The Implications of Nahua (Aztecan) Lexical Diversity for Mesoamerican Culture-History

Bibliographic Data

ID2568960
AuthorsAlvin H Luckenbach (University of Kentucky), Richard S Levy (University of Kentucky)
Year1980
Volume45
Issue3
Pages455-461
Publication date1980-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Antiquity (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-7316 • E-ISSN: 2325-5064
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/279859
OpenAlexW2313738974
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited8

This paper describes the results of an investigation of internal Nahua lexical diversity and speculates on the possible implications for Mesoamerican culture-history. Data for glottochronological calculations were obtained from 25 different Nahua communilects ranging in location from Sinaloa in western Mexico to El Salvador. The absolute chronology derived from this lexicostatistical technique proved highly sensitive to a number of discontinuities in the Mesoamerican sequence. Nahua linguistic divergences correlated with such significant events as the demise of the 'Classic civilizations,' Toltec and Aztec expansionist periods, and the Spanish conquest. Although the correlation between absolute and glottochronological years remains theoretically controversial, the results of this and other similar studies indicate a high potential for the practical applications of this technique in holistic anthropological research

Ancient history · Archaeology · Chronology · CONQUEST · Demise · Diversity (politics · Geography · Sociology · Anthropology · History · Indigenous Cultures and Socio-Education · Latin American history and culture

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