xoloitzcuintli

See also: Xoloitzcuintli

Central Nahuatl

Alternative forms

• (Amecameca and Texcoco) xoloitskuintli
• (Cholula) xoloizcuintli

Xoloitzcuintli, “Mexican hairless”.

Etymology

From Classical Nahuatl xoloitzcuintli.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʃo.lot͡sˈkʷin.t͡ɬi]

Noun

xoloitzcuintli

1. Mexican hairless dog.

Synonyms

• (Mexican hairless): itskuinkoyotl (Nanacamilpa)

References

• Mancilla Sepúlveda, Héctor (2002); Lecciones de Náhuatl, Editorial Hirata; Mexico City, Mexico.

Classical Nahuatl

Xoloitzcuintli, “Mexican hairless”.

Etymology

From Xolotl (“Xolotl,” a god associated with death) + itzcuintli (“dog”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʃo.lot͡sˈkʷin.t͡ɬi]

Noun

xoloitzcuintli (animate)

1. The Mexican hairless; a landrace dog with both coated and hairless varieties.
   • 16th c.: Bernardino de Sahagún, Florentine Codex, book 11, f. 17r. col. 1.

     ¶ Otros perrillos •criauan, que / llamauan xoloitzcujntli que pe / njtas njngun pelo tenjan, ydenoche abrigauan los, cõ mantas para dor / mjr. Eſtos perros, no, nacen aſsi: sino / que de pequeños los vntan con reſina, / que se llama oxitl y con esto seles ca / ye el pelo, quedando el cuerpo / muy liso.

     ¶ They bred another dog, which they called xoloitzcujntli, that barely had any hair. At night the covered them with blankets to sleep. These dogs are not born this way, rather, they cover them with a resin called oxitl when they are young, causing their hair to all off, and thus exposing their tender body.

Descendants

• → Central Nahuatl: xoloitzcuintli, xoloitzkuintli
• → Spanish: xoloitzcuintle, xoloscuintle

References

• Rémi Siméon (1885) Diccionario de la lengua náhuatl o mexicana, Siglo Veintiuno Editores