Infancy: life and language in limbo

Artist’s impression of a Mexica/Aztec infant

Life begins at three: historically the Nahua people viewed weaning as the key to the development of language in infancy. Separation of child from mother-earth, at three years old, enabled entry into the real world of social existence and communication, of punishment, of solid food, and the loss of innocence... Whilst being breast-fed the child remained in a state of ‘pre-existential limbo’ and verbal mumbo-jumbo. As soon as (s)he began eating maize and speaking Nahuatl, the child had taken the first step on the road to becoming a (miniature) Mexica citizen... (Compiled by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)