182 Walter Petersen, 



(§ 67 B).* It is found in a catalogue : 48 xMvTrjpiTxo;, 50 "^Upr/, 

 (jO£>icr/vOv. 52 [j.a/aipoOr;///). 



VI. -lEKO- AS A HYPOCORISTIC SUFFIX. 



75. Like most diminutive suffixes -icxo- shows various hypocoristic 

 shades of meaning which are often intimately associated with the 

 notion of small size, but may take its place. In a suffix whose 

 ' diminutive ' meaning developed from similarity there seems to be 

 no probable way by which the notion ' neat,' ' pretty,' or 'dear ' 

 could be derived from anything except ' small.' We can hardly 

 assume that the idea was originally ' too neat or pretty or dear 

 for the primitive to be applicable.' ^ On the other hand apprecia- 

 tion of delicacy and endearment for children and young animals 

 are so common that these hypocoristic shades may easily attach 

 themselves to any expression referring to their small size or youth. 

 This secondary derivation of hypocoristic notions from small size 

 is not only characteristic of -t-rxo-, be it that it has passed through 

 this development independently, or that it has inherited all the 

 types by syncretism with -ko-, but the same is true of the latter 

 itself. In this way is to be explained the almost total ab- 

 sence of the use of Skt. -ka- to express endearment in the Veda,^ 

 there being only three examples in the Rigveda, and there prob- 

 ably combined with the notion of small size, if indeed that be 

 not the only idea. At that early age endearment was scarcely as 

 yet consciously connected with the suffix. 



76. The various hypocoristic words in -larsj- can be divided into 

 several groups according to the exact shade of meaning and origin. 

 In § 62 was mentioned the notion of deliciousness of articles of 

 food, derived from youth in names of animals and plants. This 

 use became productive in words where no idea of youth could 

 ever have been present, e. g. afj-Yjirtcrxo? 'a fine milk-cake.' Quite 

 similar is the use of a ' diminutive ' suffix in the meaning ' deli- 

 cate, elegant, luxurious,' etc., the origin of which is discussed 

 § 69. These meanings shade so gradually from the diminutive 



^ If it refers to the class, but possibly it designates a particularly little 

 foot-stool. 



^ The closest approach to such a development would be nt^qtaxov (§68 f.), 

 perhaps a feather which was ' too soft for the name.' It must be borne in 

 mind, however, that this is not yet really a hypocorism, since there is no 

 evidence of any emotion connected with the idea. 



3 Cf. Edgerton, JAOS. 31. 131 ff. 



