In case you were wondering about some of the interesting words and spellings used in The Green Ones, they come from the Nahuatl language. Some of the words are actual Nahuatl words while some of the others are fabrications I constructed by mashing different Nahuatl words, roots, and suffixes together. I’ve also denoted which of the terms are considered slang within the world of the Green Ones. Anywho, here is where you can come for definitions! (Let me know if you come across a term in the story that I left out of the glossary.)
Achitzin—little bit
Altepetl—city or city state
Atetl—testicle
Atlaco—river
Axnohtic—dumb
Cacocone—dead children
Cada—each
Caxtolli—fifteen
Caxtolli once—sixteen
Centavo—cent
Cera—candle
Chantiah—they were living
Chadzitzin—living dead, working dead
Chicuei—eight (the sacred number)
Cuali—good
Cuaz—eat
Huehue—ancient
Iztac—white
Masa—the dough. Used as the common name for the organized military and civic forces of youth that run the city. The name of the organization or entity.
Masazin—used to reference the soldiers or workers of Masa; a made up word for dough/yeast of the people.
Mihcatzitzintin—dead people
Neca—black
Nota—my father
Occe—other
Ohtli—road
Pahpaqui—happy
Piotzin—little chick
Pipiltoton—children
Techichic—alcoholic drink
Tecoli—charcoal
Tecozan—badger
Teoaltepetl—god city
Teocalli—temple
Teotl—God
Teotlalli—Godland/desert
Teotlatla—god burning, wonderful burning
Teotletl—terrible/wonderful fire
Teoyetl—God bean
Teoyohtica tahtli—Godfather
Teoyotl—something divine
Teoxoxoctic—godgreen
Teteo—Gods
Tlaca—people
Tlamatque—wise man
Tlanahuatihqui—leader
Tlanahuatiani—general
Tlatlaca—people
Tletl—fire
Tletl macuil—fire five
Totahtzin—our father
Toteotzin—Lord
Xocoyotzin—the youngest
Xayac—face
Xoxoctic—green
Ycpitl or icpitl—firefly
Yetl—bean
Zacatl—grass
(Slang) axnohtic occe cada—group insult loosely translated, “Each dumber than the other.” Can be used to refer to a bunch of idiots.
(Slang) chichi—slut or someone who sleeps around without even producing offspring.
(Slang) cheche—a person or situation that is being a pain in the butt; typically used to reference a difficult female.
(Slang) huey—great!; usually used sarcastically
(Slang) occetahtli—other father, gigolo.
(Slang) pahpaquitli—happy one. Used as a mild reference to what is commonly known as a happy bastard, or a child born within a happy marriage, but quietly sired by a gigolo.
(Slang) teocuali—good god, or typically used as a means of saying freaking, “There is a teocuali fortress.”
(Slang) xoxo—usually as a question, ie. “Are we green? Is our relationship living?”
(Slang) xoxochueyi!—expletive literally translated great green!; it is a mild manner of swearing by all living things.
(Slang) yoalzoah—night wife, or prostitute.
(Slang) zacatl ticcuaz—literally to eat grass, or “you eat grass.” A mild way of telling someone to go hump themselves.