Cuacha

[Frye, David]

Francisco J. Santamaria was a great lexicographer but not much of an etymologist; still, it bears repeating that his dictionary entry for "cuacha" (defining it as "mierda de gallina," chickenshit) claims that it is "voz tar." i.e. a term from Tarasco or Purepecha. He also notes that it is used in the North West of the country. It is also worth recalling that Nahuatl is an important language, but hardly the only indigenous language, even in central Mexico (and most of these languages are unrelated to one another).

For "caca," Corominas's Diccionario etimologico notes a first occurence in print from 1517 and says it is a "Voz de creacion expresiva procedente del lenguaje infantil," i.e. baby talk, which makes sense. Linguists have noted that the common first words used by infants and small children, especially words for mother (mama, nana, etc) and father (papa, dada, tata, etc.) tend to use the consonants and vowels that are the easiest for the developing child to pronounce, and to duplicate the first syllable. Caca (also pipi, poopoo, etc.) follows a similar pattern, so there is no reason to suppose it is anything other than 'baby talk.'

Finally, if anyone is still hunting for an etymology of 'cuachalote,' I would again note that the common Mexican word for turkey, 'guajalote' comes from Nahuatl 'huehxo:lo:tl,' so I wouldn't be surprised if the 'cuach' part came from something that didn't sound exactly like 'cuach' in the original Nahuatl.... assuming that there *is* a Nahuatl original; because '-ote' is a pretty common intensifier ending in Spanish (gordote, buenote, etc.). On the other hand, 'cuachalote' doesn't appear to be used anywhere except Mexico City and point north, which does tend to point to a Nahuatl connection. 

David Frye