miyahuatototl

Classical Nahuatl

A lesser goldfinch in California, United States.

Alternative forms

• miauatototl, miaoatvtvtl (obsolete)

Etymology

From miyāhuatl (“corn tassel”) +‎ tōtōtl (“bird”). Cf. Northern Puebla Nahuatl miahuatototl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mi.jaː.waˈtoː.toːt͡ɬ]

Noun

miyāhuatōtōtl (animate)

1. lesser goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)

   Synonym: xōpantōtōtl

   • [1569], Bernardino de Sahagún, editor, Florentine Codex, volume 3, page 56r:

     ¶ Miaoatvtvtl: yoan itvca xopã tvtvtl, ololtvntli, coziaiactic; tlâtvle, iamanca tlatvle, cujcanj, teiolpaqujlti, teiolavielti: qualtvn, qualtepil, qualtetvn

     Miyahuatototl: it is also called xopantototl, is small and round, dark and yellow; it has a song, a soft song, is a singer, makes people happy, pleases people; it is small, little, tiny.

Derived terms

• tozmiyāhuatōtōtl

References

• Molina, Alonso de (1571) Vocabulario en lengua mexicana y castellana (in Spanish), Mexico: Antonio de Spinosa, page 55v: “Miauatototl.paxarico amarillo que canta ſuauemente.”