Posted by David Radcliffe on July 25, 1998 at 22:00:25:
In Reply to: Etymology of the word "Titty" posted by Julien Foster on July 25, 1998 at 19:19:36:
In Brogans book it would appear that Titty was used in place of Taqui.
Why? Perhaps Taqui was known as Titty as a small child? I don't know.
Perhaps "Taqui" was considered to be too obscure by Ransome.
I have long thought that Titty might be from Letitia or Lettice.
These may have been fairly well known names in the 1930s,
and "Titty" might have been an accepted abreviation, afterall
being called Lettice wouldn't be much fun.......
Page 311 of the Paperback version reads:
"Taqui Altounyan has described the arrival of the book (S&A) in Aleppo:
My mother turned the pages while we breathed down her neck.
'Susan'... well, that was quite a common name, 'Roger' - a queer coincidence
... TITTY .... There were our names........."