LL-L "Morphology" 2007.11.11 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  11 November 2007 - Volume 06
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Morphology

Dear Lowlanders,

I'd be grateful to you for some input regarding the following topic.

As we all know, English has two frequently used suffixes *-s* (/-z/):

   1. Plural marker: e.g., The Walton*s* have two son*s* and three
   daughter*s*.
   2. Genitive marker: e.g., The Walton*s'* (/-z-z/) children*'**s *names
   are somewhat odd, owing to Mr. Walton*'s *obsession with Shakespear*'s
   *plays.

However, there appears to be a third, albeit lesser-used one.

The other day I caught myself addressing my friend Jake as "Jakes." It was
quite spontaneous, not at all planned. I believe it was an expression of
what I would call "casual affection." There was no noticeable reaction on
Jake's part, so I assume it was at least acceptable to him (unless he was
being overly generous).

This made me think about *-s* (/-z/) as ... let's say a "marker of
endearment."

* Question 1*: Is it confined to American English?

Unless I'm sorely mistaken, you hear this used mostly with women's names,
though I hear it used with men's names as well. This makes me wonder ...

*Question 2*: Is there a connotation of "cutesy" in it?

The general rule appears to be that the root must be a one-syllable
abbreviation, and certain phonological and semantic restrictions appear to
apply.

This suffix is occasionally used with terms of address rather than with
proper names; e.g., (honey >) "hons," (sweetie >) "sweets," (papa >) "pops"
(dad), (grandpapa > grandpa >) "gramps."

Those of you who watch the now syndicated US sitcom series "Friends" in the
original language may remember the somewhat odd character Phoebe being
addressed as "Phoebes" ([fi:bz]) by her friends. I personally know an Amy
who is addressed as "Ames" by her boyfriend. And there are other examples:

Examples of women's names (most seeming acceptable to me):
Als, Ames (Aims, Ayms), Auds, Babs (< Barbara), Beas, Becks, Bets (Betts),
Bobs, Cams (Kams), Cats (Kats), Chers, Cons, Debs, Evs, Gills (Jills),
Hales, Jacks, Jans, Jays, Jems, Jens, Joys, Judes, Kates (Cates), Kims
(Kyms), Kyles, Lees, Lens, Libs, Lous, Lyds, Lynns, Mats, Meens, Mels, Moes,
Molls, Nans, Nells, Nicks, Pams, Pats, Pauls, Pegs, Pens, Phils, Phoebes
(Phebes), Pipes, Prues, Raes, Rebes, Robs, Ryes, Sams, Shanes, Shawns
(Shauns), Shells, Sues, Sybs, Syds, Tabs, Tams, Tyes, Vies, Vivs, Wills,
Wins, Zoes

Examples of men's names (several seeming marginal to me for some reason):
Abes, Als, Arts, Bens, Berns, Bills, Bobs, Brades, Brads, Cals, Cams (Kams),
Cons, Dans, Daves, Dicks, Drews, Genes, Hales, Harvs, Herbs, Jacks, Jakes,
Jays, Jebs, Jims, Joes, Kevs, Kims, Kips, Lees, Lenns, Lous, Matts, Mels,
Micks, Milts, Moes (Mose, Moze), Nats, Nevs, Nicks, Pats, Petes, Phils,
Pipes, Rays (Raes), Reubes (Rubes), Ricks, Robs, Rods, Rons, Ryes, Sams,
Shells, Sids, Tads, Teds, Tyes, Vics (Vicks), Wills, Wins, Woods, Zacks
(Zaks), Zekes

The name Laz is supposed to come from Larry which comes from Lawrence.
Apparently, Laz is now seen as a separate name by some.

*Question 3*: Can this suffix be used with one-syllable names that are not
abbreviated?

Examples: *"Johns," *"Pauls," *"Lees," *"Eves," *"Brooks," *"Jeans" ... My
feeling is it can not.

Now, "my" Jake's legal name is Jake, not Jacob. However, I feel it was
subliminal association with Jacob that partly prompted me to say "Jakes," or
that made it seem possible.

*Question 4*: What might the origin of this suffix be?

*Question 5*: Does this suffix have any relatives in other languages?

Of course, it brings to mind *-s* in Latvian men's names (e.g., Filips,
Fritsis, Gabriels, Jazeps, Juris, Kristaps, Ludvigs, Mihails, Mikelis,
Pavils, Rihards, Toms, Vilhelms, Vilis). However, this is the equivalent of
Lithuanian *-as*, *-is* and *-us* (Ąžuolas, Juozapas, Virtautas, Jurgis,
Herkus) which appears to be related to (though not derived from) Greek
*-os*and Latin
*-us*. I hardly think this could develop into a suffix that expresses
affection.

I would be interested in anything you have to say about this.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
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