The Intensive Nahuatl Immersion
Course
Notes and Comments by Andrea J. Vogt
vogtandr@pilot.msu.edu
Tlahui Student of Modern Nahuatl, Beginners'
Level
Doctoral Student, Medical Anthropology
Michigan State University
Tlahui: No. 3, I/1997
June 25, 1997
I have been very pleased with how much I have learned in this Nahuatl
course. I'm actually surprised. I didn't expect to learn so much so quickly.
Mr. Teacher, Sr. Tafolla, was very patient with me, yet he also challenged
me. It would have been easy for me to take a lazy attitude in this course,
but teacher Tafolla's high (but reasonable) expectations kept me working
and studying. I particularly enjoyed our discussions about indigenous culture
--The teacher described indigenous customs and practices to me. Tafolla
did a good job of introducing a theme or a lesson, then giving me exercises
to put in to practice what I had learned. This way I reviewed the material
and was able to build my skills day by day. Our "conversations"
in Nahuatl were a little tough at times, lent it was excellent practice.
The toughest part of the course was verb conjugation. --This theme should
be introduced much earlier in the course. That will facilitate writing
and conversation exercises. There should be a stronger review of earlier
themes at the end of the course. It may not exist, but a dictionary that
lists spanish words and their translations into Nahuatl would be very helpful.
One of the best aspect of this program is its flexibility --On the part
of the course, that of the director and administration of the course, and
that of the instructor and his coursework.
Xochitl Incuicatl/Nahuatl
Poetry/Poesía Náhuatl
Kuak Nimitskita/When
I Look at You/Cuando te Miro
Andrea J. Vogt
vogtandr@pilot.msu.edu
Tlahui Student of Modern Nahuatl, Beginners' Level Tlahui: No. 3, I/1997
Kuak Nimitskita
Kuak nimitskita
papaki noyolo.
Mo ixtelolo ka kuakualtsin
van motentli kinechmaka
tsopelik tlatoli.
Pan mo ixtelolo nikita
in iluikatl
van pan moma nikmati
tlen tinechneki
In amo onka mostla
ok nika pakti kate.
Pampa nikmati
tlen mochipa tias tinechpitsos
van mochipa nias nikpia
monauatekis.
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When I Look at You
When I look at you
my heart fills with joy.
Your eyes are beautiful
and your lips offer me
sweet words.
In your eyes I see
the sky
and in your hand I feel
that you love me.
If there were no tomorrow
I will still be content.
Because I know that you will always kiss me and I will always have your embraces
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Cuando te Miro
Cuando te miro se alegra mi corazón.
Tus ojos son hermosos y tus labios me dan
dulces palabras.
En tus ojos veo el cielo y en tu mano siento
como me quieres.
Si no hay un mañana todavía estaré
contenta.
Porque sé que siempre me besaras y que
por siempre tus abrazos tendré.
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Xochitl Incuicatl/Nahuatl
Poetry/Poesía Náhuatl
San Nosel / Solitude
/ Soledad
Andrew Fisher
andrewfisher@juno.com
Tlahui Student of Modern Nahuatl, Beginners' Level
Studen of History, UC San Diego
Tlahui: No. 3, I/1997
September 2, 1997
San Nosel
Mokuepa iknotsin nian uanyokoli nian tlanan.
nenemi isel in ohtli nian...
Tlanextli nian tlakauian
pakilistli nian yoltekipacholli,
ilhuikatl nian mictlan.
¿Tleika otikisakej tochan cueman mochi tlen timoneki
ka ompa?
Kanin titlakake, ¿amo ka noijki...
in tetemej uekapan, in ixtlauakamej totonki,
in temej tlakuahuak, huan in ejekatl chikauak?
¿In ilhuikamej amo ka tentok ken sitlallin, mixtli,
in metsli, in tonatiu?
¿Noso, tikpia tlen timotlakixtilia in tokalotiloyan
inik tipeua tikmatisej in mochi itek ixmatilistli?
Se yeuachtli okuikas ejekatl kipia tlen moneluayotias.
Huan, se kuauitl inatle neluayotl amo kualli kixikos.
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Solitude
To become an orphan without kin or country.
To travel a solitary path with neither...
Light nor shadow,
happiness nor sorrow,
heaven nor hell.
What impels us to leave our home when all we need is there?
Where we are from, are not also.
The mountains high, the deserts hot,
the rocks hard, and the win strong?
Are not the heavens filled with the same stars, clouds,
the moon, and the sun?
Or, must we be expelled from our sanctuary to take note
of the universal in the unfamiliar?
A seed carried by the wind must settle.
A tree without roots can not endure.
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Soledad
Devenir huérfano, sin parientes ni patria.
Viajar a través de un sendero solitario sin...
Luz ni sombra,
alegría ni tristeza,
sin cielo ni infierno.
¿ Por qué salimos de nuestras casas cuando todo lo que
necesitábamos estaba allá?
De donde somos, ¿no somos también de ...
las altas cumbres, de los cálidos desiertos,
de las duras piedras, y del ventarrón?
¿No están acaso los cielos rebosantes de estrellas,
con las mismas nubes, la luna y el mismo sol?
¿O es que tenemos que ser expulsados de nuestro santuario
para darnos cuenta de lo universal en lo desconocido?
Una semilla llevada por el viento tiene que
enraizar.
Un árbol sin raíz no puede perdurar.
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The Intensive Nahuatl Immersion
Course
Notes and Comments by David E. Shoemaker
david_shoemaker@voyager.umeres.maine.edu
Tlahui Student of Modern Nahuatl, Beginners'
Level
University of Maine. Department of Art
Tlahui: No. 3, I/1997
August 1, 1997
My overall evaluation of the Nahuatl course is good. Professor Tafolla
has an earnest, heartfelt love for his indigenous language and culture
and conveys this enthusiasm to his students.
However, there are perhaps areas of instruction that could be improved.
The first is rather basic: too much class/instructional time is taken up
in copying exercises and texts from the wall. To be sure, there is some
benefit from this process, but the time used by far outweighs any benefits.
Actual grammar instruction is sorely lacking. Specific areas of grammar
need to be addressed, for example pronouns (indirect and direct objects,
reflexives, etc.) and verbs (conjugation, tense formation).
Another area that needs further development is vocabulary. After several
basic lists, the student is left on his or her own to confront unfamiliar
vocabulary, especially verbs, through exercises. This process tends to
be hit and miss, and it is very time-consuming. In an intensive language
course every effort should be made to allow the student to use his or her
time in the most productive manner.
An area that has promising possibilities is more direct contact between
the student and indigenous communities. By making direct links between
the language and the culture, the Nahuatl student steps across one of the
barriers that traditionally segregates the language student from the native
speaker. Professor Tafolla and Dr. Mario Rojas go a long way in helping
students remove these cultural barriers, and as one of the program's strongest
aspects, more effort should be spent in developing links with communities.
Xochitl Incuicatl/Nahuatl
Poetry/Poesía Náhuatl
Nocitlal / My Star / Mi
Estrella
David E. Shoemaker
david_shoemaker@voyager.umeres.maine.edu
Tlahui Student of Modern Nahuatl, Beginners' Level
Tlahui: No. 3, I/1997
Nocitlal
Citlalin, citlalin mitini
Tiknemi pan yohualli
Ka moxayak ixtak
Tlen itta itech moyolo
Citlaltzin, citlaltzintli
Cecentetl in yohualli
Amochka noyolo
Tikmati noyolo
Citlalin, citlaltzintli
Timomati nokokocayo
Timati noixayomej
Timomati noyollochichinaquiliztli
Citlaltzintli, citlaltzin
Ximixuetzka nopan
Kan motlaneztli
Ximonechchiua matzatzalli
Citlalin, citlalin mitini
Ka ueka ikanepa
Pan in ihuikapol
Ximotemo, nimitztlatlauhtia
Ximochanti noka
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My Star
Star, star bright
You live in the night
with your face of white
that gazes into my heart
Dear star, dear little star
Each one of the nights
near my heart--
You know my soul
Star, dear little star
You feel my misery
You know my tears
You feel my sadness
Dear little star, dear star
Smile on me
With your light
Make me happy
Star, star bright
You are so far,
Up in that enormous sky
Come down, please....
And live with me
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Mi Estrella
Estrella, estrella brilla
Vives por la noche
Con tu rostro blanco
Que mira dentro de mi corazón
Estrellita, estrellita preciosa
Cada una de las noches
Cerca de mi corazón--
Conoces mi alma
Estrella, estrellita preciosa
Tu sientes mi congoja
Conoces mis lágrimas
Tu sientes mi tristeza
Estrellita, preciosa estrellita
Sonríeme
Con tu luz
Hazme feliz
Estrella, estrella brilla
Estás allá muy lejos
En el cielo inmenso
Baja, por favor...
A vivir conmigo
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David E. Shoemaker
395 Union Street
Bangor, Maine 04401
USA
207-942-6848
E-mail: david_shoemaker@voyager.umeres.maine.edu
or
David E. Shoemaker
University of Maine
Department of Art
Carnegie Hall
Orono, Maine 04473
USA
207-581-3230
FAX: 207-581-3276
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