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You mean a diminutive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive > A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root
by _nalply 2y ago
You mean a diminutive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutive
> A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle something or someone.
Yeah, it's funny, a word consisting both of an augmentative (the opposite of diminutive) and a diminutive.
- Loic 2y agoThank you, I had the German word in mind and was not able to find the English one in my foggy brain.
- Timwi 2y agoUm. The German word is Diminutiv. Were you thinking of „Verkleinerungsform“? Do people still use those Germanized terms? It feels a little old-fashioned to me, like saying „besitzanzeigendes Fürwort“ instead of Possessivpronomen.
- LeonidasXIV 2y ago> Do people still use those Germanized terms? In a way? I always found it more sensible to use German words like "Namenwort" instead of "Nomen" to express German grammar, instead of using latin terms. After all Latin is a language that comes from a completely different language family to start with and is not used at all in Germany except when wanting to pretend you're fancy (law, medicine, grammar).
- Loic 2y agoI had the word "Verniedlichung" in mind, of course this is also not the right term, but as I been living outside of France for the past 25 years, switching daily between French, German and English, I am sometimes "stuck" and can't get the right word out. And this in whatever language I am thinking at the moment. I now accept that I am losing my French while not being really fluent in any other language.
- _nalply 2y agoSame for me. My brain broke down somewhat, but luckily I am retired. I often ask AI like "What's the word for a smaller variant of something?", super helpful.