Morphology and Pragmatics of the Diminutive: Evidence from Macedonian

By analyzing the formation, properties, and pragmatic uses of the diminutives this book investigates diminutivization in Macedonian and across other languages. At the level of morphology, it is argued that three fundamental semantic constraints underlie the formation of diminutives: [-big], [+ emotional], and [+ informal]. The study further accounts for the rule-governed combinability of Macedonian diminutives and postulates sets of formal semantic constraints for all grades of diminutivization. The pragmatic functions of the diminutives proper and periphrastic diminutives are investigated in a broad variety of contexts and registers, including child-directed speech (CDS) and adult communication. In Macedonian, social bonding, cordiality, intimacy or affection seem to be pragmatically more salient than personal autonomy in the Anglo-Saxon societies, realized through non-imposition, tentativeness, or similar pragmatic strategies for saving face. By offering further evidence towards the systematic and empirical research of diminutives this book may be of interest to scholars of language, students, as well as those interested in cross-cultural studies.