tlahtoani

Classical Nahuatl

FWOTD – 9 March 2017

Etymology

From tla- (“thing(s)”) +‎ ihtoā (“say”) +‎ -ni (“habitual suffix”) +‎ -qui (“agentive suffix”), literally "one who speaks".

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ɬaʔtoˈaːni/

Noun

tlahtoāni (animate, plural tlahtohqueh)

1. A ruler of an altepetl (city-state), similar to a king or emperor.
   • 1555: Alonso de Molina, Aqui comienca un vocabulario en la lengua castellana y mexicana

     Señor de ſieruos. tlatoani. tlacaua.

   • 1673: Augustin de Vetancurt, Arte de lengua mexicana

     Cuix oticmotlaçotilli in motlâtocatzin Dios?

     Amaſte à tu Dios, y Señor?

Alternative forms

• tlatoani

Derived terms

• cihuātlahtoāni (“female ruler, queen”)
• cuāuhtlahtoāni (“lower ruler, governor”)
• tlahtohcāyōtl (“realm”)

References

• Andrews, J. Richard. (2003) Workbook for Introduction to Classical Nahuatl, Revised Edition, University of Oklahoma Press, p. 227.
• Karttunen, Frances. (1983) An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl, University of Texas Press, p. 266.
• Lockhart, James. (2001) Nahuatl as Written, Stanford University Press, pp. 55, 238, 239.