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From: "Paul J. Kriha" <kriha_p@actrix.gen.nz>
Subject: Re: Opposite of Diminutive
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Date: Mon, 19 Dec 1994 14:08:13 GMT
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Paul Sampson <paul.sampson@octacon.co.uk> wrote:
>
> > millert@grad.csee.usf.edu (Timothy Miller) wrote:
> > > Does anyone have an antonym for Diminutive?  For some reason, such a word 
> > > has not been easy for me to find.
> > 
> > How about augmentative?
> > 
> > rm
> > 
> 
> Or even augmentive (if you prefer a shorter word). They can be used
> in the opposite way to diminutives, to display a lack of respect,
> fear and loathing, etc. Offhand I can only think of analytic
> examples within english (you great clod, etc) but've heard that
> other languages use synthetic means to achieve the same end.
>  

To create diminutives of various degrees the Slavic
languages have multitude of suffixes at their disposal.
To augment they usually have at least one or two,
eg "-a'k" or "-a'r". (where a' is a long a as in bark).

Frequently, the diminutives or augmentives become
words in their own right, that is with related 
but different meaning.

Czech        neve^sta  = a bride
diminutives  neve^stka = a prostitute
             neve^stinka = a little prostitute

The "-ka" or "-inka" are very common diminutive suffixes.
The speach-masters of the marriage ceremonies have
to be extra careful not to attempt any diminutives
when referring to brides, no matter how lovely they
look or how altitudinally challenged they might be.

Paul JK
(Rednunwod Morf)



