Augmentative

Augmentative

An augmentative is a suffix or prefix added to a noun in order to convey the sense of greater intensity, often though not primarily indicating a larger size. It is the opposite of a diminutive.

Augmentatives in a few languages

In modern English, augmentatives are rare. Since the early 1990s, there has been a semi-ironic borrowing of the augmentive prefix "über" (usually pronounced as /ˈuːbɚ/) from German: as in 'über-guru'.

In Spanish, -o becomes -ón and -a becomes -ona most frequently, but -ote/-ota and -azo/-aza (meaning "-blow") are also commonly seen. Others include -udo/-uda, -aco/-aca, -acho/-acha, -uco/-uca, -ucho/-ucha, -astro/-astra and -ejo/-eja. "More detail at Spanish nouns".

In Portuguese, the most common augmentatives are the masculine -ão and the feminine -ona, although there are others, less frequently used. Sometimes, the masculine augmentative can be applied to a feminine noun, which then becomes grammatically masculine, but with a feminine meaning (e.g. a mulher "the woman", o mulherão "the big woman").

In Italian, -o/-a becomes -one, seen in quite a few culinary names, such as minestrone soup (from "minestra") and provolone cheese (from "provola"), family names, and other loanwords, such as "Carton" and "cartoon", both from "cartone", augmentative of "carta", "paper" (related to English "card").

In Romanian there are several augmentative suffixes: -oi/-oaie, -an/-ană etc (masc/fem pairs). As in other languages, a feminine base word may have masculine or feminine forms in the augmentative. Examples:
* casă (f.) -> căsoi (n.), căsoaie (f.)
* piatră (f.) -> pietroi (n.)
* băiat (m.) -> băieţoi (m.)
* băiat (m.) -> băietan (m.)

In Polish there is a variety of augmentatives formed with suffixes, for example: żaba (a frog) żabucha (big frogFact|date=September 2008) żabsko (frog we don't likeFact|date=September 2008) żabisko (frog we feel pity forFact|date=September 2008) żabula (unwieldy frog for which we feel some sympathyFact|date=September 2008), kamień (stone), kamul/kamol (large stoneFact|date=September 2008), dziewczyna (girl) dziewucha (older girl, large girl, or the girl we don't likeFact|date=September 2008) etc.

In German, there are different ways to build augmentatives. They are rarely used prefixes:
*"Un-", for instance in Unzahl, Unsumme, Unmenge, Untiefe, Unkraut or Untier.
The derived word references a greater and mostly evil or frightening variation of the original word. "Un-" is more often used for negation (eg. Ungereimtheit).
* "Aber-", for instance Abertausend

Modern Greek has a variety of augmentative suffixes: -α, -άρα, -αράς, ΄-αρος, -άκλα, -ακλάς, ΄-ακλας.

In Russian there is a variety of augmentatives formed with suffixes, including "-ище" and "-ин" for example: дом (the house) домище (big house) домина (huge house). To provide an impression of excessive qualities the suffix "-га" can be used for example: ветер (the wind) ветрюга (strong wind).

In Bulgarian - like in Russian, mainly with "-ище". See also here.

Augmentatives in Constructed languages

In Esperanto, the "-eg-" suffix is included before the final part-of-speech vowel. For example, "domo" (house) becomes "domego" (mansion). See Esperanto vocabulary.

In Interlingua, the suffixes "-on" and "-ion" are occasionally used as augmentatives. See also Interlingua grammar.

ee also

* Diminutive


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • augmentative — [ôg men′tə tiv΄] adj. 1. augmenting or capable of augmenting 2. Gram. increasing the force of an idea expressed by a word or denoting increased size, intensity, etc. n. an augmentative affix, word, etc. (Ex.: per in perdurable, up in eatup) …   English World dictionary

  • Augmentative — Aug*ment a*tive, a. [Cf. F. augmentatif.] Having the quality or power of augmenting; expressing augmentation. {Aug*ment a*tive*ly}, adv. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Augmentative — Aug*ment a*tive, n. (Gram.) A word which expresses with augmented force the idea or the properties of the term from which it is derived; as, dullard, one very dull. Opposed to {diminutive}. Gibbs. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • augmentative — index cumulative (intensifying), supplementary Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • augmentative — c.1500, from M.Fr. augmentatif (14c.), from L. augmentat , stem of augmentare (see AUGMENT (Cf. augment)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • augmentative — augmentatively, adv. /awg men teuh tiv/, adj. 1. serving to augment. 2. Gram. pertaining to or productive of a form denoting increased size or intensity. In Spanish the augmentative suffix ón is added to a word (as silla chair ) to indicate… …   Universalium

  • augmentative — ● augmentatif, augmentative adjectif Se dit d un élément qui sert à renforcer le sens des mots (par exemple les préfixes archi , extra , super , sur , le suffixe issime). ● augmentatif, augmentative (synonymes) adjectif Se dit d un élément qui… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • augmentative — /ɔgˈmɛntətɪv/ (say awg mentuhtiv) adjective 1. serving to augment. 2. Grammar relating to or productive of a form denoting increased size or intensity. In Spanish, ón added to a word indicates increased size (silla, chair ; sillón, armchair );… …  

  • augmentative — I. adjective Date: 15th century 1. able to augment 2. indicating large size and sometimes awkwardness or unattractiveness used of words and affixes; compare diminutive II. noun Date: 1804 an augmentative word or affix …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • augmentative — aug•ment•a•tive [[t]ɔgˈmɛn tə tɪv[/t]] adj. 1) serving to augment 2) gram. Gram. pertaining to or productive of a form denoting increased size or intensity, as the Spanish suffix ón in sillón“armchair,” from silla“chair.” 3) gram. an augmentative …   From formal English to slang

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