Surprisingly, we actually have comparatively few questions this week, and most of them are already in the queue to be answered in writing. But we also have this vlog-specific question, so the blog's fascination with the Aztecs, which has been seriously booming lately, continues!
Question: One of my favorite parts of your vlogs is hearing Anne pronounce the names of the Aztec gods. Even when I think I have a grasp on how to say them, she says them differently. I request a section of the vlog with Anne showing us how to pronounce the names of the Aztec gods. Too much to ask?
Next time we do this, John makes hilarious attempts to pronounce the Ø vowel and declares his undying hatred for triphthongs.
This was very interesting.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering though, how do you know all this awesome stuff? Is there a google app I don't know about, Siri works with dead languages, Axtec for Dummies can be found at your local Walmart?
Mostly study, I'm afraid - I don't know of any easy shortcuts for English-speakers, as Nahuatl really isn't a language in demand for most. You might try the hilariously-named Inadequate Lessons in Nahuatl as a good beginning resource. Andrews' Introduction to Classical Nahuatl is the classic text for trying to learn the language, but it's also pretty old and very dense, so it's difficult to plow through without an instructor's help.
DeleteBack when I was a wee slip of an undergraduate girl working on a degree in ethnomusicology, I took a lot of diction classes specifically designed to help English-speakers correctly pronounce and find their way around in foreign languages. Language just happens to be one of my long suits, as opposed to John, who can whip me senseless at math.
WTB IPA transcriptions for god names!
ReplyDeleteI've always been pretty good at pronunciations (I took similar diction classes as a vocal major) but I haven't slaved over books for hours like Anne has, so I always need her to pronounce things for me once or twice.
Ha ha, I was thinking of doing transcriptions, and then I was like, "Is it worth it to use IPA? Do enough people other than music majors and linguists know how to even read it?"
DeleteI should totally do a big old pronunciation guide (for everyone, not just Aztecs) and put it up for download.