Reconstruction:Proto-Uto-Aztecan/aya

This Proto-Uto-Aztecan entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Uto-Aztecan

Noun

*aya

1. tortoise, turtle
2. rattle (instrument)

Descendants

*aya (unmarked)

• Hopi: aaya (“gourd rattle”)
• Ute: aʔaja (turtle)
• Kawaiisu: ʔaya (turtle)
• ⇒ Classical Nahuatl: āyacachtli (“rattle”)
• ⇒ Mayo: áyacame (“rattlesnake”)

*aya-ta (absolutive)

• Cahuilla: 'ayill (“tortoise”)
• Cupeño: ayily (“tortoise; tortoiseshell rattle (when possessed)”)

*aya-wït (augmentative)

• Huichol: ꞌayé (“tortoise”)
• Tubar: hajaweṯ (“tortoise”)

*aya-wït-ta (augmentative and absolutive)

• Proto-Nahuan: *aayootl (“tortoise”)
  • Classical Nahuatl: āyōtl
  • Pochutec: ayuʹt
  • Tetelcingo Nahuatl: öyutl
  • ⇒ Mecayapan Nahuatl: a̱yo̱tzi̱n
  • ⇒ Pipil: āyūtzin

References

• Miller, Wick R. (1967) Uto-Aztecan Cognate Sets (University of California Publications in Linguistics; 48), Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, page 51: “341 rattle *ʔay.”