Aro

Proto-Corachol-Nahuan *aro "macaw" (or potentially "large bird used for its plumage")

Reconstructed based on the following cognates

Nahuatl: alo "macaw" sp. “Papagayo grande"” (Molina 1571:4)

Wixárika: 'áaru "wild turkey", sp. “guajolote silvestre” (Grimes 1981:179)

Explanation

The correspondence between the phonological form of the words is perfectly regular, with correspondences between a/a, l/r, and o/u. Wixárika adds a prothetic glottal stop to all roots beginning with a vowel. The main difference is in the semantics, but both words refer to large birds, both of which are traditionally used for their plumage. Prior to colonization macaws where a highly valued trade object, primarily because their plumage was used for adornments. Wild turkey feathers are still important to Wixárika people today, who continue to use them to adorn feathered hats.

If we accept that Nahuan sometimes reflects PCN *r as /s/ when it occurs in preconsonantal position after the final vowel has undergone syncope, we can see a number of other potential Nahuan cognates with the form /as/;

Nahuatl as-tla:n "macaw place".

Nahuatl as-teka "macaw people"

Nahuatl ahas- "wing"

Nahuatl kilas- "female deity", "woman"

Nahuatl asta- "heron"

Derived from

PSUA *haro

reconstructed based on the Nahuatl and Wixárika cognates, and the Tepiman word harua "heron" (????).

How to cite:
Pharao Hansen, Magnus. 2026. Aro. In SUALEX: A Southern Uto-Aztecan Etymological Dictionary. https://sualex.cenzontle.org/index.php?title=Aro (accessed 20 April 2026).

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