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Mr. Tom Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Term for adjectives: Jokey, homey

Hi

Is there any term for adjectives like this?


Homey

Jokey

Weepy

Chocolatey

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

r=66 ]DICTIONARY[/url] offers an interesting presentation: -y 2 a noun-forming suffix with a variety of functions in contemporary English, added to monosyllabic bases to create words that are almost always informal. Its earliest use, probably still productive, was to form endearing or familiar names or common nouns from personal names, other nouns, and adjectives (Billy; Susie; birdie; doggie; granny; sweetie; tummy). The hypocoristic feature is absent in recent coinages, however, which are simply informal and sometimes pejorative (boonies; cabby; groupie; hippy; looie; Okie; preemie; preppy; rookie).

— Mister Micawber

  • r=66 ]DICTIONARY[/url] offers an interesting presentation: -y 2 a noun-forming suffix with a variety of functions in contemporary English, added to monosyllabic bases to create words that are almost always informal.
  • Its earliest use, probably still productive, was to form endearing or familiar names or common nouns from personal names, other nouns, and adjectives (Billy; Susie; birdie; doggie; granny; sweetie; tummy).
  • The hypocoristic feature is absent in recent coinages, however, which are simply informal and sometimes pejorative (boonies; cabby; groupie; hippy; looie; Okie; preemie; preppy; rookie).
  • Another function of -y 2 (-ie) is to form from adjectives nouns that denote exemplary or extreme instances of the quality named by the adjective (baddie; biggie; cheapie; toughie), sometimes focusing on a restricted, usually unfavorable sense of the adjective (sharpie; sickie; whitey).
  • A few words in which the informal character of -y 2 (-ie) has been lost are now standard in formal written English (goalie; movie).
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1 Answers
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No special name, I think, but the [url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/-y?r=66]DICTIONARY[/url] offers an interesting presentation:

-y

2 a noun-forming suffix with a variety of functions in contemporary English, added to monosyllabic bases to create words that are almost always
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