Thread: Help with Diminutives?

..., Светлаша, Юрик, Колька,...


To judge which one the relatives would choose sooner, it's desirable to know more about them, their characters, education, where they live etc.

They live on a farm near Stalingrad (where most of my story takes place, during the Battle of Stalingrad.) Mostly I'm interested in how her uncle, aunt, or grandmother would use for them. Nearly all of my characters are Communists, or at least not anti-Communist. Also, how would my characters address older males? I read somewhere that people don't use diminutives for men as much, so would I just use the full name? Thanks guys for your responses.

Originally Posted by shadycat16

Mostly I'm interested in how her uncle, aunt, or grandmother would use for them.

Света,Юра,Коля/Sveta,Yura,Kolya are "base level" for family usage.
Светка,Юрка,Колька/Svetka,Yurka,Kol'ka are just a little more familiar and should be used more in your setting.
Other forms are generally rare and used in exceptional conditions (tenderness, persiflage, anger).

Originally Posted by Alex80

Светка,Юрка,Колька/Svetka,Yurka,Kol'ka are just a little more familiar and should be used more in your setting.

I thought that the -ka ending was used more for anger?

Originally Posted by shadycat16

I thought that the -ka ending was used more for anger?

It depends on hierarchy and familiarity.
"Base level" is applicable inside family through all levels of hierarhy. It is unusual to refer to someone by full name without joke or anger. (intercontinental joke: if mom calls you by full name you know you are in deep shit).
It is mandatory to say hierarchy title (uncle/grandfather) if you speak to/about person with higher level. You should not call parents by name.
It is mandatoty to say hierarchy title if you speak about person with higher level with person with lower level and title should be represented from his point of view.
You should not use -ka about persons with higher level (relative to person you talking to).
You can use -ka to persons with your level or lower freely. It's just like "they are my level or lower".

However exceptions are everywhere. Some people can call children by full names if they prefer to do so (like "his name is beautiful, I like to call him in this way"). And so on.

Originally Posted by shadycat16

Also, how would my characters address older males?

Inside familily - uncle/aunt/grandmother + "base level" (males and females).