Language/English/Vocabulary/Diminutives

English Diminutives First and foremost, we must establish the definition of the word ‘diminutive’. According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, a diminutive is a word or a suffix that indicates that something is small. The word diminutive is derived from the Med Latin word diminutivum with relations to deminutivum, deminutivus, etc. Most languages have diminutives. There are also diminutives in English. Although these diminutives always add a quality of smallness to the words from which they are formed, they do not always add a quality of cuteness as do the diminutives of languages like Spanish, Portuguese etc. Languages like Spanish have diminutives that go as far as twice as cute and as small. Examples are: Word: Pequeño Diminutive: Pequeñito Another diminutive: Pequeñitico (in some dialects). However, English diminutives do not go that far. Word: Sack Diminutive: Satchel

Suffix formation for diminutives Unlike diminutives of many other languages, English diminutives are formed from varying patterns. This is caused by the influence that many languages have had on modern English. Examples of the varying patterns of diminutive suffixes are listed below.

Word - Diminutive Kitchen - Kitchenette Leaf - Leaflet Park - Paddock Part - Particle Scythe - Sickle Sphere - Spherule Tower - Turret Cask - Casket Ice - Icicle Lass - Lassie Fourth - Farthing

The Quality of Cuteness As stated previously, diminutives do not always convey an extra quality of cuteness. For example: The diminutive of the word ‘leaf’ is ‘leaflet’. Leaflet does not mean a smaller and more adorable leaf but a little book. The diminutive of the word ‘ball’ is ‘ballet’. Ballet does not mean a smaller and cuter ball (for sports) or ball (an event where people dance). Ballet is an entirely different kind of dance. One more thing, unlike other languages where almost every word can have a diminutive, English does not have that freedom.