Tsina:ka

/tsina:ka/, /tsina:kan/, "bat" in many Nahuan languages. Many other Nahuan languages have formed words for bat as compound nouns of the roots for mouse /mitʃin/ <michin> and words for "flutter" papatlani or "butterfly" papalo:-tl (kimichpapatla:n, kimichpapalotl).

Attestations: This is the most widely attested word for "bat" in Nahuan languages. Attested also in many toponyms: E.g. San Miguel Zinacatepec, near Cuetzalan Puebla, and San Lorenzo Zinacantán, Chiapas.

Molina (1571:??): <tzinacan>

Karttunen (1983:312): <tzinācan>

Florentine: ?

Variant forms:

tsona:ka (Tetelcingo: tzonöcatl (Pittman 1971:67; Lastra 1986), tsonaka San Agustín Oapan (Lastra 1986))

Etymology: Proto-Nahuatl *tsinakan is derived from Pre-Nahua *tsoinaika, which in turn comes from PSUA *sopi(tsi) "bat" (or "butterfly") + PSUA *naika "mouse". The final -n in tsina:kan, one of the common forms, appears to come from the collective plural ending -mɨ, typically used for small animals in large groups.

Nahuan: tsina:ka, tsina:kan, tsona:kan

Proto-Nahuatl *tsina:ka, *tsina:kan, *tsona:ka

Pre-Nahuan *tsoi-naika-mɨ

Pre-Corachol-Nahua *tsohi-naika

PSUA *sopi+*naika