hypocoristic "-o"

[Jonathan Lighter]

HDAS's earliest exx. of this are from Dorgan cartoons of 1905 and 1917.  Here's a useful ex. from British usage of the same era:

  1921 Ardern Beaman _The Squadroon_  (London: John Lane) 61 [ref. to 1918]: Dane...continued his lamentation _crescendo_. "Oh, _shurrup!_, Dano!" said Jimmie.

  The book refers to Lieutenant Dane as both "Dane" and "Dano" throughout.

  JL


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