- Versions of the meaning of Coahuila
- According to the Mexican historian Mariano Rojas
- According to the Mexican historian José Vasconcelos
- According to the Mexican historians Tomás Cepeda and Melquíades Ballesteros
- References
The meaning of Coahuila is of Nahuatl origin, a language spoken by the native inhabitants of Mexico. However, there are several versions to which the meaning of the name of Coahuila is attributed.
Coahuila is one of the 31 states that make up Mexico. Its official name is Coahuila de Zaragoza in honor of its founder, the General of Spanish origin, Ignacio Zaragoza.
The meaning of the name Coahuila is the gentilicio of the inhabitants of the region and is derived from native words that were used to name them. The names used were "Cuauila" or "Cuagüila". The original tribe was called "Coahuiltecos".
According to the versions of famous historians, meanings are attributed to them such as "place of many trees", "flying viper" and "the place where the serpent crawls".
Versions of the meaning of Coahuila
There are three versions of the origin of the meaning of the word Coahuila:
According to the Mexican historian Mariano Rojas
It is a compound word of Nahuatl origin; "Coatl", which has the meaning of serpent, and "Huilana" which means to drag.
According to this version, the etymological definition of the word is "place where snakes crawl."
According to the Mexican historian José Vasconcelos
It is a compound word of Nahuatl origin; "Coatl", which means snake or viper and "Huila" or "Huilota", the name given to the dove. According to this version the etymological definition of the word is "flying viper".
Based on this version, in 1922 the coat of arms that represented the state of Coahuila was designed for several years, until the government of President Benecio López Padilla.
According to the Mexican historians Tomás Cepeda and Melquíades Ballesteros
It is a compound word of Nahuatl origin; "Quauitl", which means tree, and "La", suffix that indicates abundance. According to this version, the etymological definition of the word is "abundant tree".
The historian Alfonso González dismisses the first two versions and supports the third version, although with a small difference.
According to his version, the word Coahuila comes from the union of two words of Nahuatl origin.
The first "Quahuitl", which means tree, but when taken from the singular to the plural, the ending "tl" must be deleted, leaving "Quahui", which means trees; and the second the preposition "tla" which means abundance.
According to this version, the etymological definition of the word Coahuila is abundance of trees. The original word for Coahuila according to Don Alfonso is “Coahuitla” which means “Abundance of Trees”.
This is self-explanatory when taking into account that Coahuila is located on the banks of the Monclova River and is an area populated by many trees.
It should be noted that this version is currently the most accepted. In fact, in 1942 the new coat of arms of the State of Coahuila came into force.
In this shield there is a third barracks where you can see a blue field and the rising sun shining above the forest of Nopal trees, which are bordered by a river that represents the Monclova river.
References
- Estrada, VM (2002). Geography 3rd. Editorial Progreso.
- Mexico state. (sf). Coahuila de Zaragoza. Retrieved 11-04-2017, from www.inafed.gob.mx
- Sánchez, MC (2001). Geography 2 of Mexico. Editorial Progreso.
- Standish, P. (2009). The States of Mexico: A Reference Guide to History and Culture. Greenwood Publishing Group.
- The Century of Torreón. (03 of 11 of 2002). Origin of the word Coahuila. Retrieved on 04/11/2017, from elsiglodetorreon.com.mx