# diminutives



## Carl. F.

Hi, I know Polish has loads of different diminutives (even quadruple) and I've found many examples of the usage with first names, BUT I'm having a hard time getting a grip of which is the most affectionate, personal etc.
Specifically I wonder what the most affectionate form of Debbie would be in Polish. As it is already a diminutive form of Deborah, maybe something like Desia sounds the most reasonable...
I suppose one could have any suffix, It's just that it might sound weird.
Or perhaps not?
Is there any ultimately affectionate diminutive?
So far I've reckoned that the ending -enka should be extra affectionate.


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## Little_Me

Carl. F. said:
			
		

> Hi, I know Polish has loads of different diminutives (even quadruple) and I've found many examples of the usage with first names, BUT I'm having a hard time getting a grip of which is the most affectionate, personal etc.
> Specifically I wonder what the most affectionate form of Debbie would be in Polish. As it is already a diminutive form of Deborah, maybe something like Desia sounds the most reasonable...
> I suppose one could have any suffix, It's just that it might sound weird.
> Or perhaps not?
> Is there any ultimately affectionate diminutive?
> So far I've reckoned that the ending -enka should be extra affectionate.


 
Hi Carl!
Well, being honest, it's so hard to answer you question, because Deborah is not a Polish name at all . It would be easier to me if you gave some Polish names and asked for Polish diminutives! You know, Polish diminutives for foreign names usually sound weird, that's my opinion. Anyway, as you said, Debbie is already a diminutive, but I guess the most Polish-sounding form of it could me something like Debusia, Debunia. Desia it's ok, but it doesn't suggest so much that it comes from Debbie actually. And in general, there are no strict rules how to make affectionate diminutives, everything depends on the name you want to change, so it can be: -isia, -usia, -inka, -ynka, -enka, -unia, -ulka, -tka...etc. etc... I hope I could help just a bit, kisses from Poland


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## Carl. F.

Thank you!
But if one for instance would ignore what would sound Polish to a Pole, which one is the most affectionate?
Is it the -inka/-ynka/-enka-ending?
I see diminutive forms of names all the time, but surely these can't be highly personal?
But Deborah could easily have been a Polish name (Debora I suppose it would be spelled, BTW I have suspected Dabrowka to be a Polish version, but I can't find the origins of this name, any thoughts?) given that it is a biblical name like Ewa and Judyta.


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## Little_Me

Carl. F. said:
			
		

> Thank you!
> But if one for instance would ignore what would sound Polish to a Pole, which one is the most affectionate?
> Is it the -inka/-ynka/-enka-ending?
> I see diminutive forms of names all the time, but surely these can't be highly personal?
> But Deborah could easily have been a Polish name (Debora I suppose it would be spelled, BTW I have suspected Dabrowka to be a Polish version, but I can't find the origins of this name, any thoughts?) given that it is a biblical name like Ewa and Judyta.


 
   Hmm...let's think...Debora could be Polish, that's true, but still it hasn't Polish origin so you can't just add some Polish sufix and treat it as Polish! It's really akward Carl  And it's not really like Ewa or Judyta (these names are common, especially Ewa is very popular in Poland and botha has diminutives: Ewka, Ewunia, Ewusia or Judytka), beacuse I've never heard about Polish girl or woman called Debora, it's not typical at all. And Dabrowka- I guess you mean Dąbrówka- it's very very old name (I'm almost sure that it came from Czech Republic), as far as I know it was popular in Medieval times in Poland! Now, like Debora, there are no real chances that you could meet a woman with this name in Poland. Nowadays, it's rather a surname, not the first name, so for example someone can be named Ewa Dąbrówka or Adam Dąbrówka (both sexes). 

And what else, you asked about the most affectionate diminutives- I can't tell which are the most personal or affectionate, because it really depends on the name; some sufixes are proper and right only for some names and other for others, like for example:
- Ewa: Ewunia, Ewusia, Ewka, but I've never heard about Ewinka, Ewanka or Ewenka, these are definitely wrong! Or:
- Marta: Martusia, Martunia, but never Martinka or Martenka (and not Martynka because it's diminutive from Martyna not Marta...)

So you see Carl, it's really complicated... And I guess sufixes you wrote are quite personal, indeed. It would be easier if you could give more examples and then I could give you the diminutives and say whether they are or they are not very personal...Greetings


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## cajzl

The name Dąbrówka came from the Bohemian Principality/Kingdom, certainly not from the Czech Republic. In Czech it is Doubrava (Doubravka), derived from the Slavic word *dub* (= oak), it has nothing in common with Deborah.

BTW, the regular Czech deminutives of Debora would be Deborka and maybe Debořinka.


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## Carl. F.

OK, thank you. 
But, then to conclude; Debienka, is that at all possible?


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## Seana

*Hi*

*I found a name Debora* 

Do you know its source ? Hebrew rooted 

It means a bee, diligent, careful.

If I was forced to create the most affectionate diminutive for Debora to be correct with Polish rules I would made it most natural way as Deborka or Deborunia as a pet name for a little girl. I think teenage girl would be called Debra by her friends.

Do you agree with me Little _Me?

The teenage people don't like diminutive at all.

But really this name could be met very rarely in Poland.

.


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## Little_Me

Yes, Seana, I absolutely agree with you  If it's really necessary to make a diminutive form from Debora (according to Polish rules), I guess it could be something like Deborka, Deborunia, indeed, or maybe Deborusia as well. But still it sounds akward to me! And as you said Seana, I think that teenagers would never use such forms but choose Debra or other English forms, even Debbie... And Debienka, as Carl suggested, doesn't sound very well to me. 
    Greetings!


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## Seana

Hi

Exclusive of the names as you know, even describing other things and situations in Polish language needs to use diminutives in general. Especially for informal letters or conversations.
In many cases when I write in English the lack of these deminutives distorts sence of my sentence at all. Do you feel the same Little_Me?
But it is a totally different topic and meybe same time I will try to initiate the new thread just titled "diminutives in English" or "Polish". I have really thought about it.

I hope you both would help me meybe at the new thread in English or Slavic language, wouldn't you


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## Little_Me

Seana said:
			
		

> Hi
> 
> Exclusive of the names as you know, even describing other things and situations in Polish language needs to use diminutives in general. Especially for informal letters or conversations.
> In many cases when I write in English the lack of these deminutives distorts sence of my sentence at all. Do you feel the same Little_Me?
> But it is a totally different topic and meybe same time I will try to initiate the new thread just titled "diminutives in English" or "Polish". I have really thought about it.
> 
> I hope you both would help me meybe at the new thread in English or Slavic language, wouldn't you


 
Hey! 
You're right Seana, diminutives are the integral part of every language and it's so difficult to write something without using them. But personally, for me, it's important to know how other nations form diminutives in their languages. And it would be great to create new thread about diminutives in other languages! Especially about names! 'Cause as I said, diminutives should be formed according to the specific rules and I really think that we shouldn't mix languages while forming them. I don't know why, but it's very important for me  So you can count on me Seana! Kisses


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## Seana

Many thanks for replay. So I  will prepare some question, words and situations I am interested in and really start a new thread, meybe in Slavic, because we all  have many of them in our language. I will try to notify you  about it meybe via PM. It will be the best way.
Happy Easter


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## Little_Me

Ok, Seana, so I'll wait for your messages  That's a really good idea with this new thread! Take care and Happy Easter too!


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