Nawatl (Uto-Aztecan)

Abstract

A brief introduction places the language, Nawatl, geographically and chronologically, with emphasis on dialect diversity and the long-documented history of the language. The dialect spoken in one community in Northern Puebla is in focus in the following. Basic typological features of this dialect are presented. A valency system based on verb derivation is outlined. A conceptual approach to valency is adopted, and it leads to no recognition of anti-passive in Nawatl. A suffix, ta/te:, the function of which is to broadly suspend referentiality to subject, object, and possessor, is presented. Reduplication is shown to be equally broadly used with several meanings. A brief presentation of a second Nawatl dialect shows that Nawatl dialects cannot all be said to display equally strong polysynthetic features.