Hi Santosh, Alfred et al, Thanks for those possibilities, certainly Alfred's is the most interesting of all :-)
Santosh's interpretation could be a strong possibility. The word has something to do with an empty mug. Best, Selma --- On Sat, 7/11/09, Santosh Helekar <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Santosh Helekar <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Goanet] Canecos > To: " estb. 1994!Goa's premiere mailing list" <[email protected]> > Date: Saturday, July 11, 2009, 7:33 PM > > Selma, > > Just a shot in the dark. Since the word caneco refers to a > tin mug, perhaps, they meant paupers - panhandlers - begging > for alms in tin mugs. In Konknni there is a similar metonym > - "cuttichhap" - to derogatorily refer to a poor person who > has to beg with a cutti or coconut shell. > > Cheers, > > Santosh > > --- On Sat, 7/11/09, Carvalho <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > Hi Antonio, > > I too am finding it difficult to trace the exact > colloquial > > translation of this word but my mother remembers the > slur > > clearly and I have found a reference made to it, in a > 1950 > > booklet produced by the Goa League. Peinture a > canecos, > > means to play the fool, so I am assuming the word > canecos by > > itself when used as a racial slur, meant stupid. > > > > Take care, > > selma > > > > > >
