DIMINUTIVES
[*] 852. Diminutives are denominatives formed from the stems of substantives by various secondary suffixes.
1.
ιο (nom.
-ιο-ν, neut.):
παιδ-ίο-ν little child (
παῖς, παιδ-ός),
ὀρνί_θ-ιο-ν small bird (
ὄρνι_ς, ὄρνι_θος),
ἀσπίδ-ιο-ν small shield (
ἀσπίς, ἀσπίδ-ος).
N.—Trisyllabic words are paroxytone if the first syllable is long by nature or position.
2.
ιδ-ιο (nom.
-ίδιο-ν, neut.): derived from such words as
ἀσπίδ-ιο-ν; as
ξιφ-ίδιο-ν dagger (
ξίφος sword, stem
ξιφεσ-),
βο-ίδιο-ν small cow (
βοῦ-ς),
οἰκί_διο-ν small house,
οἰκι ¨ ιδιον (
οἰκία_),
ἰχθύ_διο-ν small fish (
ἰχθύ_ς). See 833 b.
3.
αρ-ιο (nom.
-άριον, neut.):
παιδ-άριο-ν little child.
4.
υδ-ριο (nom.
-ύδριον, neut.):
μελ-ύδριο-ν little song (
μέλος).
5.
υλλιο (nom.
-ύλλιον, neut.):
ἐπ-ύλλιο-ν little epic or
cersicle (
ἔπος).
6.
ισκο, ισκα_ (nom.
-ίσκος, masc.,
-ίσκη, fem.):
ἀνθρωπ-ίσκο-ς manikin,
παιδ-ίσκο-ς young boy,
παιδ-ίσκη young girl. From this comes
-ισκ-ιο in
ἀσπιδ-ίσκιο-ν small shield.
[*] 853. Many other diminutives occur, as
ακνα_: in
πιθάκνη wine-jar (
πίθος);
ιδ, ι_δ: in
ἁμαξίς, -ίδος small wagon (
ἅμαξα),
νησί_ς, -ῖδος islet (
νῆσο-ς);
ιδ-ευ: of the young of animals, as
λυκ-ιδεύς wolf's whelp (
λύκο-ς), also
ὑϊδεύς son's son, grandson (
υἱός);
ιχο:
ὀρτάλιχος young bird (
ὀρταλίς)
chick;
ιχνα_:
κυλίχνη (and
κυλίχνιον, κυλιχνίς)
small cup (
κύλιξ). Rare or late are
-α_κίδιον, -ά_σιον, -άφιον, -ιδάριον, -ισκάριον, ιον, 861. 19,
-ύλος, and over 25 others. See
λο, 860. 1.
[*] 854. Diminutives are often combined:
παιδ-ισκ-άριον stripling,
μειράκ-ιον, μειρακ-ίσκος, μειρακ-ύλλ-ιον, μειρακ-υλλ-ίδιον stripling (
μεῖραξ lass),
χλαν-ισκ-ίδιον cloaklet (
χλανίς),
ζῳδάριον insect (
ζῷον animal).
[*] 855. Some words, especially such as denote parts of the body, are diminutive in form, but not in meaning; as
κρα_νίον skull,
θηρίον beast ( =
θήρ),
πεδίον plain (
πέδον ground), all in Homer, who has no diminutives. Diminutives often employed tend to lose their diminutive value.
[*] 856. Diminutives may express affection, familiarity, daintiness, and sometimes pity or contempt (cp.
dar-ling,
lord-ling). See the examples under 852, and also
πατρ-ίδιον daddy (
πατήρ),
ἀδελφ-ίδιο-ν dear little brother,
Σωκρατ-ίδιον dear Socky,
ἀνθρώπ-ιον manikin. Some endings often have an ironical force, as
πλούτ-α_ξ rich churl,
γάστρ-ων fat-belly.
Part I: Letters, Sounds, Syllables, Accent
