Chicken typing is a DynamicTyping term coined most probably by JimWeirich, and it refers to testing wheter an object responds to a method, before actually calling the method on it. The idea is, that excessively regular use of this pattern is a violation of TellDontAsk principle. I am so excited about the word "chicken typing", that I can't help myself but making this page about it. (Reference eg. https://github.com/myronmarston/ruby-conf-2011-notes/blob/master/writing_solid_code.md)

(Or was it RickDeNatale? http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/2007/10/22/chicken-typing-isnt-duck-typing)
BorisStitnicky