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The Latin language has a robust diminutive-forming system. There are many diminutive suffixes: those in calculus, axilla, fistula, and areola to start. There is often more than one correct way to form a diminutive, and many more incorrect ones.[1]
Gender
The masculine, feminine, and neuter diminutives often end in -us, -a, and -um.
later, -is (m.) > later-cul-us (m.)
mulier, -is (f.) > mulier-cul-a (f.)
tūber, -is (n.) > tūber-cul-um (n.)
There are exceptions. These masculine words end in -a:
scurr-a (m.) > scurr-ul-a (m.)
vern-a (m.) > vern-ul-a (m.)
Many have a vowel, followed by one or two ls, followed by the endings just mentioned. Here we see stem + 'ul' + ending.
Example
Nomative
diminutive alterius generis
diminutive eiusdem generis
ac-us (f.)
aculeus (m.)
calx, calc-is (f.)
calc-ulus (m.)
can-is, -is (m./f.)
can-īcula (f.)
catēn-a (f.)
catēl-lus (m.)
catēl-la (f.) / catēn-ula (f.)
cicer, -is (n.)
cicer-cula (f.)
convent-us, -ūs (m.)
convent-iculum (n.)
curr-us, -ūs (m.)
curr-iculum (n.)
diē-s (m./f.)
diē-cula (f.)
galēr-us (m.)
galēr-iculum (n.)
gust-us, -ūs (m.)
gust-ulum (n.)
linter, lintr-is (f.)
lintr-iculus (m.)
nŭx, nŭc-is (f.)
nŭc-(u)leus (m.)
nŭc-ula (f.)
pistrīn-um (n.)
pistrīl-la (f.)
rān-a (f.)
rān-unculus (m.)
rān-ula (f.)
statu-a (f.)
stat-unculum (n.)
ungu-is, -is (m.)
ung-ula (f.)
ungu-iculus (m.)
vepr-ēs, -is (m.)
vepr-ēcula (f.)
The rules can be a bit involved. The diminutive depends on the gender, declination (first, second, etc.) and the root's ending.
In general the diminutive of nouns of the first or second declension which end in obstruents or the semivowel /w/ (written <v>) take the suffix -ulus/-ula/-ulum (depending on gramatical gender).
Classis
Regular
Irregular
principale
deminutive
principale
deminutive
Regula principalis
vīc-us
vīc-ulus
fīc-us (f.)
fīc-ula
port-a
port-ula
scurr-a (m.)
scurr-ula (m.)
crust-um
crust-ulum
cerv-a
cervula
rīvus
rīvulus
Stems ending in Vowels
Nouns of the first or second declension whose stems end in a vowel typically take -ola, -olus, or -olum depending on if they are of the feminine, masculine, or neuter gender respectively. Words ending in the glide /w/ (written v), take -ul- like other stems ending in consonants (cf. cerva/cervula).
Classis
Regular
Irregular
stem
diminutiive
stem
diminutive
Regula principalis
gladi-us
gladi-olus
besti-a
besti-ola
palli-um
palli-olum
calce-us
calce-olus
āre-a
āre-ola
hirne-a
hirn-ula
horre-um
horre-olum
In the first declanation, -ia can become =illa or =ola. (Lucia → Lucilla, sed Tullia → Tulliola).
Roots with -ul-
Nouns whose stems end in -ul- (either the root itself, or due to the noun in question being a diminutive already), when their diminutive is formed, the stem-final, -ul- changes either to -ell- or -ill-. It is difficult to find any regular correspondence between the context surrounding -ul- and whether the diminutive's stem ends in -ell- or -ill-.
In the table below, those which are diminutives already have the original stem listed under "principle". In cases where the diminutive's meaning is very different from that of the original noun, the noun in question is enclosed with parentheses.
Stems ending in:
- (Principale)
Base single diminutive
deminutivum double-diminutive
in -ELL-
in -ILL-
-B(UL)-
-
fābul-a
fābell-a
-
tābul-a
tābell-a
-C(UL)-
-
ancul-a
ancill-a
-
bacul-um
bacill-um
-
crepitācul-um
crepitācill-um
cōdex
cōdicul-us
cōdicill-us
mollis (adi.)
mollicul-us (adi.)
mollicell-us (adi.)
(pēnis)
pēnicul-us
pēnicill-us
avis
avicul-a
aucell-a
locus
locul-us
locell-us
-
ocul-us
ocell-us
-
pōcul-um
pōcill-um
bucca
buccul-a
buccell-a
porcus
porcul-us
porcell-us
furca
furcul-a
furcill-a
-D(UL)-
haedus
haedul-us
haedill-us
-F(UL)-
offa
offul-a
ŏfell-a
-G(UL)-
-
angul-us
angell-us
-
singul-us (adi.)
singill-atim (adv.)
-
cingul-um
cingill-um
(unguis)
ungul-a
ungell-a
-M(UL)-
mamma
mammul-a
mămill-a
-N(UL)-
āgnus)
āgnul-us
āgnell-us
(ānus)
ānul-us
ānell-us
-P(UL)-
-
manipul-us
manipell-us
pūpus/-a
pūpul-us/-a
pūpill-us/-a
-R(UL)-
murmur
murmurul-um
murmurill-um
turtur
turturul-a
turturill-a
-S(UL)-
caps-a
capsul-a
capsell-a
pūsus
pūsul-us
pŭsill-us
-T(UL)-
aries
arietul-us
arietill-us
-
catul-us/-a
catell-us/-a
cist-a
cistul-a
cistell-a
pūtus
pūtul-us
pŭtill-us
-
situl-a
sitell-a
The double diminutives of words ending in -er, or -in-, are usually formed by adding -ul- to the end of the existing diminutive..
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