From Guinea to Ginzo?

[James Smith]

--- Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU> wrote:
> At 2:39 AM -0500 2/12/01, Bruce Dykes wrote:
> >
> >After reading several of the Guinea posts, 'ginzo'
> was jogged in my memory,
> >meaning just the same thing, and possibly a
> descendant.
> >
> >I did a Google search to be sure, and the following
> popped up from Barleby's
> >(bartleby.com):
> >----------------------
> >The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English
> Language: Fourth Edition.
> >2000.
> >
> >ginzo
> >
> >SYLLABICATION: gin·zo
> >PRONUNCIATION:   gn´z
> >
> >NOUN : Offensive Slang Inflected forms: pl. -zoes
> >Used as a disparaging term for a person of Italian
> birth or descent.
> >
> >ETYMOLOGY: Origin unknown.
>
...

Possibly derived from 'gonzo', Italian for: NOODLE;
LOOPY; DUPE; NINNY; NODDY; NINCOMPOOP; MUG.


=====
James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
SLC, UT                        |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.

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