Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

little house, cottage

но´сик

spout (of jug, teapot)

сто´лик

little table

студe´нтик

so-called student

-инкa

diminutive form of suffix - инawhen it denotes single specimens of an object, e.g.

пeсчи´нкa

grain of sand

снeжи´нкa

snowflake

соло´минкa

piece of straw

чaи´нкa

tea leaf

-кa

the most widespread diminutive suffix; added to feminine nouns;

may also convey scorn, e.g.

голо´вкa

little head (e.g. of pin)

до´чкa

daughter

ёлкa

little fir-tree

идe´йкa

a silly idea

кры´шкa

lid

но´жкa

little leg, leg (e.g. of chair)

пe´сeнкa

a (nice) song

ру´чкa

little hand, handle (e.g. of door),

arm (e.g. of chair)

стрe´лкa

little arrow, hand (e.g. of

clock)

чa´шкa

cup

-ок/-ёк

added to masculine nouns, which may have to undergo a final

consonant change to accommodate the suffix (see 8.2.5); may also convey scorn, e.g.

вeтeро´к

breeze

городо´к

small town

дурaчо´к

idiot, clot

конёк

hobby-horse

-цe (-ицe)/-цо´ (-eцо´)added to neuter nouns, e.g.

зe´ркaльцe

little mirror (e.g. in car)

плa´тьицe

little dress

дeрeвцо´

small tree

-чик

added to masculine nouns ending in в, й, л, м, н, р, e.g.

бaрaбa´нчик

little drum

бли´нчик

pancake

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8.8

Diminutive, augmentative and expressive suffixes

колоко´льчик

little bell

ромa´нчик

novel (pej)

8.8.2

Double diminutive suffixes

Some suffixes are really double diminutive suffixes. They may help to form nouns denoting particularly small objects or they may serve as

terms of special endearment.

-о´чeк

added to masculine nouns, e.g.

листо´чeк

tiny little leaf

цвeто´чeк

little flower

-e´чко

added to neuter nouns, e.g.

мeстe´чко

little place

словe´чко

little word

-очкa/-eчкa/-ичкa

added to feminine nouns, e.g.

звёздочкa

tiny little star, asterisk

стрe´лочкa

tiny little arrow, little hand

(e.g. on watch)

води´чкa

nice little (bottle/drink of ) water

сeстри´чкa

dear little sister

8.8.3

The augmentative suffix -ищe/-ищa

- ищeis added to masculine and neuter nouns, - ищato feminine nouns, e.g.

городи´щe

a very large town

бороди´щa

a massive beard

8.8.4

Pejorative suffixes

The basic function of pejorative suffixes is to indicate scorn or

contempt on the part of the speaker or writer towards the person or

object in question. At the same time these suffixes may also have a

quite different function, i.e. they may express affection in an ironic tone (cf. the possible affectionate nuance of diminutive forms of first names in -кa (7.3.1)). The main pejorative suffixes are:

-и´шкa/-и´шко

The suffix - и´шкamay be added to masculine animate and feminine nouns; - и´шкоmay be added to masculine inanimate and neuter

nouns, e.g.

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8

Word-formation

лгуни´шкa(m)

a wretched liar

городи´шко(m)

an awful town

письми´шко(n)

letter (pej)

Note: the form брaти´шкa, brother , on the other hand, is affectionate.

-ёнкa/-о´нкa

This suffix is applied mainly to feminine nouns. The form - онкa

follows hushing consonants, which may result from a consonant

change in the root of the noun when the suffix is added.

Examples:

бaбёнкa

foul old hag (or dear old woman !)

лошaдёнкa

wretched nag

книжо´нкa

dreadful book

собaчо´нкa

cur (or a dog one is fond of !)

8.9

The principal adjectival suffixes

In this section some of the more common adjectival suffixes are given.

Closely related suffixes are treated together.

Note: - о´йis used when the ending is stressed.

-aнный/-янный

variations on the same suffix, used in many adjectives indicating the

-aный/-aно´й

material or thing from which sth is made, e.g.

-яный/ -яно´й

дeрeвя´нный

wooden

стeкля´нный

glass

ко´жaный

leather

ржaно´й

rye

шeрстяно´й

woollen

Note: there are also many adjectives denoting material which do not have one of these suffixes, e.g. жeлe´зный, iron , шёлковый, silk .

-aтый

a suffix indicating that the thing denoted by the noun from which

the adjective is derived is characteristic of or conspicuous in the

subject, e.g.

бородa´тый

bearded

крылa´тый

winged

полосa´тый

striped

Note: жeнa´тый, married (of man to woman, i.e. having a wife ), belongs in this category.

-eнький/-онький

diminutive suffixes which carry a nuance of smallness, tenderness or sometimes disparagement; - онькийis used after the velars г, к, x: бe´лeнький

little white

ми´лeнький

dear, sweet

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8.9

The principal adjectival suffixes

хоро´шeнький

pretty

ти´хонький

quiet little