The phonology and morphology of Filomeno Mata Totonac

2.8.4 Sound symbolism in verbs. Many verb pairs or series exist with some type of
augmentative-diminutive semantic relationship. In a few cases, the change in the consonant
indicates a non-gradient difference in semantics, as for example in kuka ‘carry something on
one’s back’ vs. qoqa ‘carry a child on one’s back’. It is unclear to what extent verbs may be
derived synchronically using sound symbolic consonants.
Table 2.15 Verbs derived by sound symbolism
suu ‘peel something with a thin peel’
s%uu ‘peel something with thick peel’
snat ‘embrace someone’
"nat ‘embrace someone brusquely’
sqawi ‘bend something’
"qawi ‘bend something thick’
snapu ‘cover something’
"napu ‘cover with something heay/thick’
stunk ‘straighten’
s%tonq ‘stretch’
maapeqs ‘peel something whose skin is removed in
pieces’
maapeqs" ‘shell somethin+ in a pod'
sqo ‘it illuminates'
"ku ‘it burns'
s"qo ‘it burns (a skin rash)’
s%toqo ‘inject’
stoqo ‘insert a spit into meat’
"toqo ‘scrape the bottom when stirring’
"tuku ‘prick, stab’
2.9 Spanish loanword phonology. The lexicon of most speakers of Filomeno Mata Totonac
includes a relatively small number of borrowings from Spanish. Most of my consultants show no
tendency to code switch when in the village, where modern life has intruded only slightly thus
far. Because most of the loanwords they use are well-integrated into the phonology of Totonac,
and name objects available in the 16 th century and unknown in Mexico before the arrival of the
Spaniards, I assume that most of these borrowings date back to early in the period of
! **!