·     In theory (grammatically speaking) this is just the possessed form of ajaw, but in practice it forms an independent word meaning “sub-ordinate” or “vassal” lord. One name/title precedes and another follows the word yajaw. The “possessed” person is the vassal and the “possessor” is the overlord: <X> yajaw <Y> = “<X>, the lord of <Y>” (in this context, “of” in the sense “owned by”, like “the house of”, “the torch of”, etc).

·     In a different construction, yajaw can be followed by a noun like k’ahk’ = “fire” or te’ = “wood”/ “spear”: the “Lord of the Fire”, the “Lord of the Spear”. In that context:

o It’s a title held by various dignitaries in the Classic Maya administration.

o The lord is master of the noun which follows (see yajaw k’ahk’, yajaw te’).

o As an independent noun, yajaw can be preceded by a u-possessive particle, and followed by the name/title of the ruler of a polity: <X> uyajaw-k’ahk’ <Y> = “<X> is the Lord of the Fire of <Y>”, i.e. serves ruler <Y> in the role of “Lord of the Fire”.

·     The word yajaw can be spelled either a ya-AJAW(-wa) or ya-ja-wa.

o It’s a single word, not multiple words, to it can’t really be classified as a phrase.

o One of the spellings uses the logogram AJAW (not as a rebus), so it shouldn’t be classified as a “mixed” spelling (of syllabograms and rebuses) either. But this is such an unusual situation that the classification system is bent slightly, and it’s viewed (just from a technical perspective) as a “mixed” spelling.