Charlie

[Dennis R. Preston]

The closest I can get is Japanese "shamo," a fighting cock.

dInIs

>"Charlie" used for Japanese forces in World War II is only very
>rarely attested.  Presumably it alluded to the fictional (Chinese)
>detective, Charlie Chan, created by Earl Derr Biggers. There's no
>record of the word being applied in the Korean war.
>
>Does anybody know if forces in Iraq or Afghanistan have received
>this name too, as a leftover from Vietnam - or Vietnam war movies?
>
>"Tojo" appears occasionally, but mostly features in WWII-era movies.
>"Skibby" saw some use but was also uncommon.
>
>Something of a mystery word for the Japanese was "shambo."  It seems
>to have been restricted to the First Marine Division and was
>resurrected in Korea for the Chinese.
>Any etymological suggestions?
>
>JL
>
>Sam Clements <SClements at NEO.RR.COM> wrote:
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: Sam Clements
>Subject: Re: Charlie
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>HDAS has "Charlie" from Time Mag. in 1942. Look at the 5b. listing under
>"Charlie." It's easy to miss.
>
>SC
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Michael Quinion"
>To:
>Sent: Sunday, October 10, 2004 4:43 AM
>Subject: Charlie
>
>
>>  While researching "skivvies" recently, I cam across this in an
>>  article by Damon Runyon in a New England newspaper in 1942:
>>
>>  "'Skibby' is what Japs are called to this day by most Californians
>>  even in polite circles, and it is unlikely that the California home-
>>  grown soldiers will dismiss it for the more polite 'Charlie' and
>>  'Tojo' that the dispatches from the Far East would have us believe
>>  are now terms for the enemy."
>>
>>  To me, and the OED, "Charlie" dates from the Vietnam era. Are we
>>  wrong or was Damon Runyon mistaken?
>>
>>  --
>>  Michael Quinion
>>  Editor, World Wide Words
>>  E-mail:
>>  Web:
>>
>
>
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--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic,
        Asian and African Languages
Wells Hall A-740
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027 USA
Office: (517) 353-0740
Fax: (517) 432-2736