Thread: Diminutives

Originally Posted by bad manners

What made you think I was from the окающий Volga region? (I'm not.)

http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... olga#19037

"Could it be my voolga roostic speech?"

Ha-ha, but that's 'vulgar rustic' in a thick North of England accent, has nothing to do with Volga... But my accent is vulgar.

[quote:34855jm1]As for my being 25, well, thank you, bad manners, I'm flattered. The truth is I'll be on the wrong side of forty soon. How did you arrive at such conclusions? I'm really curious.

You must be older than 22, for you have finished your studies in the university. You are unlikely to be a lot older than that, given that you still boast of your education. A few other things, too.[/quote:34855jm1]
Actually, I'm 45, but I look younger (33-35) and prefer to hang around younger people. I'm a bit of a vampire, I live off their youth. I don't have many friends among people of my age group, most are in fact colleagues, not friends. God, if only you could see them - fat, arrogant, set in their ways... I play football every Sunday in a дворовая команда where most players are 18-22, I go hiking with young people, I date young women, I work both my body and mind (learning languages is a good way to protect yourself from senile dementia)... I don't look 45 and I don't feel 45, I'm a recycled teenager... Hell, I don't think 45, I think 18 at the most... How old are you, bad manners? (I haven't got a clue, I'm not good at telling people's ages)

hehe "recycled teenager" I like that. Hope I have that much energy at your age

What are some "affectionate" ways to refer to your daughter? (If you had one) I know there is: Дочка, доченька............. что ещё?

Originally Posted by VendingMachine

Originally Posted by bad manners

What made you think I was from the окающий Volga region? (I'm not.)

http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... olga#19037

"Could it be my voolga roostic speech?"

Ha-ha, but that's 'vulgar rustic' in a thick North of England accent, has nothing to do with Volga...

Oh, my God! I also thought it was Volga. Oh, I had a good long laugh as this post opened my eyes. Still haven't quite recovered from it

Originally Posted by Евгения(Женя)

What are some "affectionate" ways to refer to your daughter? (If you had one) I know there is: Дочка, доченька............. что ещё?

Дочурка, дочуля, дочунька, дочушка (ударение во всех этих словах падает на "у" и последние два слова вряд ли употребляются часто)
Есть ещё одно слово, вряд ли оно относится к ласковым, это скорее сленг: доча. Но по-моему его больше употребляют дети, когда играют в дочки-матери. Лично мне оно кажется очень смешным.

what are the diminutives for Galena and Katya?

Галя (Galya) - a very common diminutive from Galina, but not the affectionate one.

affectionate diminutives:
Галечка (Galechka)
Галочка (Galochka)
Галенька (Galen'ka)
Галюша (Gal'usha)
Галюся (Gal'us'a)

rather informal diminutives:
Галка (Galka)
Галчонок (Galchonok)
Галюня (Gal'un'a)
Галюньчик (Gal'un'chik)
Галчик (Galchik)
------------------------------

Катя (Katya) itself is a diminutive from Екатерина(Yekaterina)
the affectionate diminutives:
Катечка (Katechka)
Катенька (Katen'ka)
Катюша (Kat'usha)
Катюля (Kat'ul'a)
Катюся (Kat'us'a)
Катюня (Katun'a)
Катюньчик (Kat'un'chik)

Thank you Friendy! Could you tell me if there are any rules for the use of diminutives. For example would a Russian girl introduce herself to a stranger by the name Katya or would she only use Yekaterina? Would several diminutives be used for one person by different friends or would they all use the same one?

Friendy- Can you tell me all the affectionate versions of Женя you have heard? I've head of Женечка, Женуля, Женька, Женчик, Женок, Женуся, Женчанская всё? (Vending Mechine told me these) Do you know of any more? And how is it correct in english, would you say A Ukrainian, or An Ukrainian?

Originally Posted by BJ

Thank you Friendy! Could you tell me if there are any rules for the use of diminutives. For example would a Russian girl introduce herself to a stranger by the name Katya or would she only use Yekaterina?

It's quite normal if she introduces herself as Katya. The most formal form is a full name with patronimic (for example, Yekaterina Petrovna), this is the way the teacher would introduce herself to the students, Yekaterina (without patronimic) is less formal.

Originally Posted by BJ

Would several diminutives be used for one person by different friends or would they all use the same one?

If a person has preference for a certain diminutive then it's more likely that it will be the one used by his/her friends, but in general different friends can use different diminutives. One friend can also use several diminutives depending on the situation, his mood etc.
The most common situations in which affectionate diminutives are used are when consoling (Katechka, please, don't cry), when asking to do some favor (Katen'ka, would you be so kind and bring me that paper) or expressing gratitude (Kat'usha, thank you so much). Even if normally that person addresses her as Katya.

To Женя:
Could be Женюша, Женюньчик, Женюня, Женюлька, Женюлечка - not sure that actually heard them but they are quite possible. BTW, I would prefer Женюля to Женуля and I agree with Tania that Женуля is more fit for "жена". I also heard "Женючка" but there's some rudeness in it (it was not offensive, slightly mocking though, and that guy Женя had nothing against it) and it's certainly not the affectionate one. And I also head Жека but it's also not affectionate.

Спасибо за помощь Friendy

Originally Posted by Friendy

The most common situations in which affectionate diminutives are used are when consoling (Katechka, please, don't cry), when asking to do some favor (Katen'ka, would you be so kind and bring me that paper) or expressing gratitude (Kat'usha, thank you so much). Even if normally that person addresses her as Katya.

Valuable info there, Friendy — I'll definitely try to keep that in mind myself, too.

How about Daria, or more specifically, Dasha?

Friendy - that was so helpful thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In a letter to my mama could I just sign as "твоя дочка" ?
(Just wondering)

Originally Posted by Евгения(Женя)

In a letter to my mama could I just sign as "твоя дочка" ?
(Just wondering)

Yes, it's quite normal.

Friendy wrote to BJ- The most common situations in which affectionate diminutives are used are when consoling (Katechka, please, don't cry), when asking to do some favor (Katen'ka, would you be so kind and bring me that paper) or expressing gratitude (Kat'usha, thank you so much). Even if normally that person addresses her as Katya.

If someone was consoling me would they call me Zhenechka? What about if they were asking me for a favor or gratitude, how would there be an equivilent for Женя like there is for Катя?
But how would a mother usually refer to her child? For example if her son was named Sasha, would she regularily call him Sasha, and if he was upset or something would she call him Sashen'ka? Or would she always call him Sashen'ka? Or does it depend on the situation? (So sorry if I am confusing you) My mother in her letters calls me Zhenechka, but in another she called me Dochenka. How would a mother refer to her child? (Tell me if my question seems unclear)

Originally Posted by Евгения(Женя)

Friendy wrote to BJ- The most common situations in which affectionate diminutives are used are when consoling (Katechka, please, don't cry), when asking to do some favor (Katen'ka, would you be so kind and bring me that paper) or expressing gratitude (Kat'usha, thank you so much). Even if normally that person addresses her as Katya.

If someone was consoling me would they call me Zhenechka? What about if they were asking me for a favor or gratitude, how would there be an equivilent for Женя like there is for Катя?
But how would a mother usually refer to her child? For example if her son was named Sasha, would she regularily call him Sasha, and if he was upset or something would she call him Sashen'ka? Or would she always call him Sashen'ka? Or does it depend on the situation? (So sorry if I am confusing you) My mother in her letters calls me Zhenechka, but in another she called me Dochenka. How would a mother refer to her child? (Tell me if my question seems unclear)

What I wrote in brackets in my answer to BJ are just examples, you can replace any diminutive there with almost any other. And of course it's not necessary to use diminutives in these situations, one can use a full name, it's just more likely that one would use affectionate diminutives here. A mother may call her child in different ways, like, one moment she calls him Sasha and an hour later she calls him Sashen'ka, though probably there are some mothers who stick to one particular name.

I understand what you are saying. In my mother's letters she will call me Zhenya one second, then Zhenechka, then Dochen'ka. My sister calls me Evgenia, Zhenechka, and Zhenya. Thank you for your help. How is it normal to refer to a mother of yours? Like would saying mama be more common than saying mamochka? Or such? What do you think seems more common? Or does it depend on the person and the situation? Is мать a "harsh" version? Thats what my friend Katya says.

Don't know about мама, but I call my father батяня as in "батяня, не бей!". He's 72 now and still batters me occasionally, he's right strong.

Originally Posted by Евгения(Женя)

How is it normal to refer to a mother of yours? Like would saying mama be more common than saying mamochka? Or such? What do you think seems more common? Or does it depend on the person and the situation? Is мать a "harsh" version? Thats what my friend Katya says.

I think "мама" is the most common. Also "мам" is common (which is sort of vocative case, it was mentioned here: http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... 2675#12675 ) There's also "ма", but IMHO, it's too slangy. Often one would prefer "mamochka" when persuading her to allow him to do something, which she is not very eager to allow. For example: "Мамочка, пожалуйста, разреши мне пойти в кино." And I agree that "мать" is a "harsh" version if you're addressing her personally, but in the official style (forms, documents) this is the only word that is used.