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The OPPOSITE of Polish diminutives


Brandon  4 | 4  
8 Sep 2013 /  #1
Cześć!

We all know how diminutives are used in Polish to denote something that is small or "cutesy," but what about something big, fat and robust?

A Hispanic friend of mine had me in stitches, demonstrating how Spanish uses the endings "ito/ita" for something small, and "oso/ota" for something big and fat.

You can imagine how this opens up a whole new world of name-calling.

Thanks for reading!
Brandon
ShortHairThug  - | 1101  
8 Sep 2013 /  #2
but what about something big, fat and robust?

Many languages have augmentative form for nouns. Spanish is no exception in Polish this concept is known as "zgrubienie".
Astoria  - | 153  
8 Sep 2013 /  #3
Diminutives are plentiful in Polish, but the opposites - augmentatives - are rare. Some examples:

nos=nose
nosek, noseczek=little nose
nochal=big nose

barki=shoulders
bareczki=small shoulders
bary=big shoulders

garnek=pot
garnuszek=little pot
gar=big pot

wódka=vodka
wódeczka=endearment of vodka
wóda=pejoratively about vodka
Magdalena  3 | 1827  
9 Sep 2013 /  #4
but the opposites - augmentatives - are rare

I beg to differ:

nochal, nosisko, wąsiska, oczyska, psisko, mięcho, brzuszysko, dupsko, poliki, łapska, paluchy, plery, buciska, szklanica, butla, piwsko, wińsko, pała, fryz, zębiska, jęzor, zielsko... I could go on...
sir_erwin  1 | 6  
22 May 2015 /  #5
My name is Erwin. Many of my family members in Poland call me, "Erwinek". My father is Gerhard. My aunt typically calls him, "Gertku". My aunt's name is Regina. Dad typically calls her, "Gina". Aunt Regina's husband typically called her, "Renia".

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