Routledge dictionary of language and linguistics - Developers

A-Z 315
Kremnitz, G. 1987. Diglossie/Polyglossie. In U. Ammon et al. (eds), Sociolinguistics: an
international handbook on the science of language and society. Berlin. 208–18.
Labov, W. 1966. The social stratification of English in New York City. Washington, DC.
Weinreich, U. 1953. Languages in contact: findings and problems. New York.
Willemyns, R. and H.Bister. 1989. The language continuum as a pluridimensional concept. In U.
Ammon (ed.), Status and function of languages and language varieties. Berlin and New York.
541–51.
Bibliography
Fernandez, M. 1993. Diglossia: a comprehensive bibliography, 1960–1990 and supplements.
Amsterdam and Philadelphia.
digraphy [Grk gráphein ‘to write’]
The representation of a single phoneme with two graphic signs, e.g. Eng. ‹sh› for [∫]. (
also graphemics)
diminutive [Lat. deminuere ‘to lessen’] (also
attenuative)
1 Nouns derived by means of certain suffixes like -et(te) (cigarette), -let (booklet), and -
ie/-y (Billie, kitty) or a prefix like mini- (mini-vac) that as a rule modify (
modification) the meaning of the stem to ‘little,’ but which can also signal an emotional
attitude of the speaker (What a cute kitty!, which can be said of a cat of any size). The
latter are often called hypocoristics. The opposite derivations are augmentatives, which
are not present in all languages. ( also sound symbolism)
References
word formation
2 A type of verbal aspect which is a subgroup of duratives ( durative vs nondurative).
In German, the suffix -In is used with verbs to indicate a lower intensity of the
action: hüsteln ‘cough a little’ from husten ‘to cough,’ spötteln ‘to scorn somewhat’ from
spotten ‘to scorn.’