That is helpful! Who doesn't love mezzo American native cultures, or for that matter all native cultures. Have some REP.
GP
I'm from México and I really like the aztec civilization. This is a little guide on how aztecs used to name places. I'm not an expert in nahua, but this is something of what I know. By no means this is a complete guide and the rules can differ in some cases. Examples are the original word of real places, it could be different from today names.
Toponymies are formed by a noun and a prefix or suffix:
SUFFIXES
Select a noun, remove the –tl, –tli or -lli, add a suffix.
If monosyllabic, the accent of the word is always in the last syllable. Except co, wich is in the penultimate syllable.
In polysyllabics, the accent of the word is in the penultimate syllable. Except apan, wich is in the last syllable.
can/ca - place (Coyohuacan, place of those who workship the coyote)
tlan - land/city (Aztlan, city of cranes)
pan – in, at (Acapan, at the reeds)
co – in, where (Mexico, where Mexictli is [workshiped])
calco - house (Xochicalco, house of flowers)
puzalco – height, hill (Azcapuzalco, anthill)
ixco - infront (Cuautlixco, infront the eagles)
nepantla – in the middle (Tlalnepantla, in the middle of the earth)
apan – river (Papaloapan, river of butterflies)
tepetl/tepec - mountain (Chapultepec, mountain of crickets)
PREFIXES
Select a prefix and add a noun, the accent remains in the strong syllable of the noun.
If the noun ends in –lli, remove the two last letters.
ixtla plain (Ixtlazihuatl, plain with the shape of woman)
example NOUNS (Accents are in caps)
Atl –water
Acatl – reed
CIhuatl – woman
chalchiHUItl - emerald
chiMAlli - shield
COAtl - snake
COyotl – coyote
cuAUtl – eagle
cuaHUItl – wood, tree
eHEcatl – wind
huiTZIlli - hummingbird
miQUIztli –death
MIztli – small procionidae
Ometl – dawn
oCElotl – jaguar
oCOtl – pine-tree
queTZAlli – feather, also used as limpid, bright
TEotl – god (plural, teTEo)
TEtl – stone
TLANtli – fang
TOCHtli – rabbit
XOchitl – flower
yoAlli - night
YOlotl - heart
NOTES
To denote ownership, workship or being holder:
hua (Teteohuacan, place of those with the gods)
Place this before the suffix or after the prefix.
Augmentative:
pul (Acapulco, where big reeds grow)
Place this after the noun, if it’s the last syllable, use pulli instead.
To name the inhabitants from one place:
If the word ends in -tlan, remove the suffix and add TEcatl (plural, TEca). Ex. Azteca, from aztlán, Guatemalteca, from Guatemallan.
If the word ends in -can or –pan, remove the last n and add NEcatl (plural, NEca). Ex. Tlalpaneca, from Tlalpan.
Hope all this it's understandable.
Last edited by maledictus; 03-12-2010 at 07:52 PM.
That is helpful! Who doesn't love mezzo American native cultures, or for that matter all native cultures. Have some REP.
GP
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Superb! I've crosslinked it with the Cartographic Terminology thread.
And rep from me, too!
Bryan Ray, visual effects artist
http://www.bryanray.name
Gave More rep, because I LOVE me the MesoAmerican stuff. LOVE IT!
Daniel the Neon Knight: Campaign Cartographer User
Never use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice!
Any questions on CC3? Post them with CC3 in the Subject Line!
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Thanks! nice to see you like it, in my next chance, I'll put how to name characters.
Hello:
Thank you for sharing this with us and for providing an addition resource for languages and how places are named.
Tracker
Neat! Nahua is a really cool language, and this is really helpful.
Oh my word! Thank you so much, I love Aztec civilization's names, they sound so meaningful and unique. This will help me a ton, I am sure to start an Aztec-themed map soon thanks to you!
If u want to create fantasy names with Aztec-sounding influence
use alot of T,z,x,ui,h and c's.
And keep the single a,e,i,o,u's a bit down compared to the other letters of the alphabet.
You could get something like Uixasli or Iztlichoses, Qutecuiar, Yotzhuidarex.
Lol, aztec names really look alien, but if thats what youre going for, do it.
Surely it sounds creative
Amazingly thorough- good job!
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