The Spanish word 'chiva' (meaning 'female goat') has an interesting origin that starts with the sound used to call goats - 'chib'. This call evolved into 'chivo' meaning 'young goat'. When combined with the Spanish suffix '-ato' (used to indicate young animals), it formed 'chivato' meaning 'young goat'. The word 'chiva' developed as the feminine form, specifically referring to a female goat. Interestingly, 'chivato' also took on the metaphorical meaning of 'informer' or 'snitch' in modern Spanish slang.

Several related Spanish words share this goat-themed etymology. The masculine 'chivo' meaning 'young goat' is commonly used, while 'chivato' can refer to either a young goat or colloquially to an informer. These words form a family of terms all derived from the original goat-calling sound 'chib'.

While there aren't direct English cognates from this Spanish word family (as it comes from a uniquely Spanish onomatopoeia for calling goats), English speakers might find it interesting that both Spanish and English sometimes use animal terms metaphorically - just as 'chivato' came to mean 'informer', English uses 'rat' in a similar way to refer to someone who informs on others.