Lixtu

Lixtu, Cerro de Coatepec¹
told by Manuel Oropeza Castro
This text is a CTot version of the myth of the Aktsini, a pan-Totonacan myth. An Upper Necaxa Totonac version is published in Beck (2012). It relates how at the top of the hill of Coatepec there was a lake where the pigs used to drown. Even though the townspeople called the priest to exorcise the hill, these disasters went on. The townspeople then decided to drain the lake and to fill it up with soil. Everyone knew that the water of the lake was evil. At night, animals came out of it, no one could understand what they were talking about. The elders did not know that the devil lived inside of the lake, until one of the elders spoke to him. The townspeople, wanting to get rid of the problem, filled the lake and thus finally scared the devil away. The devil left in the direction of the horizon, where the sky meets the earth. From there it rumbles before it rains, with lightening and thunder that make the earth shake.
ʔantaá kšaqstiːpúːn liːštú_, šwií ⁿtlankačučút_.
«{<ʔanta>≡ˑ} {<kšaqstiːpuːn>} {<liːštuh>},» «{<šwiː≡ˑ>} {ⁿ≡<λankačučut>}.»
ʔantaʔ
nak=š–ʔaqstiːpuːn
liːštuh
š–wiː
λankačučut
there
loc=3poss–crest
liːštú
pst–sit
lake
‘There, at the crest of Lištu, there was a lake.’
wanqúː ᵐpiːniːλaːnhšwaníːt_.
«{<wanquː>≡ˑ} {ᵐ≡<piː><niː><λaːn•h><šwaniːt>}.»
wan–quː–yaː
piː
niː
λaːn
š–wan–niːt
say–3pl.argipfv
that
neg
good
pst–say–pf
‘They say it wasn’t good.’
ʔakšnií štalaka¢uːwiːqúː ᵑkamán_, liːpiːkwaá špiːkwanqúː_.
«{<ʔakšni>≡ˑ} «{<štalaka¢uːwiːquː>≡ˑ} {ᵑ≡<kaman>},» «{<liːpiːkwa>≡ˑ} «{<špiːkwanqúː>}.»
ʔakšniʔ
š–ta–laka¢uːwiː–quː–yaː
kam–an
liːpiːkwaʔ
š–piːkwan–quː–yaː
when
pstingr–is.close–3pl.argipfv
boy–pl
a.lot
pst–be.afraid–3pl.argipfv
‘When the children got close to it, they were very scared.’
maqapí¢ii štaːtaλaqúː_.
«{<maqapí¢i>≡ˑ} {<štaːtaλaqúː >}» .
maqapí¢i
š–taːtaλa–quː–yaː
some
pst–get.sick–3pl.argipfv
‘Some got sick.’
tiːniːláy štalaka¢uːwíː_.
«{<tiːniː><lay>} {<štalaka¢uːwiː>}.»
tiːniːʔ
la–yaː
š–ta–laka¢uːwiː–yaː
no.one
possible–ipfv
pstingr–is.close–ipfv
‘No one could get close to it.’
matʔakšnií šʔanqúː ᵐpaštaxuːnanqúː ᵐpašníʔ_, naːɬštukutqúː_.
«{<mat><ʔakšni>≡ˑ} {<šʔanquː>≡ˑ} {ᵐ≡<paštaxuːnanquː>≡ˑ} {ᵐ≡<pašniʔ>},» «{<naːɬ><štukutquː >}.»
mat
ʔakšniʔ
š–ʔan–quː–yaː
paš–taxuː–nan–quː–yaː
pašniʔ
naːɬ
š–tukut–quː–yaː
qtv
when
pst–go–3pl.argipfv
bathe–go.in.down–habituat3pl.argipfv
pig
not.anymore
pst–get.out–3pl.argipfv
‘It is said that when the pigs went in to bathe themselves, they didn’t get out anymore.’²
niːštaka¢iíː ⁿtuː špaːlakáta_.
«{<niː><štaka¢iː>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tuː>≡ˑ} {<špaːlakáta>}.»
niː
š–ta–ka¢iː–yaː
tuː
špaːlakáta
neg
pstingr–know–ipfv
nrel
because
‘The reason was not known.’
maːskišʔán mpa¢aá ⁿtiː šláʔ_, niːštasiyiqúː ⁿtaːníː štaːknuːqúː_.
«{<maːski><šʔan>} {ᵐ≡<pa¢a>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tiː>≡ˑ} {<šlaʔ>},» «{<niː><štasiyiquː>ː≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<taːniː>≡ˑ} {<štaːknuːquː >}.»
maːski
š–ʔan–yaː
pa¢a–yaː
tiː
šlaʔ
niː
š–tasiyi–quː–yaː
taːniː
š–taːknuː–quː–yaː
even
pst–go–ipfv
look.for–ipfv
hrel
his/hers
neg
pst–be.visible–3pl.argipfv
where
pst–descend–3pl.argipfv
‘Even though their owners went to look for them, they were not to be seen where they had sunk.’
šliːmaqɬuːwataá ᶮčanaá skupšwanquːníːtiː ᵑquštaníːn ᵐpašníʔ_, šliːqawhšlaq¢anqaːqúː kčučút_.
«{<šliːmaqɬuːwata>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čana>≡ˑ} {<skup><šwanquːniːt>≡iː} {ᵑ≡<quštaniːn>} {ᵐ≡<pašniʔ>},» «{<šliːqaw•h><šlaq¢anqaːquː>≡ˑ} {<kčučut >}.»
šliː–maq–ɬuːwaʔ=aʔ
čanaʔ
skup
š–wan–quː–niːt
qušta–niːn
pašniʔ
šliːqaw
š–laq–¢anqaː–quː–yaː
nak=čučut
for–cl:times–many=already
thus
?
pst–be–3pl.argpf
poor–pl
pig
forever
pstints–disappear–3pl.argipfv
loc=water
‘Many times had the poor pigs sunk, they disappeared forever in the water.’
waá ⁿtiliːsiː¢iːqúːɬ ᶮčučutsipí_, šaqaλiːqúːɬ ᵐpaːlí_,
«{<wa>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tiliːsiː¢iːquːɬ>} {ᶮ≡<čučutsipih>},» «{<šaqaλiːquːɬ>} {ᵐ≡<paːlih>},»
waʔ
ti–liː–siː¢iː–quː–ɬi
čučutsipih
šaqaλiː–quː–ɬi
paːlih
that
reminst–get.angry–3pl.argpfv
town
speak–3pl.argpfv
priest
‘That’s why the town got angry, they called the priest.’
waá sikulnaːλawáɬ ᵐpiːnaːɬtuːkatilaq¢anqáːɬ kčučút_.
«{<wa>≡ˑ} {<sikulnaːλawaɬ>} {ᵐ≡<piː><naːɬ><tuː><katilaq¢anqaːɬ>} {<kčučut>}» .
waʔ
sikulnaː–λawa–ɬi
piː
naːɬ
tuː
ka–ti–laq–¢anqaː–ɬi
nak=čučut
that
blessed–make–pfv
that
not.anymore
nrel
optpot––ints–disappear–pfv
loc=water
‘He made a blessing so that nothing would disappear in the water.’
kah¢inuú ᵑqaɬpaːʔáɬ_, ¢ukunipaá laː šapuːlaná_.
«{<kah¢inu>≡ˑ} {ᵑ≡<qaɬpaːʔaɬ>},» «{<¢ukunipa>≡ˑ} {<laː>≡ˑ} {<šapuːlanah>}.»
kah
¢inuh
qaɬpaːʔan–ɬi
¢uku–ni–pa
laː
šapuːlanah
only
a.little
become.quiet–pfv
start–benrpt:pfv
as
before
‘It only got a little still, and it started again like before.’
puslakapaːstákɬii ᶮčučutsipí_, maːkučíːɬ_, naːmaːpaːtastiːqúːɬ_.
«{<pus><lakapaːstákɬi>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čučutsipih>},» «{<maːkučíːɬ>},» «{<naː><maːpaːtastiːquːɬ>}» .
pus
lakapaːstak–ɬi
čučutsipih
maː–kuč–iː–ɬi
naː
maː–paːtast–iː–quː–ɬi
so
think–pfv
town
cs–heal–cspfv
also
cs–fall–cs3pl.argpfv
‘Then the town thought of healing it, also of draining it.’
waá ⁿtiː ᵑkiːmaːpaːtastiːqúːɬ_, pakswaníːn ⁿtiː laqquːlanáʔ_. naːɬtuːšpuwaniqú ᶮčučút_.
«{<wa>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tiː>≡ˑ} {ᵑ≡<kiːmaːpaːtastiːquːɬ>},» «{<paks><waniːn>} {ⁿ≡<tiː>≡ˑ} {<laqquːlanaʔ>}.» «{<naːɬ><tuː><špuwaniquː>} {ᶮ≡<čučut>}.»
waʔ
tiː
kiː–maː–paːtast–iː–quː–ɬi
paks
waniːn
tiː
laq–quːla–n=aʔ
naːɬ
tuː
š–puwan–ni–quː–yaː
čučut
that
hrel
g/ccs–fall–cs3pl.argpfv
all
those
hrel
pl–old.man–inch=already
not.anymore
nrel
pst–think–ben3pl.argipfv
water
‘Those who went to drain it, all those who were old men already, they didn’t worry about the water anymore.’
páks ška¢iːquːkán ᵐpiːliwišaluːkuhšwaníːtiː ⁿtamaá ᶮčučút_.
«{<paks>} {<ška¢iːquːkan>} {ᵐ≡<piː><liwi><šaluːku•h><šwaniːt>≡iː} {ⁿ≡<tama>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čučut>}.»
paks
š–ka¢iː–quː–kan–yaː
piː
líwi
ša–luːkuh
š–wan–niːt
tamaː
čučut
all
pst–know–3pl.argns.subipfv
that
very
dtv–fierce
pst–be–pf
that.one
water
‘They all knew that the water was very wild.’
waá ⁿtiː laka¢úː šliːwilaqúː_, matšʔakšiɬqúː laqačiníːn štakutqúː ⁿtaqaɬíːn ᵑkaː¢iːsníʔ_.
«{<wa>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tiː>≡ˑ} {<laka¢uː>≡ˑ} {<šliːwilaquː}>, » «{<mat><šʔakšiɬquː>≡ˑ} {<laqačiniːn>} {<štakutquː>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<taqaɬiːn>} {ᵑ≡<kaː¢iːsníʔ>}.»
waʔ
tiː
laka¢uː
š–liː–wila–quː–yaː
mat
š–ʔakšiɬ–quː–yaː
laqačiniːn
š–takut–quː–yaː
taqaɬiːn
kaː–¢iːsniʔ
that
hrel
close
pst–generic–sit–3pl.argt–ipfv qtv
pst–see–3pl.argipfv
sometimes
pst–come.up.out–3pl.argipfv
animal
place–night
⚠️
‘Those who lived nearby, it is said that they saw that animals came out at night.’
laqačiníːn štakutqúː štaːčanaá ᵑkawaːyú_, laqačiníːn_, laː ʔaːšnú_. čuː ᵑkaɬniːlú_.
«{<laqačiníːn>} {<štakutquː>≡ˑ} {<štaːčana>≡ˑ} {ᵑ≡<kawaːyú>},» «{<laqačiníːn>}{<laː>≡ˑ} {<ʔaːšnuh>}.» «{<čuː>≡ˑ} {ᵑ≡<kaɬniːluh>}.»
laqačiniːn
š–takut–quː–yaː
štaːčanaʔ
kawaːyuh
laqačiniːn
laː
ʔaːšnuh
čuː
kaɬniːluh
sometimes
pst–come.up.out–3pl.argipfv
fellow.men
horse
sometimes
as
donkey
and
sheep
‘Beings like horses, donkeys, sheep, came out sometimes.’
ʔaːnqaɬíːn ščiwiːnanqúː liːpiːkwáʔ_, niːštaːqatáːqsaa ntuː šliːqaɬčiwiːnanqúː_.
«{<ʔaːnqaɬiːn>} {<ščiwiːnanquː>≡ˑ} {<liːpiːkwáʔ>},» «{<niː><štaːqatáːqsa>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tuː>≡ˑ} {<šliːqaɬčiwiːnanquː>}.»
ʔaːnqaɬíːn
š–čiwiːnan–quː–yaː
liːpiːkwaʔ
niː
š–ta–ʔaqatáːqs–yaː
tuː
š–liː–qaɬ–čiwiːnan–quː–yaː
often
pst–talk–3pl.argipfv
a.lot
neg
pstingr–is.understood–ipfv
nrel
pstinst–mouth–talk–3pl.argipfv
‘They often talked a lot, what they were speaking could not be understood.’
nuːmaá šlaːliːšaqaλiːqúː ᶮčučút maqapí¢ii laqquːlán_.
«{<nuːmaː>≡ˑ} {<šlaːliːšaqaλiːquː>ː≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čučut>} {<maqapí¢i>≡ˑ} {<laqquːlan>}.»
nuːmaː
š–laː–liː–šaqaλiː–quː–yaː
čučut
maqapí¢i
laq–quːlan
thus
pstrcpinst–speak–3pl.argipfv
water
some
pl–old.men
‘Thus spoke some old men to each other about the water.’
taxuːmaá ʔaqsqawanaá kštampúːn ᶮčučút_,
«{<taxuːmaː>≡ˑ} {<ʔaqsqawana>≡ˑ} {<kštampuːn>} {ᶮ≡<čučut>},»
taxuː–maːh
ʔaqsqawanaʔ
nak=š–tampuːn
čučut
go.in.down–prg
devil
loc=3poss–bottom
water
‘ “There is a devil in the bottom of the water.” ’
šwanqúː mpiːniːkšniikatispútɬi_,
«{<šwanquː>≡ˑ} {ᵐ≡<piː><niːkšniː><katispútɬi>}, »
š–wan–quː–yaː
piː
niːkšniʔ
ka–ti–sput–ɬi
pst–say–3pl.argipfv
that
never
optpot–finish.off–pfv
‘They said that it would never end.’
waá ᶮčanaá šliːwanqúː mpiːniːkšniišakspúta_.
{<wa>≡ˑ} {≡ᶮ<čana>≡ˑ} {<šliːwanquː>≡ˑ} {ᵐ≡<piː><niːkšnii><šakspúta>}» .
waʔ
čanaʔ
š–liː–wan–quː–yaː
piː
niːkšniʔ
š–ʔaksput–yaː
that
thus
pstinst–say–3pl.argipfv
that
never
pst–end–ipfv
‘That’s why they said thus, that it would never end.’
wanqúː maqapí¢i_, ʔakšnií šmaːnašnanqúː_, šakšiɬqúː mpiːwií ⁿλankapuːstáːn_.(sic) naːliːpiːkwaá ⁿtaqaɬíːn lamaːqúː_.
«{<wanqúː>≡ˑ} {<maqapí¢i>},» «{<mat><ʔakšni>≡ˑ} {<šmaːnašnanqúː>},» «{<šakšiɬquː>≡ˑ} {ᵐ≡<piː><wiː>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<λanka><puːstaːn>}.» «{<naː><liːpiːkwa>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡t<taqaɬiːn>} {<lamaːqúː>}.»
wan–quː–yaː
maqapí¢i
mat
ʔakšniʔ
š–maːnašnan–quː–yaː
š–ʔakšiɬ–quː–yaː
piː
wiː
λanka
puː–staː–n
naː
liːpiːkwaʔ
taqaɬiːn
lamaː–quː
say–3pl.arg–ipfv some
qtv
when
pst–dream–3pl.argipfv
pst–see–3pl.argipfv
that
sit
large
loc2–sell–nr
also
a.lot
animal
be.about–3pl.arg
⚠️
‘Some said, when they were dreaming (it is said), they saw that there was a big store, also that there were many animals about.’
puːtamhčanaá šliːka¢iːquːkán mpiːʔakšnií naspútaa ᶮčučút_, naːnaspútaa ᶮčučutisipí _.
«{<puːtam><čana>≡ˑ} «{<šliːka¢iːquːkan>} {ᵐ≡<piː><ʔakšni>≡ˑ} «{<naspúta>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čučut>},» «{<naː><naspúta>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čučutisipih>}.»
puː–tam
čanaʔ
š–liː–ka¢iː–quː–kan–yaː
piː
ʔakšniʔ
na–sput–yaː
čučut
naː
na–sput–yaː
čučutisipih
cl:set–one
thus
pstinst–know–3pl.argns.subipfv
that
when
fut–finish.off–ipfv
water
also
fut–finish.off–ipfv
town
‘All of them knew (believed) thus, that when the water ended, the town would end too.’
waá šliːpiːkwanqúː_.
«{<wa>≡ˑ} {<šliːpiːkwanquː>}.»
waʔ
š–liː–piːkwan–quː–yaː
that
pstinst–be.afraid–3pl.argipfv
‘That’s why they were afraid.’
šlamaá ᶮčaːtám ᵑquːla¢íːn waá ⁿtiː ⁿtišaqaλíːɬ ʔaqsqawanáʔ_, ⁿtiː ⁿtiwaníɬ mpiːniːkšniikatispútɬii ⁿtaːníː šwí_.
«{<šlama>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čaːtam>} {ᵑ≡<quːla¢iːn>} {<wa>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tiː>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tišaqaλiːɬ>} {<ʔaqsqawanáʔ>},» «{ⁿ≡<tiː>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<tiwaniɬ>} {ᵐ≡<piː><niːkšniː><katispútɬi>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<taːniː>≡ˑ} {<šwiː>}.»
š–lamaː
čaː–tam
quːla–¢iːn
waʔ
tiː
ti–šaqaλiː–ɬi
ʔaqsqawanaʔ
tiː
ti–wan–ni–ɬi
piː
niːkšniː
ka–ti–sput–ɬi
taːníː
š–wiː
pst–live
cl:human–one
old.man–dim
that
hrel
rem–speak–pfv
devil
hrel
rem–say–benpfv
that
never
optpot–finish.off–pfv
where
pst–sit
‘There was a dear old man who once spoke with the devil, and the devil told him that it would never end where he was.’
ʔakšnií naːɬ láɬ ⁿtaːpaːčáːɬ ᶮčučutsipíh _, liːmakatám mpuːtalaqúːɬ_. maːkučiːqúːɬ_, puːɬmáːn maːpaːtastiːqúːɬ_.
«{<ʔakšni>≡ˑ} {<naːɬ><laɬ>} {ⁿ≡t<taːpaːčáːɬ>} {ᶮ≡<čučutsipih>},» «{<liːmakatam>} {ᵐ≡<puːtalaquːɬ>}.» «{<maːkučiːquːɬ>},» «{<puːɬmaːn>} {<maːpaːtastiːquːɬ>}.»
ʔakšniʔ
naːɬ
la–ɬi
taːpaːčaː–ɬi
čučutsipih
liːmakatam
puːtala–quː–ɬi
maː–kuč–iː–quː–ɬi
puːɬmaːn
maː–paːtast–iː–quː–ɬi
when
not.anymore
possible–pfv
endure–pfv
town
among.all
throw.in–3pl.argpfv
cs–heal–cs3pl.argpfv
deep
cs–fall–cs3pl.argpfv
‘When the town could not endure it anymore, all together they threw (things inside). They healed it, they drained it deeply.’
ʔakšnikuú spútɬi_.
«{<ʔakšni=ku>≡ˑ} {<spútɬi>}.»
ʔakšniʔ=kuʔ
sput–ɬi
when=just.then
finish.off–pfv
‘Just then it ended.’
čiː šliːmaqtám ⁿtimaːkučiːqúːɬ_, šλaqapaːnuːpatanqúː_, niːtaːyíɬ_.
«{<čiː>≡ˑ} {<šliːmaqtam>} {ⁿ≡<timaːkučiːquːɬ>},» «{<šλaqapaːnuːpatanqúː >},» {<niː><taːyíɬ>}» .
čiː
šliː–maq–tam
ti–maː–kuč–iː–quː–ɬi
š–λaqapaː–nuː–patan–quː–yaː
niː
taːya–ɬi
and
ordinal.number–cl:times–one
remcs–heal–cs3pl.argpfv
pst–chase.away–in–dsd3pl.argipfv
neg
stand–pfv
‘And the first time that they healed it, they wanted to chase him away (the devil), he didn’t stand up.’
čiː ᶮčiyúː maːskimín síːn_, naːɬʔakšniitastúqaa ᶮčučút_.
«{<čiː>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čiyuː>≡ˑ} {<maːski><min>} {<siːn>},» «{<naːɬ><ʔakšnii><tastúqa>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čučut>}.»
čiː
čiyuh
maːski
min–yaː
siːn
naːɬ
ʔakšniʔ
tastuq–yaː
čučut
and
now
even
come–ipfv
rain
not.anymore
when
gather–ipfv
water
‘And now, even though it rains, the water never gathers anymore.’
šliːqawhwá
«{<šliːqawhwáʔ>},»
šliːqawh=aʔ
forever=already
‘It was done forever.’
ʔakšnií ⁿtaːyíɬ_, wanqúː mpiːmatʔantaá ᶮčáːɬ kšaːkiɬtúːtuu ⁿtaːníː maktaá ŋkaːtašaːwát_, čuː ʔaqapúːn_.
«{<ʔakšni>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<taːyíɬ>}» , «{<wanqúː>≡ˑ} {ᵐ≡<piː><mat><ʔanta>≡ˑ} {ᶮ≡<čáːɬ>} {<kšaːkiɬtúːtu>≡ˑ} {ⁿ≡<ⁿtaːníː>≡ˑ} {<makta>≡ˑ} {ᵑ≡<kaːtašaːwat>},» «{<čuː>≡ˑ} {<ʔaqapuːn>}.»
ʔakšniʔ
taːya–ɬi
wan–quː–yaː
piː
mat
ʔantaʔ
čaːn–ɬi
nak=šaː–kiɬtúː–tu
taːniː
makta–yaː
kaːtašaːwat
čuː
ʔaqapuːn
when
stand–pfv
say–3pl.argipfv
that
qtv
there
arrive.there–pfv
loc=its.other–border.river–second.of.two
where
end–ipfv
the.world
and
sky
‘When it stood (stopped?), they say that the horizon appeared, there where the earth ends, and the sky (too).’³
ʔakšnií laqčáːn ᵑkiɬtamakuú šminát síːn_, kahtannawán ⁿtasayaːčáʔ_. liwilíkšaː kaːtašaːwát_.
«{<ʔakšni>≡ˑ} {<laqčaːn>} {ᵑ≡<kiɬtamaku> ≡ˑ} {<šminat>} {<siːn>},» «{<kah><tanna><wán>} {ⁿ≡<tasayaːčáʔ>}.» «{<líwi><líkša>≡ˑ} {<kaːtašaːwat>}.»
ʔakšniʔ
laq–čaːn–yaː
kiɬtamakuh
š–min–at
siːn
kah
tanna
wan–yaː
tasa–yaː=čaʔ
líwi
líkš–yaː
kaːtašaːwat
when
goal–arrive.there–ipfv
time
3poss–come–nr
rain
only
rumble.of.water
say–ipfv
cry–ipfv=there
very
tremble–ipfv
the.world
‘When the rainy season arrives, the water rumbles from that direction. It makes the world tremble.’
ʔaːčawán ʔak¢iníʔ_, ʔakšnií naqaɬštáqa_, namín síːn_.
“«{<ʔaːčawan>} {<ʔak¢iniʔ>},» «{<ʔakšni>≡ˑ} {<naqaɬštáqa>},» {<namin>} {<siːn>}.»
ʔaː–čawan–yaː
ʔak¢iniʔ
ʔakšniʔ
na–qaɬ–štáq–yaː
na–min–yaː
siːn
d.dstl–resound–ipfv
ʔak¢iníʔ
when
fut–mouth–leave–ipfv
fut–come–ipfv
rain
‘The ʔak¢iníʔ booms there, when it will quiet down, the rain will come.’
nuːmaá liːqaɬčiwiːnanquːkán_.
«{<nuːma>≡ˑ} {<liːqaɬčiwiːnanquːkan>}.»
nuːmaː
liː–qaɬ–čiwiːnan–quː–kan–yaː
in.this.way
inst–mouth–talk–3pl.argns.subipfv
‘Thus they talk about this.’
Notes
  1. The texts have no name in Totonac, I leave the original name in Spanish.
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  2. -nan ‘habituative’ in paštaxuːnanqúː is a detransitivizing suffix in the vast majority of cases; one of its semantic effects is imparting a habitual reading. McQuown (G78.7) calls it the ‘indefinite object’. In this instance, it co-occurs with a verb compound formed by two intransitive roots, retaining the habitual meaning of detransitivized verbs.
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  3. In maktá, a bound root -ta ‘downwards’ can be recognized. There is no evidence either in the textual corpus or in McQuown’s Gramática of it being undelyingly -tah, as it should be according to stress rules.
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