Where does the word hypocoristic come from?
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These are the mysteries of our language.
A very learned word to designate terms which do not seem so.
From ancient Greek hypokoristikos (caressing, suitable for attenuating), it designates in fact
diminutives, affectionate little words and all the familiar names
intended to express a benevolent intention.
To read also Maxime d'Aboville: "Morality, at La Fontaine does not make morality"
To form these words, the imagination is in power.
We add a suffix and girl becomes little girl, sister becomes sister, brother, brother, little one, little one ...
We redouble the word and dog becomes doggy.
We shorten the first names and Joséphine turns into Jo, Alexandre into Alex, Antoinette into Toinon, Marguerite into Margot, and Anne-Sophie into Anne-So, but we can also lengthen them and call Jeanne Jeanneton and Marie Marinette or even contract Marie- Hélène who then metamorphoses into Marlène.
"My Treasure !"
It should also be noted that some of these hypocoristics have become "real first names".
Sacha, Sandro, Alex and Alec, for example, are derivatives of Alexandre, just like Sandra and Sandrine are of Alexandrine.
As for the affectionate terms we address to those we love (“my treasure”, “my little heart”, “my little cat”), they can also contain words that are not particularly kind (“my sweetie”, “ ma puce ”,“ mon rat ”).
But since it is the intention that counts, do not deprive yourself.
Extract from
Literary walk among figures of speech
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