to speak; to issue proclamations and commands (and, therefore, to govern); to supervise or direct something; also, for birds to chatter, chirp, sing
Auh ixqujch nenca in tlaҫotototl, y xiuhtototl, in quetzaltototl, i ҫaqua, in tlauhquechol, yoan in ie ixqujch nepapan tototl in cenca vel tlatoa, in vel tepacic cujca = And there dwelt all [varieties of] birds of precious feather—the blue cotinga, the quetzal, the trupial, the red spoonbill, and all the different birds, which spoke very well; which sang right sweetly (central Mexico, sixteenth century)
nopan tlatoz = will speak for me (In Toluca Valley wills, an indicator of who is to serve as executor)
ipan tlatoa, or ypan tlatoa = urge it, encourage it; to see that something is done
Mochiuh retablo tecalpapatzaco ypan tlato don Gregorio gobernador. = Se hizo el retablo bajo la parte ancha de la bóveda; de eso se ocupó don Gregorio, gobernador. (Tlaxcala, 1662–1692)
nitlanauatia yn albaceas mochiuan ytoca Diegu de las Casas euatl ypan tlatoz ynopilhuan = mando que ha de ser mi albecea Diego de las Casas, que hablará por mis hijos
ayamo huel nahuatlatohuaya = aún no hablaba náhuatl (Tlaxcala, 1662–1692)