Comments on: Diminutives http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/ Language and Culture of the Portuguese-Speaking World Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:49:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Brazilian Nicknames | Portuguese Blog http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/comment-page-1/#comment-4255 Brazilian Nicknames | Portuguese Blog Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:09:36 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/#comment-4255 [...] (from Bahia) or Mineiro (from Minas Gerais). Also, a person’s name could be there name with a diminutive, like Joãozinho or Fernandinha. It could even be an invented [...] [...] (from Bahia) or Mineiro (from Minas Gerais). Also, a person’s name could be there name with a diminutive, like Joãozinho or Fernandinha. It could even be an invented [...]

]]> By: gika http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/comment-page-1/#comment-2054 gika Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:40:28 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/#comment-2054 Using diminutive doesn't show if you appreciate that or not, exactly... Your voice and face tell it. If you say "bonitinho/a" for 'something' in front its 'owner' and you mean cute, try to demonstrate it with your facial expression, smile or whatever. Your mood speaks for you in any language! ;D Using diminutive doesn’t show if you appreciate that or not, exactly…
Your voice and face tell it.
If you say “bonitinho/a” for ‘something’ in front its ‘owner’ and you mean cute, try to demonstrate it with your facial expression, smile or whatever.

Your mood speaks for you in any language! ;D

]]> By: izabela http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/comment-page-1/#comment-2053 izabela Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:24:24 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/#comment-2053 Hey,i totally agree with what was said about Brazilians not being able to express their judgemental opinions. So the diminutive is often used for this pupose too, because it sounds less agressive i gess. Thats why many people dont like being refered to as "bonitinho"(cutie). There's now a consence in brazil that "bonitinho" is "feio arrumadinho" (which means something close to an well dressed ugly). But i think its a cultural thing. Parents teach their children that its rude to be "too honest" - if i can put it that way . When Brazilians live abroad, it takes a while for them to get used to people saying exactly what they think... and without diminutive! but once you get used to it, you see its way better just to say it, as long as you realise its not rude at all. Hey,i totally agree with what was said about Brazilians not being able to express their judgemental opinions. So the diminutive is often used for this pupose too, because it sounds less agressive i gess. Thats why many people dont like being refered to as “bonitinho”(cutie). There’s now a consence in brazil that “bonitinho” is “feio arrumadinho” (which means something close to an well dressed ugly).
But i think its a cultural thing. Parents teach their children that its rude to be “too honest” – if i can put it that way .
When Brazilians live abroad, it takes a while for them to get used to people saying exactly what they think… and without diminutive! but once you get used to it, you see its way better just to say it, as long as you realise its not rude at all.

]]> By: WicCaesar http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/comment-page-1/#comment-2052 WicCaesar Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:29:19 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/#comment-2052 Some words also have the -ette suffix, but in a Brazilian form, it's -ete. Some words also have the -ette suffix, but in a Brazilian form, it’s -ete.

]]> By: Cintia Moura http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/comment-page-1/#comment-2051 Cintia Moura Mon, 26 May 2008 17:24:55 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/portuguese/diminutives/#comment-2051 Hi there, I'm Brazilian myself and would add that the diminutive in Brazilian Portuguese is also used to express not so much endearment in certain situations. See, consider the situation: I say that a girl's dress is "bonitinho"; given that I dont like the girl because I think she's prettier or something, and in fact I envy the girl, the diminutive "bonitinho" means exactly the opposite! even worse, it may mean "I dont care if her drees is beautiful, or that she's pretty, I simply dont like her and that's it!". As a language student I'd say this aspect of the diminutive in Portuguese spoken in Brazil is due to a very strong feature in our culture: Brazilian people dont "feel comfortable" to express their judgemental opnions literally; and I dont think that's because we care about other people's feelings or sth, it's more likely that we are always trying to preserve our own public image! It seems that Brazilians dont have the guts to say clearly what they think and face the consequences from supporting their point of view. That really annoys me! Hi there, I’m Brazilian myself and would add that the diminutive in Brazilian Portuguese is also used to express not so much endearment in certain situations. See, consider the situation: I say that a girl’s dress is “bonitinho”; given that I dont like the girl because I think she’s prettier or something, and in fact I envy the girl, the diminutive “bonitinho” means exactly the opposite! even worse, it may mean “I dont care if her drees is beautiful, or that she’s pretty, I simply dont like her and that’s it!”.
As a language student I’d say this aspect of the diminutive in Portuguese spoken in Brazil is due to a very strong feature in our culture: Brazilian people dont “feel comfortable” to express their judgemental opnions literally; and I dont think that’s because we care about other people’s feelings or sth, it’s more likely that we are always trying to preserve our own public image! It seems that Brazilians dont have the guts to say clearly what they think and face the consequences from supporting their point of view.
That really annoys me!

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