[Lexicog] Diminutive suffixes (endearing or pejorative)

[Fritz Goerling]

The question is where diminutives become endearing or belittling/pejorative:

Women and men can be metaphoricized as little animals (e.g. pets) in many
languages.


English: kitty, filly, chick

German: Taubchen (little dove), Mauschen (little mouse),

It. topolino "little mouse-(masc/sing)"

   pollastra "pullet " (fem/sing); young woman considered as an object of
sexual desire"

   colombella "stock dove-(fem/sing); tender and loving girl"

  piccioncina "young pidgeon-(fem/sing); love-bird" (used as a term of
endearment)

  orsacchiotto "bear-(dim-aug-masc/sing) (i.e. little teddy bear)"(may be
used as an

  address term)

Fr. minet "cat; young man or boy friend (fam.)"

    nounours "teddy bear"

    poulette "small and young hen (term of endearment)"



Fritz Goerling


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 In Russian language, as in majority of Slavic languages and some Romance
languages the endearing suffixes and diminutive ones coincide
dushechka and dushen'ka - sweetie (from dusha - "soul"), koshechka -
little kitten, myshka (little mouse), medvezhonok (little bear, Teddy
bear); like in Spanish hermosa - hermosita (beautiful one).

Best wishes,
Hayim


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