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'{{Wiktionary|diminutive}} A '''diminutive''' is a [[word]] that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment.<ref name=UKgov/><ref>Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 6th edition</ref> A {{nowrap|'''diminutive form'''}} ([[list of glossing abbreviations|abbreviated]] {{smallcaps all|'''dim'''}}) is a word-formation device used to express such meanings; in many languages, such forms can be translated as "little" and diminutives can also be formed as multi-word constructions such as "[[Tiny Tim (disambiguation)|Tiny Tim]]". Diminutives are often employed as [[nicknames]] and [[pet name]]s, when speaking to small children, and when expressing extreme tenderness and intimacy to an adult. The opposite of the diminutive form is the [[augmentative]]. Beyond the ''diminutive form'' of a single word, a ''diminutive'' can be a multi-word name, such as "Tiny Tim" or "Little Dorrit". In many languages, formation of diminutives by adding [[suffix]]es is a [[productivity (linguistics)|productive]] part of the language.<ref name="UKgov">{{cite web |website=The Standards Site |title=Glossary - D to F |date=2008 |publisher=Department for Children, Schools and Families, [[The Crown]] |url=http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/secondary/keystage3/respub/mflframework/appendices/glossary_of_terms/d_to_f/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227150101/http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/secondary/keystage3/respub/mflframework/appendices/glossary_of_terms/d_to_f/ |archive-date=2008-12-27 }}</ref> A {{nowrap|'''double diminutive'''}} (example in Polish: {{lang|pl|dzwon}} → {{lang|pl|dzwonek}} → {{lang|pl|dzwoneczek}}; example in Italian: {{lang|it|casa}} → {{lang|it|casetta}} → {{lang|it|casettina}}) is a diminutive form with two diminutive suffixes rather than one. While many languages apply a grammatical diminutive to [[noun]]s, a few—including [[list of diminutives by language#Dutch|Dutch]], [[list of diminutives by language#Latin|Latin]], [[list of diminutives by language#Polish|Polish]], [[list of diminutives by language#Macedonian|Macedonian]], [[list of diminutives by language#Czech|Czech]], [[list of diminutives by language#Russian|Russian]] and [[list of diminutives by language#Estonian|Estonian]]—also use it for [[adjective]]s (in Polish: {{lang|pl|słodki}} → {{lang|pl|słodziutki}} → {{lang|pl|słodziuteńki}}) and even other [[lexical category|parts of speech]]. In English the alteration of meaning is often conveyed through [[clipping (morphology)|clipping]], making the words shorter and more [[colloquial]]. Diminutives formed by adding affixes in other languages are often longer and not necessarily understood as colloquial. Diminutives in [[isolating language]]s do not tend to usually use suffixes or prefixes (if such grammatical features even exist). In [[Chinese language|Chinese]], for example, the diminutive is formed by repeating the word, e.g., {{lang|zh|舅}} → {{lang|zh|舅舅}} and {{lang|zh|看}} → {{lang|zh|看看}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=23204 |title=Diminutives and reduplicatives in Chinese |website=Language Log |access-date=2018-02-22}}</ref> In formal [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] usage, the use of diminutives are seemingly rare, as they are usually considered to be rather too "colloquial." In some contexts, diminutives are also employed in a [[pejorative]] sense, to denote that someone or something is weak or childish. For example, one of the last of the Western Roman emperors was named [[Romulus Augustus]], but this was diminuted to "Romulus Augustulus" to express his powerlessness. ==See also== *[[Affect (linguistics)]] *[[Augmentative]] *[[Comparison (grammar)]] *[[Diminutives in Australian English]] *[[Hypocorism]] (diminutives of given names) *[[List of diminutives by language]] *[[wikt:-ie#English|-ie ending]] ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Personal names}} [[Category:Linguistic morphology]] [[Category:Suffixes]]'