saqil

K'iche'

FWOTD – 9 September 2019

Etymology

saq (“white; bright”) + -il (“nominalizing suffix”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /saːˈqʰiːl/

Noun

saqil

1. light
2. clarity
3. purity
   • c. 1554, anonymous, Popul Vuh, transcribed c. 1701 by Francisco Ximénez, trans. Allen Christenson:

     Ta xquitzihoh ronohel ruq xquiban chic chizaquil qolem, zaquil tzih

     They gave voice to all things and accomplished their purpose in purity of being and in truth [lit. purity of words].

4. whiteness
5. wisdom
6. resplendence

Related terms

• ajsikil saqil (“first days of summer”)
• chi saqil (“in the open; openly”)
• ikim saqil (“sun in June”)
• kiäqal saqil (“bad fortune; witchcraft”)
• saqil k’aslem (“civilization”)
• saqil saqmol (“egg white”)
• saqilal (“light”)
• yupnajik saqil (“to flash on and off”)

References

• Allen J. Christenson, Kʼiche-English dictionary