How did the Aztec Empire influence language in Mexico?

During the centuries preceding the Spanish and Tlaxcalan conquest of the Aztec Empire, the Aztecs had expanded to incorporate a large part of central Mexico. Their influence caused the variety of Nahuatl spoken by the residents of Tenochtitlan to become a prestige language in Mesoamerica.

What language did Aztecs speak in Mexico?

Nahuatl
Nahuatl, the most important of the Uto-Aztecan languages, was the language of the Aztec and Toltec civilizations of Mexico. A large body of literature in Nahuatl, produced by the Aztecs, survives from the 16th century, recorded in an orthography that was introduced by Spanish priests and based on that of Spanish.

How has the Nahuatl language changed the Spanish language?

Nahuatl added different affixes, prefixes, and/or suffixes to roots to form long words. Then the words as a whole functioned as a sentence does in English. The Spanish colonization of Mexico brought many changes to the already well-structured and developed civilization.

How did Aztecs communicate?

The Aztecs wrote using symbols called glyphs or pictographs. They didn’t have an alphabet, but used pictures to represent events, items, or sounds. Only the priests knew how to read and write. They would write on long sheets made of animal skins or plant fibers.

What language did the conquistadors speak?

During the conquest of Mexico, Spanish and Nahuatl—the mother tongues of the conquistadors and the Mexica—grew newly powerful. Maya, Otomí and hundreds of other languages were spoken in Mesoamerica in the early 16th century. Yet Hernán Cortés understood only Spanish.

Is the Aztec language still alive?

UCLA International Institute, June 5, 2017 — The language of the Aztecs, Nahuatl [pronounced na’ wat], is alive and well today in Los Angeles.

How did language impact the Spanish conquest?

“Language has always been the perfect instrument of empire.” It was prophetic, in that throughout the conquest of the Americas, and the centuries of colonialism, language was used by the Spanish as a tool for conquest: to consolidate political power, to spread the Catholic faith, and to unify the empire.

How did Spanish become the language of Mexico?

Spanish was brought to Mexico in the 16th century by Spanish Conquistadors. As in all other Spanish-speaking countries (including Spain), different accents and varieties of the language exist in different parts of the country, for both historical and sociological reasons.