Name Change
- Share via
The name Michoacan (“Exploring Michoacan, Mexico’s ‘Land of Lakes,’ “July 9) does not mean “land of lakes” in the Tarascan “dialect.” Michoacan is a Hispanicized version of the Nahuatl (Aztec) “Michuacan,” meaning “land of the fishermen” or “land of those who fish.” Furthermore, Tarascan is not a dialect; a dialect derives from another language. Tarascan, or Purepecha, as it is called properly, is a language unto itself. “Tarascan” is a Nahuatl word and not indigenous to the Michoacan area. Its meaning and origin are obscure.
ELIZABETH CASILLAS
Los Angeles
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
