56 AZTEC WORDS IN THE SPANISH IDIOM. Book I. 
and, like Jinotepet, was situated on the boundary-line 
between the two languages — the Aztec and the Dirian. 
In the latter, according to Oviedo, the word masaya means 
" the burning mountain." By the Aztec neighbours of 
the Dirians, the volcano at the foot of which the town of 
Masaya is situated was called Popogatepec — "the smok- 
ing mountain'* — a name synonymous with that of the 
celebrated Popocatepetl, of Mexico. Thus, the name of 
the village of Masatepet likewise seems to be a compound 
of two words belonging to two languages, as the first part 
is apparently connected with that of the town and volcano 
of Masaya. 
The encroachments of the Aztec language on the other 
idioms of Central America are an interesting fact which 
may contribute to throw light on the migrations of the 
American aboriginal races and the history of their civili- 
zation. In Nicaragua, where, as far as we know, only a 
fragment of the Aztec race existed at the time of the 
conquest, still a considerable number of Aztec words have 
been admitted in the Spanish idiom of the country ; as, for 
instance: moyote, the mosquito; Aztec moyotl; — sacate, 
grass ; Aztec sacatl ; — mecate, thread ; Aztec mecatl ; — 
metate, the stone on which mais is ground ; Aztec metatl. 
The latter three words, like many others, are in common 
use in the Spanish idiom of Mexico. A beautiful little 
bird, of red colour, frequently seen in Nicaragua, is called 
cicitote. The name, no doubt, is a compound of the two 
Aztec words, chichiltic, red, and tototl, bird. One circum- 
stance, however, is particularly striking, as an instance of 
the adoption of Aztec words in the Spanish dialect of 
Nicaragua. In the social life of Granada the word "pipe" 
(pronounced peepey) is used as an address or title of honour 
and affection granted to any superior or more distinguished 
