Tico
Encyclopedia
Tico is a colloquial term for a native of Costa Rica. The plural form is ticos.
Costa Ricans are usually referred to as ticos by themselves and persons of other Spanish-speaking countries, instead of using the more-formal costarricense. Some dictionaries show the formal name as costarricenses.
There are two popular explanations of the origin of the term tico. The first is that it derives from the tendency of Costa Ricans to use the -tico diminutive
suffix in Spanish
instead of the more common and widely-used -ito. Literally -tico, when used as a suffix, in Costa Rican Spanish denotes something very small, as the suffix "-ito" would. Use of "-tico" versus "-ito" depends on the word, as not all of them would be easily adapted to "-tico" suffix. For example "small" is "pequeño", and "very small" would be "pequeñito". In Costa Rica
, it would still be said "pequeñito" and not "pequeñitico". However, "chiquito" which may mean "boy" or also a synonym of "small", in its diminutive form will be said "chiquitito" across Spain and Latin America, whereas it will be said "chiquitico" in Costa Rica
.
From a linguistic standpoint, the "tico" namesake is not the same as the actual suffix utilized in everyday Costa Rican language. The actual diminutive suffix is actually "-itico", containing an 'i' that changes from the usual 'o' or 'a' in which a word usually ends.
The second explanation of tico is that it's short for Hermanitico (Little Brother in Spanish as pronounced with the suffix as described above.), a friendly and respectful way the people of Costa Rica used in the past to refer to themselves and each other.
Costa Ricans are usually referred to as ticos by themselves and persons of other Spanish-speaking countries, instead of using the more-formal costarricense. Some dictionaries show the formal name as costarricenses.
There are two popular explanations of the origin of the term tico. The first is that it derives from the tendency of Costa Ricans to use the -tico diminutive
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
suffix in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
instead of the more common and widely-used -ito. Literally -tico, when used as a suffix, in Costa Rican Spanish denotes something very small, as the suffix "-ito" would. Use of "-tico" versus "-ito" depends on the word, as not all of them would be easily adapted to "-tico" suffix. For example "small" is "pequeño", and "very small" would be "pequeñito". In Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, it would still be said "pequeñito" and not "pequeñitico". However, "chiquito" which may mean "boy" or also a synonym of "small", in its diminutive form will be said "chiquitito" across Spain and Latin America, whereas it will be said "chiquitico" in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
.
From a linguistic standpoint, the "tico" namesake is not the same as the actual suffix utilized in everyday Costa Rican language. The actual diminutive suffix is actually "-itico", containing an 'i' that changes from the usual 'o' or 'a' in which a word usually ends.
The second explanation of tico is that it's short for Hermanitico (Little Brother in Spanish as pronounced with the suffix as described above.), a friendly and respectful way the people of Costa Rica used in the past to refer to themselves and each other.
Sources
- Mavis Hiltunen Biesanz, Richard Biesanz, and Karen Zubris Biesanz. The Ticos: Culture and Social Change in Costa Rica. Lynne Rienner PublishersLynne Rienner PublishersLynne Rienner Publishers is an independent scholarly and textbook publishing firm. It was founded in 1984 and publishes in the fields of international studies and comparative world politics. It also publishes books about US politics, sociology and criminology. It also translates foreign books to...
, 1998. - http://www.redsunsetcr.com/FAQ_s/faq_s.html