The role of technology in education changes over time. On this blog I write about the role of smartphones in learning ancient language and culture. And I also think about AI system like ChatGPT. Can they be used as an expert docent in a museum or as an expert tutor for the individual learner? Here’s some snippets from a discussion I had with ChatGPT-4 Plus. My two questions are in bold italics:
I figured out one glyph block encodes the ancient Maya word “otoot”, can you translate that to English?
The word “otoot” in the Maya language means “his/her/its house” or “home”. The term is a possessive construction:
“ot-” is a possessive prefix meaning “his/her/its”.
“toot” means “house” or “home”.
So, when combined, “otoot” translates to “his/her/its house” or simply “home” in English. It’s worth noting that the Maya language, like many ancient languages, has variations and nuances, so context in which the word appears is essential for precise interpretation. But in its most basic form, that’s the meaning of “otoot”.
Are there other possessive prefixes in Maya besides “ot-“?
Yes, the Maya language has several possessive prefixes to indicate possession, and these change based on the possessor. Here are some of the basic possessive prefixes in Maya for inalienable possession (things that one inherently possesses, like body parts or familial relationships):
In – first person singular (my/mine)
At – second person singular (your/yours)
U – third person singular (his/her/its)
Kin – first person plural (our/ours)
Aaw – second person plural (your/yours, plural)
Ux – third person plural (their/theirs)
For example, using the word “toot” (house) again:
into’ot = my house
atto’ot = your house
uto’ot = his/her/its house
These prefixes are for Classical Maya and may have variations across different Maya languages and time periods. It’s important to note that the way possession is marked in Maya languages can be more complex, especially when considering alienable vs. inalienable possession, and the above is a simplified overview.
I do not have time to check all of this now but it looks pretty impressive. At least the first entry is correct. According to page 144 of Montgomery’s How to Read Maya Hierglyphs, “In” is a first person singular possessive prefix.