# Wallace & Gromit: What does "Chuck" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123 "2006-02-18T21:40:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/1 "2006-02-18T21:40:19Z")
In the short film _A Close Shave_, Wendolyn calls Wallace ‘Chuck’, so I thought that was his given name. But in the feature length _Curse Of The Were-Rabbit_ Wallace calls Gromit by the name ‘Chuck’ in one scene. Is it a term of endearment? Or did I mis-hear? ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/2 "2006-02-18T21:42:25Z")
Yes, it’s a term of endearment used in the north of England, roughly equivalent to the American “buddy”, but without the sarcastic overtones. (“Move your car, buddy!”) ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/3 "2006-02-18T22:05:22Z")
Often Chooky-egg, Chook etc- from Chicken/Chick. A contestant on Big Brother a couple of years ago who came from the North East used the full word Chicken about her ‘friend’ in the house. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/4 "2006-02-18T22:30:55Z")
I thought she called him “duck”? 😕 In Curse of the Were-Rabbit the love interest calls people duck/ducks doesn’t she? (Or, am I brain farting and mis-remembering?) ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/5 "2006-02-18T22:56:01Z")
Oh, weird. I _just_ watched that. I mean, ten minutes ago. (Got the “Crackling Collection” on DVD, and I just watched the three shorts so we can lend the DVDs out to a friend.) Um. That’s all I have to say. Although I’m going to call my husband “chuck” from now on. My mother used to call me duck, or ducks, as a term of endearment. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/6 "2006-02-18T23:06:40Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > I thought she called him “duck”? 😕 In Curse of the Were-Rabbit the love interest calls people duck/ducks doesn’t she? (Or, am I brain farting and mis-remembering?) “Duck” is also appropriate. Note to Americans: “chuck” and “duck” should rhyme with “took”, not “puck”. And **Savannah** , that should be “cracking”, not “crackling”: “cracking” means great, wonderful, fantastic. By 'eck. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/7 "2006-02-18T23:11:15Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > “chuck” and “duck” should rhyme with “took”, not “puck” Ignore this northern propaganda. (I have a Yorkshire friend who emigrated, and has taken three years to learn how to pronounce ‘bucks’ without sounding like a tourist) ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/8 "2006-02-18T23:23:03Z")
> [@Pjen](#): > > A contestant on Big Brother a couple of years ago who came from the North East used the full word Chicken about her ‘friend’ in the house. > > Often Chooky-egg, Chook etc- from Chicken/Chick. Calling people ‘chuck’ is one of Cilla Black’s trademarks, IIRC. Isn’t it more of a northwestern than a northeastern thing? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/9 "2006-02-18T23:27:08Z")
It’s also the reason why the nickname “Chuck” is used for “Charles.” Essentially, “chuck” meant “dear one” (it’s a reference to the gesture of “chucking under the chin”: a gesture made to one you love). It was used originally for any loved one, but attached itself to the name “Charles”; I’d guess because they start with the same sound. One who knows. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2006, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/10 "2006-02-18T23:32:38Z")
**Cracking Collection** it is, Chuck! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/11 "2006-02-19T00:20:59Z")
Thanks for the input everyone. With regard to “Buddy” I have to point out that it doesn’t carry sarcastic overtones unless it’s obviously enunciated that way. It can also be a term of endearment. I’ve heard fathers calling their new baby sons “buddy”. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/12 "2006-02-19T00:25:54Z")
This term is also used in _The Wrong Trousers_. Wallace gives a birthday present to Gromit and says, “Happy birthday, chuck!” ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/13 "2006-02-19T01:10:46Z")
I’d always thought it was “chook” as in “chicken.” ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/14 "2006-02-19T01:17:34Z")
“Chook” as in “chicken” is more Australian than British. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/15 "2006-02-19T03:40:54Z")
Chook brings to mind the chook cannon mod from Doom II. Or maybe it was Doom. Whichever, I remember haivng a great time coming up with replacement sounds for the guns and baddies in that game with my sister’s old boyfriend. mmmmm BOOGA BOOGA BOOGA! ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/16 "2006-02-19T04:38:39Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > **Cracking Collection** it is, Chuck! Grand, pet. 'Ave a lard butty. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/17 "2006-02-19T06:17:33Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > that should be “cracking”, not “crackling”: “cracking” means great, wonderful, fantastic. I happend to be in Peru with some Brits. One of them refered to Machu Pichu as some “cracking crumblies”. That has been a term that I have used ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/18 "2006-02-19T13:53:33Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > I happend to be in Peru with some Brits. One of them refered to Machu Pichu as some “cracking crumblies”. That has been a term that I have used ever since. Is British slang really better than American, or does it just sound that way to us Yanks? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/19 "2006-02-19T14:46:33Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Ignore this northern propaganda. (I have a Yorkshire friend who emigrated, and has taken three years to learn how to pronounce ‘bucks’ without sounding like a tourist) I agree . Here in the East Midlands _duck_ (the favourite term of endearment) rhymes with _puck_ ---
**Author:** ![ninevah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@ninevah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninevah)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123/20 "2006-02-19T21:22:02Z")
> [@Alan Smithee](#): > > Is British slang really better than American, or does it just sound that way to us Yanks? I think so. I mean, do the Yanks have anything as brilliant as rhyming slang? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wallace-gromit-what-does-chuck-mean/345123.md?page=2)