[Lexicog] Pejorative suffixes

[Peter Kirk]

On 26/03/2005 18:17, Fritz Goerling wrote:

>
> ...
> >
>  (PK)
> "Hireling" is simply someone who is hired. "Princeling" is a diminutive,
> not in physical size of course but in importance. Of course any
> individual diminutive word can become pejorative, but the primary
> meaning is certainly diminutive, like its cognate German -lein.
>
>
>     (FG)  Well, how about weakling?
>             BTW, not each -ling in German is pejorative but can be
>     endearing (like darling = Liebling).
>             Maybe we can agree that from a diminutive either an
>     endearing or a pejorative term can
>             develop.
>
A weakling is simply a weak person, just as a hireling is a hired
person. Nothing necessarily pejorative. But I agree with your final comment.

--
Peter Kirk
peter at qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk at qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.8.3 - Release Date: 25/03/2005



------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater?
Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/TzSHvD/SOnJAA/79vVAA/HKE4lB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->


Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/