Nahuatl Language with Elements of Linguistics and Cultural Studies 3700-CS1-JNAH1-OG

The course offers systematic study of Nahuatl (Aztec) language, focusing on translating XVI- and XVII-century source texts. Nahuatl possesses the most extensive written texts corpus on the American continent, created between XVI and XVIII centuries, documenting the encounter between the indigenous world with the European culture, as well as the colonial period following the conquest. As the lingua franca of the pre-Colombian Mesoamerica and the language of the Aztec Empire, it is the key to learning about the richness of the pre-Hispanic cultures. Despite the centuries-long Hispanization of Mexico, Nahuatl remains in use today in its many varieties which survived in numerous traditional communities throughout the country.
The course aims at providing the participants with basic skills in reading early-colonial relations and documents providing knowledge about the Nahua culture and the complicated realities of the New Spain. The participants will gain basic knowledge about grammar and vocabulary allowing them to translate source texts from the colonial period. Original texts – historical relations, documentation of various aspects of life, and indigenous literature – will be introduced (first in adaptation, later in original form) starting from the first semester.

Type of course

elective courses
general courses

Prerequisites (description)

Good (at least passive) command of English is required, command of Spanish is welcome.

Course coordinators

Szymon Gruda

Learning outcomes

Knowledge:
- basic knowledge of older Nahuatl (writing conventions, phonology, grammar, basic vocabulary), which can be subsequently expanded on intermediate and advanced classes;
- basic linguistic concepts in phonetics and ponology, morphology, and syntax;
- basic knowledge about objective and methodological specifics of studying the Nahua culture and the culture of colonial Mesoamerica;
- basic knowledge about colonial written texts in Nahuatl (genres, conventions, topics);
- basic knowledge about aspects of intercultural transfer and linguistic change under the influence of an intensive contact with other languages (case of Nahuatl-Spanish contact);
- knowledge of the complex nature of the language in philological and cultural studies;
skills:
- ability to translate simple or adapted source texts from Nahuatl to Polish;
- basic ability to analyze original texts;
- ability to participate in a discussion about cultural studies and linguistics, including ability to make a logical argument and draw critical conclusions;
- ability to use known linguistic concepts for analysis of utterances in Nahuatl;

social competences:
- awareness of importance of the complex nature of language in philological and cultural studies;
- awareness of necessity of the teamwork in an interdisciplinary group;
- understanding of fundamental challenges in studying culture and intercivilizational relations;
- understanding of importance of preserving richness, integrity, and awareness of the cultural heritage

Assessment criteria

Translation skills verified in a formal written exam (translation of an original source text). During the exam students can use dictionaries (XVI-century Diccionario de la lengua nahuatl by Alonso de Molina and modern An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl by Frances Karttunen). 2 absences a semester are allowed.

Bibliography

Vocabularies:
 Frances Karttunen An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press 1983.
 Alonso de Molina Vocabulario en lengua castellana y mexicana, y mexicana y castellana, México: Antonio de Spinosa 1571.

Studies:
 Arthur J.O. Anderson, Grammatical examples, exercises, & review for use with Rules of the Aztec language, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press 1973.
 J. Richard Andrews, Introduction to classical Nahuatl, Austin: University of Texas Press, 1975 or 2005.
 R. Joe Campbell, Frances Karttunen, Foundation course in Nahuatl grammar, Austin: Institute of Latin American Studies, The University of Texas Press, 1989.
 Michel Launey, Introduction à la langue et à la littérature aztèques, Paris: L'Harmattan, 1979-1980.
 James Lockhart, Nahuatl as Written: Lessons in Older Written Nahuatl, with Copious Examples and Texts, Stanford: Stanford Univ. Press, 2001.
 Miguel León Portilla, Historia de la literatura mexicana. Periodo prehispánico, México: Alhambra Mexicana, 1989.
 Justyna Olko, John Sullivan, Empire, Colony, and Globalization. A Brief History of the Nahuatl Language, “Colloquia Humanistica” 2 (2013): 181-216.
 Justyna Olko, John Sullivan, Jan Szemiński, Dialogue with Europe, Dialogue with the Past. Colonial Nahua and Quechua Elites in Their Own Words, University Press of Colorado i Utah State University Press, Louisville 2018

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3700-CS1-JNAH1-OG in USOSweb