How to Pronounce Tlatelolco

Meaning and Context

Tlatelolco, an ancient Mesoamerican altepetl (city-state) founded in 1337 CE, was a vital commercial and political hub located on the northern shore of Lake Texcoco, adjacent to its twin city Tenochtitlan in what is now modern-day Mexico City. As the primary marketplace of the Aztec Empire, its bustling tianguis (market) was legendary, described by Spanish conquistadors as a center of unprecedented economic activity and cultural exchange. Following its conquest by Tenochtitlan in 1473, Tlatelolco remained a crucial district within the Aztec capital, a site where the pivotal 1521 Battle of Tlatelolco marked the final Spanish conquest of the empire. The location's historical significance extends into the modern era, most infamously for the Tlatelolco massacre on October 2, 1968, when government forces violently suppressed a student protest at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, a tragic event that profoundly shaped Mexican political history and collective memory, making Tlatelolco a powerful symbol of both pre-Columbian grandeur and 20th-century social struggle.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The standard and correct spelling is Tlatelolco. Given its Nahuatl origin, common misspellings and typographical errors often involve the substitution or omission of consonants. Frequent incorrect variations include "Tlateloco" (dropping one 'l'), "Tlatelolko" (replacing 'c' with 'k'), and "Tlatelolcco" (doubling the 'c'). The sequence "tl" at the beginning is a distinctive Nahuatl phoneme and is sometimes mistakenly written as "Tal-" or "Tla-", leading to errors like "Talatelolco." In Spanish-language contexts, the spelling is consistent, but non-native speakers may also struggle with the syllable stress, which falls on the penultimate 'o' (Tla-te-LOL-co), and may erroneously add accents. When searching for information, it is important to use the correct spelling to accurately find resources related to the ancient city, the archaeological site, or the historical events of 1968.

Example Sentences

Archaeologists continue to uncover artifacts at the Tlatelolco site, revealing the immense scale of its marketplace, which once attracted traders from across Mesoamerica.

The Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco physically embodies the layers of Mexican history, showcasing the ruins of a pre-Columbian pyramid, a Spanish colonial church, and modern apartment complexes.

Every October 2nd, a solemn memorial is held to honor the victims of the Tlatelolco massacre, a watershed moment in Mexico's journey toward democracy.

Scholars note that the 1473 war between Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco was a decisive internal conflict that consolidated Aztec power shortly before the Spanish arrival.

Visiting the Tlatelolco archaeological zone offers a profound understanding of urban life in the heart of the Aztec Empire.

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