Re: [tied] Re: Chico [...]

Would the Basque variant "txiki" explain phonetically "chico"
or one would expect a Castillian "chiqui"?! If yes, could an
eventual "chiqui" > "chico"?!

As long I know, "chiqui" only exists like a familiar word (with the meaning "dear, sweetheart") and an unstressed -i ending is strange in patrimonial castilian words. But, I'm not a Spanish linguist, I'm just Spanish.

----- Original Message -----

From: m_iacomi

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2004 8:12 PM

Subject: [tied] Re: Chico [...]

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Miguel Carrasquer wrote: > On Thu, 08 Apr 2004 13:49:12 +0000, m_iacomi > >> Of course, he might not been aware of Mozarabic phonology and >> assume these words as later loans rather than results of later >> spurious evolution. Are there in Spanish other examples than >> these ones (focus on words not present in Mozarabic)?! > > Mozarabic is not very well documented. In general, if we > find ch- for c- in Castilian, Mozarabic is the usual > explanation (even if the Mozarabic word is not documented). OK, I see. So one can accept a probable Mozarabic influence for "chico" if not loanword. >> The Basque word is to be considered, but since the word is >> rather widespread in Romance [...] I would still favor its >> Latin origin. Basque "txiki" can be very well a loanword: if >> Basque word can explain Iberic terms, for Italian (including >> dialectal forms & meanings), Romanian (if one accepts the >> relationship above) and Sardinian it fails. > > Yes. However, Basque txiki ~ txipi doesn't seem to be a > loanword from Romance (we would expect txiku). Looks like > an independent expressive formation. Would the Basque variant "txiki" explain phonetically "chico" or one would expect a Castillian "chiqui"?! If yes, could an eventual "chiqui" > "chico"?! Regards, Marius Iacomi