Chili Queen & Chiquita & How's tricks?

[Charles Doyle]

I don't have a Spanish dictionary, but I'd suppose "chiquita" represents a diminutive of "chica" ('girl, [attractive] young woman').  Furthermore, given the semantic similarity, many English speakers probably associate "chica" with "chick"; women often find both epithets offensive.

In any case, I happen to recall (or think I recall!) that "chica" comes from Latin "ciccum" ('something little, worthless'--or, literally, 'pomegranate seed'), from the Greek.  English "chick" or "chicken," although the etymology is somewhat obscure, is purely Germanic.

So: "chica/o" is probably not directly related to the proper nickname "Chuck" or the older use of "chuck" as a term of endearment.  And, of course, the name "Carlos" wouldn't easily produce the nickname "Chuck" or "Chick"-- or "Chuco"!

--Charlie
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---- Original message ----
>Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 13:18:12 EDT
>From: Bapopik at AOL.COM
>Subject: Chili Queen & Chiquita & How's tricks?
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU

>Perhaps "Chiquita" (female name) is relevant to the "Chick" (male  name) discussion.
>...

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