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<p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">1. Diminutive/child-like words for things:</span> <span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">cuddly (any plush toy, stuffed animal, etc) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">owie, booboo<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A child’s injury (could be a cut, bruise, burn, etc...) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">dolly (for a doll) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">duckie or ducky (toy duck) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">teddybear (toy stuffed/plush bear) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">bally or ballie (for a toy ball) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> J’s/nighties (for pajamas) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">shoesies (for shoes) (only when being affectionate or playful) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">footsies (for feet) (only when being affectionate or playful, e.g., “Whose footsies are these?”, said while pretending not to know.) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">(Note: there’s a game called “footsie”, where each person tries to put his foot over the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>other person’s.) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">toesies (for toes) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">tummy (for stomach)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">choo-choo train (for a train) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">2. Diminutive/child-like words for animals</span> <span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">ducky or duckie (for a duck, regardless of age) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">horsy or horsie (for any horse, regardless of age) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">bunny-rabbit (for any rabbit, regardless of age) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">doggy, puppy, puppy-dog (for any dog, whether young or old) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">lambie or lamby (for a little lamb, or sometimes even any sheep) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">froggy (for frog) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">kitty-cat, pussy-cat (for any cat) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">birdy, birdie for bird </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">When you want to suggest that the animal is very loveable, you can intensify any of these by saying “sweet little lambie”, etc. </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Note: despite the above examples, it doesn’t work to add the “y” or “ie” ending to just any word to make it a diminutive. If you tried to say “cowie” for “cow” it would come off like a joke. My son came up with “wrenchie” for his favorite tool; that was hilarious. </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">3. Diminutive/ terms of endearment/familiar words for family members, people</span> <span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">children = kids, kiddies, the little ones, munchkins </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Names of family members: </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Father: Dada, Daddy, Dad, Pop (rare), Pa (rare, more rural/old-fashioned) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Mother: Mama, Mommy, Mom, Ma (rare, more rural/old-fashioned) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Note: supposedly when a baby first starts talking they will say Dada and Mama; in most families in the US it evolves to Mommy and Daddy, and later to Mom and Dad when the children get old enough and start wanting to not sound like little kids </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Sister: Sis, Sissy (for sister; the sister in question won’t necessarily like this) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Grandad, Grandpa, Gramps (for grandfather) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Grandma, Gramma, Granny (for grandmother) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">(The most common usage is Granddad and Grandma, with Gramps and Granny having more of an old-fashioned country sound to many people.) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Cuz (for a cousin, not very common) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Auntie (for Aunt) </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'" |
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