Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2009 September 14

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September 14

Diminutives of Russian given names

Is there a difference between different diminutive endings for a given name? (E.g., for Aleksey, there're Alyosha, Lyosha, Alyoshka, Lyoshka, Alyoshenka, and Alyoshechka) The only mention in the article on Russian names is an unsourced comment that the -enka ending is a superlative. – Psyche825 (talk) 08:11, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

Да, there is a difference. The ones ending in -sha (Sasha, Vanyusha), -shenka (Mashenka), -ushka/yushka (Yegorushka, Vanyushka), -shechka (Sashechka), -ochka (Valerochka), and -ik (Tolik), are generally endearing forms (there are others). The ones ending in -ka (Vanka, Vovka, Vaska, Olka, Petka ...) are usually pejorative forms. But there's an overlap, and there's no precise one-to-one correspondence between the form and the meaning. For the example you give:

• Alyosha and Lyosha are non-specific general diminutives
• Alyoshka, Lyoshka, Alyokha and Lyokha are pejorative
• Alyoshenka, Alyoshechka and Lyoshenka are endearing. -- JackofOz (talk) 08:34, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

My Russian teacher's rule of thumb was that the longer the nickname, the more endearing it is. Steewi (talk) 00:19, 15 September 2009 (UTC)

Ah, that helps. Thanks for the info! – Psyche825 (talk) 04:34, 15 September 2009 (UTC)

Information on a- prefixed to verbs

I would like to know the origin of (and possibly a name for?) the practice of prefixing a verb with a-. It shows up in songs ("A-hunting we will go…") and in films, very often by rural and/or country folks (Alvin York in Sergeant York paraphrasing Matthew 26:52: "Those that shall be a-livin' by the sword, shall be a-perishin' by the sword"). — Bellhalla (talk) 14:49, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

You guessed the name correctly. Apparently it's referred to by most linguists as "a- prefixing". There's some info here for instance. Seems like it's a bit of a topic of study and debate where it actually came from! --Pykk (talk) 15:38, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the info! — Bellhalla (talk) 16:00, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

Kanji question: Is it upside down?

A picture of Murakami Haruki's signature used in his article has had its description edited by two IP's, who claim that it is upside down. Is it? decltype (talk) 15:16, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

I have since removed the comments from the description. I noticed it was also on ja.wiki, so I figure someone would have corrected it if it was really upside down. decltype (talk) 15:28, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

Yes, it's upside down. Unless, of course, it's a jokey signature. -- Hoary (talk) 17:08, 14 September 2009 (UTC)

Okay, thanks, I have now rotated it. Any further comments should take that fact into consideration. decltype (talk) 17:46, 14 September 2009 (UTC)