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Diminutives & Aumentatives¿? What a mess!

Newcastle

Newcastle

Spain

Hi , English Addicted! J  The other day a doubt showed up  in my mind.. a new one! Hehe. I was trying to communicate the idea I was joking , just adding a diminutive sufix to the adjective.

 It was something like this : Ok, make me one question  but (for Spanish speakers) facilita , eh?  Fácil= easy  ita ?  (How to get in this case express humour sense in English?)

 I had no idea about diminutives and aumentatives in English, what I’ve found so far comes below:

 It seems that there are some words used to indicate the size before nouns like:           Small, little, tiny, wee, itsy-bitsy,teensy, itty-bitty… -          Big,large,great, enormous,immense, huge, colossal, monolitich…

 English language counts  with some sufixes as well : -ie   eg: doggie,kittie,sweetie,dearie ( to express afection)-kin (It seems to having left obsolete) eg.  Lambkin-ling (used for baby animals) eg. Duckling

 And some others that I don’t know their uses like: – let, -ette, -et, -een, -er, -poo, -y,-pegs.

 I wonder if exist some rules to form nouns ending  with these sufixes and when can be used.

 About colours, we also use diminutives. But in English , I’ve only found –ish. However, I think is used when the colour is indefinide. Not in the same way, like I do in my languague…

 It would be great if anyone of you could help me to clear up this mess. Thank you!

05:57 PM Apr 17 2007 |

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KayG

KayG

United Kingdom

small, little and tiny are standard English. Wee is informal Scottish (my Scottish aunt used to use 'squeety wee for VERY small) and itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny are informal English.  '-kin isn't really obsolete. I've been known to call my granddaughter muchkin. Her name is Dawn, and her mum often calls her Dawnie.  -poo -y and -pegs are just too silly unless you are absolutely in love and you are sure no-one else can hear you!

06:38 PM Apr 17 2007 |

Newcastle

Newcastle

Spain

Thank you KayG for your reply!

  So, then, I could say:”I love those squeety wee trainers for the baby” and English native could understand me or only Scotish people?   I’m still looking for some examples with the words: itsy-bitsy, teensy, itti-bitty,teeny-weeny. I guess all of them mean tiny, don’t they?     There is no trace about words ending in –poo and  pegs. Any help over there,pls?   And I’m not able to find some grammar rules to follow to form diminutives. Any idea?For instance: The following animals use a different suffix. Chickling – Eaglet Doggie –Owlet- Birdie- Froglet and Pussie from Cat (With a root completely different) How can I know when I have to use every suffix or I need a different word?    By the way, KayG, what do you mean with muchkin when you call so to Dawn?   Any comment will be very welcome. Thank you! 

07:27 PM Apr 23 2007 |

KayG

KayG

United Kingdom

The English person would understand you but unless you are Scottish they'd think you were slightly mad. The others that you list here are mostly playful and don't really have a 'correct' form.

 

There was a crazy pop song once – see if you can find  it on Google – the chorus went, 'she wore an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini' 

- and be careful with Pussy.  It has another meaning and usually only appears in pornography.

03:07 PM Apr 24 2007 |

teachertim1969

Australia

 

Hi Newcastle,

 KayG has put you on the right track for most things, but I think she made a typo (typing mistake) when she wrote "muchkin", or maybe it's her family's variation…  :))

 Anyway, I believe she's referring to the famous "Munchkins" from the well know story/movie "The Wizard of OZ". The Munchkins are the cute little people… as far as I can remember, so some people like to call babies and young children (and, occasionally, loved adult partners…) "a cute little Munchkin".

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861631912

 Ciao!

Tim

 

 

 

11:33 AM Apr 25 2007 |

Newcastle

Newcastle

Spain

Is this song what you said?Smile

Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-dot Bikini                                                Brian HylandShe was afraid to come out of the lockerShe was as nervous as she could be She was afraid to come out of the lockerShe was afraid that somebody would seeOne, two, three, four, tell the people what she wore [ It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikiniThat she wore for the first time today.An itsy bitsy teentie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini ]So in the locker she wanted to stay.Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more          She was afraid to come out in the openAnd so a blanket around she wore She was afraid to come out in the openAnd so she sat bundled up on the shore Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore[   repeat   ] So in the blanket she wanted to stay.Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more         Now she is afraid to come out of the water And I wonder what she's gonna doNow she is afraid to come out of the water And the poor little girl's turning blueTwo, three, four, tell the people what she wore[   repeat   ] So in the water she wanted to stay.From the locker to the blanket From the blanket to the shoreFrom the shore to the water Yes there isn't any more. 

 

07:08 PM Apr 25 2007 |

Newcastle

Newcastle

Spain

Thank you, mates!

  Ok, I’ve taken good note about forgetting  to include “squeety wee” and  “pussy” into my vocabulary.  :D Anyway, what I had seen in an exercise was “pussie”. I wonder if it is the same.    Mmm.. Playful words, so… I  can only find them in lyrics or games, not in the street. Is that right?   Munchkin! Aha, I see now! A small child . Tks!   However, I go on with a great mess…sorry Embarassed   

Imagine..you are speaking to a baby, so you are trying your words sound really sweet.

 How will you manage to do it with the following words?           Sweater          Trousers-          Pyjama-          Shoes-          Bed-          Meal-          Dummy/ Pacifier-          Cot/ crib How can I know which suffix I have to use? I have no idea. NO RULES?

Be patient with me! hehe

07:25 PM Apr 25 2007 |

KayG

KayG

United Kingdom

Come on little muchkin, Eat your din-dins. Try not to spill your drink on your shoesies. When you 've finished we'll take your itty-bitty trousey-wowsers off and put you to beddy byes. – Yes, this is total rubbish. Think about your own language. When you're being sweet and silly you pretty much make it up as you speak!

02:11 PM Apr 26 2007 |

KayG

KayG

United Kingdom

PS Yes, that was the song and no, not a typo. Much was a character from Robin Hood.

04:07 PM Apr 26 2007 |