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<DIV><TT><BR>> On 26/03/2005 17:19, Fritz Goerling
wrote:<BR>><BR>> > Fritz Goerling
wrote:<BR>> > <BR>>
> >How productive is pejorative -ling in
English?<BR>> > >
<BR>> > Peter
Kirk:<BR>> > <BR>> >
I don't think this is pejorative in English either, it is simply
a<BR>> >
diminutive.<BR>> >
...<BR>> > <BR>> >
(FG) How about courtling, earthling, underling?
<BR>> >
<BR>> <BR>> (PK)
<BR>> Well, it is the "under" rather than the "-ling"
which makes<BR>>
"underling"<BR>> pejorative. And "earthling" was not
originally pejorative, although I<BR>> have seen it
used as such. I have never seen "courtling".
<BR>> <BR>> (FG) How
about hireling, princeling?<BR>> <BR><SPAN
class=859040918-26032005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff> (PK) </FONT></SPAN><BR>"Hireling" is simply someone who
is hired. "Princeling" is a diminutive, <BR>not in physical size of course but
in importance. Of course any <BR>individual diminutive word can become
pejorative, but the primary <BR>meaning is certainly diminutive, like its
cognate German -lein.<FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=859040918-26032005> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></TT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><TT><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=859040918-26032005></SPAN></FONT></FONT></TT> </DIV>
<DIV><TT><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=859040918-26032005>(FG) </SPAN><SPAN
class=859040918-26032005> Well, how about
weakling? </SPAN></FONT></FONT></TT></DIV>
<DIV><TT><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=859040918-26032005> BTW,
not each -ling in German is pejorative but can be endearing (like darling =
Liebling).</SPAN></FONT></FONT></TT></DIV>
<DIV><TT><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=859040918-26032005> Maybe we
can agree that from a diminutive either an endearing or a pejorative term
can</SPAN></FONT></FONT></TT></DIV>
<DIV><TT><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=859040918-26032005>
develop.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></TT></DIV>
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