Diminutive
The diminutive (also diminutive, diminutive deminuere of latin, reduce ',' reduce ') is, in contrast to the augmentative, diminutive of a noun and is used particularly its diminutive, but also as a term of endearment, to the formation of endearment ( Hypokoristikum ) or for contrast formation ("This is not a house that is a little house !").
Characteristics and origin
The diminutive is a grammatical diminutive and thus belongs to the means of morphological word formation. Diminutivformen are usually formed by cutting, syllable doubling or adding a prefix or suffix ( prefixation or suffixation ). The frequency of use of diminutives is different from language to language and from dialect to dialect.
In German the diminutive is characterized by the suffixes - chen and -lein. The suffix -tion is taken from the central German dialects, while -lein can be derived from the Middle High German - Lin and finds a match in the southern German Diminutivsuffixen -la, -le, -li, -l,- erl. Probably the - l or -ll- originally a purely adjectival, which then became the diminution.
In German there is also at a diminutive name to " i" ( Hansi, Berti, Karli ); see also section " Koseformen in name". The suffix "- i" is also used to form nickname surname.
Reduplication can also be found in the German especially for Koseformen ( "Papa", "Dodo " for " Doris " about ).
Regulate
The formation of the diminutive is in German often with the change of the vowel of the root syllable to the corresponding umlaut ( " sack " - " little bag " ) and recess of unstressed final vowel ( " pants " - " panties " ) connected - but " Paulie " instead of " Päulchen "; " Blonde" instead of " Blöndchen ".
Mnemonic: - chen and -lein make all things small.
In Bavarian dialect region, especially in Austria, the diminutive is preferably formed with - erl. For example Sackerl, Hunderl, Hoserl. Retrieved from " Euzerl " ( piece ) there is only the Austrian diminutive.
Article
In German, every diminutive neuter (Genus: neuter ). Thus, the complex word (ie base word and diminutive ) has the definite article " the " (as the right component is the head of the compound word ). Thus, the "girls" ( = diminutive of Maid ) is grammatically neuter, though this sometimes leads to confusion in the vernacular.
Use
In German diminutives are used
- For small or young people
- For marking small items within a class of objects
- For marking small or young animals or plants
- As a term of endearment
- As a diminutive form, especially of nouns or proper names in directed at children or loved ones language
- As rating ( the reputation of a person or the value of an object can be reduced and mitigated by )
- Than understatement ( " we have a little problem " )
Particularly common is the use of diminutives in the East Frankish, in the Alemannic dialects ( Swabian, Baden region, the Swiss dialects ) as well as in the nearly extinct East Prussian. The East Frisian Platt uses the diminutive ending- tje or ever ( " Kluntje ", " Antje " Anna = small ). This corresponds to the Low German the suffix - (c) ke ( " Anke " = little Anna ). Less pronounced it takes place in Mecklenburg Platt, in the north of Lower Saxony, especially in the Hamburger Platt. There, the reduction factor is usually expressed by a preceding adjective ( lütte Deern ). This corresponds to the most far-reaching lack of diminutives in the Anglo-Saxon and especially Scandinavian language area. The North German diminutive in-ing ( " Kinnings " for " children "; " Louising " for " Louise " ) is hardly common. In the South German colloquial language the " erl " suffix will use, such as " roof" to " roof ", as well as irregular shapes, such as " Burli " and " Büberle " to " boy ". These diminutives are, according to Nelson Cartagena and Hans -Martin Gauger a feature of spoken language, especially at lower social classes.
Diminutives have often trivialized function, which is also used satirically.
Examples
- The diminutive of " the tree " is "the tree " or "the little tree "
- The diminutive of " bread " is " bun " in Switzerland, " bread rolls "
- The diminutive of "John" is " Johnny " or " Hansi " rare " Hansel "
- The diminutive " rabbit " has in common language, the main form of " rabbit ", similar, largely supplanted as the "Squirrel " and " girl "
- The diminutive of "the man" is "the man" or " the little man " rare " the Männel "
- The diminutive of " rib " is "the ribs " rare " the Ripplein " in Baierischen often " the spare ribs ".
In Greek vernacular Dimotiki Deminuirung serve a variety of different Verkleinerungssuffixe. The most common include:
- Masculine: - άκης [- Akis ], άκος [- Ákos ], ούλης [- oúlis ]
Example: The Father ( ο πατέρας [o Pateras ] ) → the Father ( το πατερούλης [o pateroúlis ] )
- Feminines: - ούλα [- Oula ], ούδα [- Ouda ], οπούλα [- opoúla ], ίτσα [- ITSA ]
Example: the beer * ( η μπίρα [i Bira ] ) → the beer ( η μπιρίτσα [i birítsa ]) [ * Genus in Greek is feminine ]
- Neutra: - άκι [ AKI ], ούλι [- Ouli ], ούδι [- Oudi ], ουδάκι [- oudáki ], οπούλο [- opoúlo ]
Example: the house ( το σπίτι [ To Spiti ] ) → the cottage ( το σπιτάκι [ To Spitaki ] )
" The meaning of the Greek diminutives however, goes beyond the downsizing addition, because they are very often used to make a tender remark, a polite request, an approximate calculation, sometimes a negative [ trivializing ] assessment express " ( Pavlos Tzermias, Modern Greek grammar, A. Francke Verlag AG, Bern, 1967. ).
The Greek not only knows diminutives, but also forms magnification ( Augmentativa ), which are sometimes very vividly.
In Quebec French Diminutivformen are formed by prefixation or syllable doubling, for example ti -chat " kitten ", ti - gars " lad ", Ti (L ) ouise "Louise", Ti - Mi " Michelle " Dede " André " Didi " Diane " Dodo " Dominique ". Similar forms are also available in the French creole languages (notably Haitian ) and various West African languages.
In the Slavic languages, often two -enhancing forms of the diminutive are used, eg in Czech: current " tree " → stromek " trees " → Stromeček " little tree ".
In the Scandinavian languages diminutives are generally not in use, or not known ( for example, in Danish ). Distinctions between diminutives and the appropriate augmentative be accomplished by preceding the words "small" or " large" illustrates.
Became independent diminutives
Certain words are formal diminutives, however, be used as a standalone concept and not (any longer ) than diminutive of the origin of the term. Examples:
- A little
- Girls, derived from Middle High German maget "virgin " (compare Maid ), a "little maid "
- Males, generic name for a male animal; for " little man " rather " little man "
- Females, general term for a female
- Miss, formerly the name and form of address for unmarried women; for small woman rather mistress ( pet form without umlaut )
- Pet owners ( dog owner /-in)
- Aches and pains (small, insignificant Leiden)
- Niggles, outdated
- Earlobe
- Bun
- Cookies, possibly from Latin placenta = cake
- Fish sticks
- Rabbits (Latin cuniculus), the main form " rabbit " is rarely used
- Squirrels, chipmunks, etc., see " Kanin "
- Guinea pigs
- Meerkats
- Sea horse
- Robin
- Silverfish
- Fairy tales, derived from " March "
- Cello, derived from cello, Italian for small violone, precursor of the double bass
- Radishes (Latin radix ) derived from " Radish "
- Violet (Latin viola ), plant species
- Pansy
- Snowdrop
- Lily of the valley
- Kitten, inflorescence of some trees or shrubs, such as willow catkins
- Saint Nimmerlein, UMG. , Day that will never happen