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Chilli: Difference between revisions

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Created page with "The word 'chilli'' (''"Capsicum annuum"'', first attested ) comes from Nahuatl <''chilli''> /''tʃi:l-li''/ of the same meaning. The Nahua root ''chil-'' "chilli" is most likely derived in one of two ways: 1. from Pre-Nahua *''tsira'' "red" from PSUA *''sita'' "red". One argument for this derivation is that one of the words for "red" in Nahuatl is <chichi:ltic> /tʃitʃi:ltik/ which is often thought to be derived from the word for chilli. The form *tsira..."
 
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2 from PSUA *''[[tsiri]]'' "singe, burn".
2 from PSUA *''[[tsiri]]'' "singe, burn".
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Revision as of 12:19, 9 June 2025

The word 'chilli ("Capsicum annuum", first attested ) comes from Nahuatl <chilli> /tʃi:l-li/ of the same meaning.

The Nahua root chil- "chilli" is most likely derived in one of two ways:

1. from Pre-Nahua *tsira "red" from PSUA *sita "red". One argument for this derivation is that one of the words for "red" in Nahuatl is <chichi:ltic> /tʃitʃi:ltik/ which is often thought to be derived from the word for chilli. The form *tsira is not supported by cognates in Coracholan, but it would not an unexpected development from *sita "red" given stress on the first syllable, which would motivate a fortis reflex of *s and a lenis reflex of *t, giving *síta > *tsíra, following lateralization of the r the unaccented second syllable is then lost with compensatory lengthening of the vowel in the first syllable *tsíra > *tsi:l, and then the ts is palatalized giving /tʃi:l/ .

or

2 from PSUA *tsiri "singe, burn".