Nonsymmetric Askey-Wilson polynomials are usually written as Laurent
polynomials. We write them equivalently as 2-vector-valued symmetric Laurent
polynomials. Then the Dunkl-Cherednik operator of which they are
eigenfunctions, is represented as a 2x2 matrix-valued operator. As a new result
made possible by this approach we obtain positive definiteness of the inner
product in the orthogonality relations, under certain constraints on the
parameters. A limit transition to nonsymmetric little q-Jacobi polynomials also
becomes possible in this way. Nonsymmetric Jacobi polynomials are considered as
limits both of the Askey-Wilson and of the little q-Jacobi case.Comment: 16 pages. Dedicated to Paul Butzer on the occasion of his 80th
birthday. v4: minor correction in (4.14