Query: Cuitlahua vs Cuitlahuac
Piayali,
I am editing a volume on the period of the Spanish invasion of Mexico (1519-1524). One of the figures who appears in the historic records was the tlahtoani Cuitlahuac. There has emerged a difference of opinion among the contributors about the proper way to write his name. One author calls him Cuitlahua while another uses the traditional Cuitlahuac.
Part of the discussion involves the town in the Central Basin called Cuitlahuac, where the final -c- represents -co, representing "place of the fertilizer." Thus, the person's name would lack the -c-
On the other hand, there are multiple attestations of his name being Cuitlahuac. There are several other proper names from the period that also end in -c- such as Cuauhtemoc or of the deity Tlaloc, where the -c- does not represent the -co.
I would really appreciate your ideas about the issue before I proceed with final editing of the book.
J. F. Schwaller
Editor, H-Nahuatl
1 Reply
Post ReplyThe -c in the altepenym is indeed the relational -c/-co; however, the -c in the personal name is the non-present suffix attached to the preterite of class 1 verbs. In other words, the personal name Cuitlahuac is a preterite agentive, so it’s correct. If a person’s name were Cuitlahua, it would have to be a present agentive, which although possible, is unattested, as far as I know.