Diminutives

Despite renewed interest in morphological issues in recent times, the diminutive has largely been ignored, due, in part, to the lack of a comprehensive introduction to the topic. The present thesis aims to remedy this situation. The diminutive is studied by considering different aspects separately; thus there are chapters dealing with meaning (Chapter 3), form (Chapter 4), the use of sounds (Chapter 5), history (Chapter 7) and the way in which diminutives could be integrated into a grammar (Chapter 6). At every stage the arguments are linked to current theories and models in linguistics. The discussion is based on data from over fifty languages (see Appendix A). Although most of this material has been collected from written sources in various languages, so much data specifically on diminutives has never before been available in one place and in one language. Such a large and varied data-base has made it possible to use a more universal approach as patterns and trends emerge which could not have been recognised in a more limited study on a single language or a small group of closely related languages. These universal trends are dealt with specifically in Chapter 8. Moreover, a number of new facts about diminutives in individual languages have emerged from this study. In this respect the findings concerning modern Standard English are perhaps of particular interest. A number of maps accompany the text. One of these, introducing Appendix A, attempts for the first time to present the synthetic diminutive as it manifests itself in the languages of Western and Central Europe