to map the usage of Spanish loan words in Nahuatl, by using a much larger and diversified corpus of sources, and by including contextual use, missing in earlier studies. Most importantly, these sources enrich the colonial corpus with modern data—significantly expanding on our knowledge on Nahuatl language continuity and change.
Teaching ideas: This example invites reflection on how Indigenous languages have evolved in response to contact with other cultures and ways of understanding the world. It also allows students to identify words that reflect changes in Nahua society following European invasion—such as terms for new plants, foods, animals, and technologies—and to consider the reverse process: which neologisms in Spanish emerged through contact with Indigenous languages in colonial contexts? Finally, students can explore how new terms related to the natural world continue to be created through ongoing contact between different cultures and knowledge systems.
URL: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110591484/html