cozamalotl

Central Nahuatl

Cozamalotl, “rainbow”.

Alternative forms

• (Amecameca and Tlaxcala): kosamalotl
• (Jaltocán): akozamalotl

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [koː.saˈmaː.loːt͡ɬ]

Noun

cozamalotl

1. rainbow

Classical Nahuatl

Alternative forms

• coçamalotl (obsolete spelling)

Etymology

The first part is cognate with Cora cu'uxaí (“rainbow”), and is probably related to Classical Nahuatl coztic (“yellow”) and Classical Nahuatl cozcatl (“necklace”), possibly with an original meaning "nacreous, shiny" (compare Hopi qöötsa (“white, bright”)). The second part is to be compared to other Nahuan words containing a theorized mal- stem (such as Classical Nahuatl malacatl (“spindle, bobbin, spiral”), Classical Nahuatl malacachoa (“to circle (something or someone)”), Classical Nahuatl malacachihui (“to become round”), Classical Nahuatl malīna (“to twist or roll something”)), presumably referring to the curved shape of the rainbow. Compare Morelos Nahuatl kosamalotl, Tetelcingo Nahuatl öcusemölutl, Zacatlán-Ahuacatlán-Tepetzintla Nahuatl cosamalotl for cognates in other Nahuan dialects.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [koː.saˈmaː.loːt͡ɬ]

Noun

cozamalotl (inanimate)

1. rainbow
   • 1555, Alonso de Molina, Aqui comienca vn vocabulario en la lengua castellana y mexicana, f. 22v:

     Arco del cielo.  ayauh coçamalotl.coçamalotl.

     A rainbow.  ayauh coçamalotl.coçamalotl.

   • 1571, Alonso de Molina, Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana, f. 23r. col. 1:

     Coçamalotl.arco del cielo.

     Coçamalotl.a rainbow.

Synonyms

• āyauhcōzamālōtl

References

• Frances Karttunen (1992), An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl, University of Oklahoma Press, page 43
• Alonso de Molina (2008), Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana y mexicana y castellana (1571), Editorial Porrúa, page 23