4 ms·
Also -ling is not so much a diminutive but more of a suffix for Nominalisation (Zögling stems from 'ziehen' [to raise],and refers to someone who was raised, Wid
by wirrbel 5y ago
Also -ling is not so much a diminutive but more of a suffix for Nominalisation (Zögling stems from 'ziehen' [to raise],and refers to someone who was raised, Widerling from 'widerlich' [despicable], thus a despicable person, Schreiberling from 'schreiben' [to write], a Writer], Frühling from 'früh' early [spring]). Gives a somewhat pejorative connotation at times.
The key misunderstanding here is of course that 'Genus' is not necessarily 'Sexus'.
- jan_Inkepa 5y ago[I'd like to acknowledge that my designation of "-ling" as functioning sometimes as a diminutive is a thing that might be debated for all the grounds given in this and in another comment, but I think it would make precisely nobody happy to pursue the matter further (while at the same time appreciating the points made, that do indeed give me pause)].