(a loanword from Spanish)
in prison (Notice how this is an entire phrase made into one word that, in meaning, ignores the imbedded preposition and article. The "a la" did not mean "to the" for the Nahuas; the "a la" became fused with the noun. Other examples are "a la calle" and "a la China." Please note, too, that accents are rare in Nahuatl, whereas cárcel would be accented today in Spanish.)
yvan ala carçel. techtolinia. tiltique Anozo. Españoles Anozo mestiços. ompa. timictilo (Dakin ed. 1996: 16). = And in prison, the blacks or the Spaniards or the mestizos afflict us. We are mistreated there. (petition, Memorias from Guatemala, M 4, Dakin ed. 1996.; time range: 1572]
yvan. techtequiuhtia. ticoch- panazque camino Real yvan A la calle ypal Españoles. yntlacayac ticchiua. niman. techtalia Alacarçel(Dakin ed. 1996:16). = And they assign to us the duty of sweeping the Royal Road and the streets for Spaniards. If we don’t do it, then they put us in prison. (petition, Memorias from Guatemala, M 4, Dakin ed. 1996.; time range: 1572]