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ArchivesRe: Dutch nicknames question
in reply to a message by Anyechka
I'm Dutch! I'm glad to help :)
- I know Jaap and Jaapje are nickname forms of Jakob, but is Jaapetje also used as a superdiminutive form?
Superdiminutive sounds like a good term for it. I think only a mother would use it on a young child, or a spouse (endearingly). I've not heard it much, though.
- Is Brammetje a nickname form for Bram?
Yes. Again, this wouldn't be used by his friends (maybe teasingly), more by people like his (grand)parents, siblings, maybe his girl-/boyfriend.
- Would Emmetje be used for Emilia?
It's possible for a young child. I have a friend called Emma and I call her Em usually.
- I've seen the nickname Floortje for Floor, but also wanted to double-check just in case. It got pretty confusing keeping track of which diminutive endings are used depending on a name or word's final letter or syllable.
Floortje is the correct nickname for Floor (my sister's name, by the way). Yeah, diminutives are hard in Dutch. Dutch is a nasty, confusing language in general, very hard to learn if you haven't grown up with it.
- Also, what would the nicknames be for Leendert, Govert, and Jeronymus? (I know Jeronymus is a bit of an old-fashioned name, but it suits him better than the modern form Jeroen.)
Jeronymus might be Jerry/Jerrie. I have no idea for the other two, because nicknames aren't as big in the Netherlands as in other countries - most nicknames are meant for children, we don't have many nicknames like Matt or Kate, etc. Leendert and Govert would be called by their full names, I suppose.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I know, it's all horrible teenage angst.
- I know Jaap and Jaapje are nickname forms of Jakob, but is Jaapetje also used as a superdiminutive form?
Superdiminutive sounds like a good term for it. I think only a mother would use it on a young child, or a spouse (endearingly). I've not heard it much, though.
- Is Brammetje a nickname form for Bram?
Yes. Again, this wouldn't be used by his friends (maybe teasingly), more by people like his (grand)parents, siblings, maybe his girl-/boyfriend.
- Would Emmetje be used for Emilia?
It's possible for a young child. I have a friend called Emma and I call her Em usually.
- I've seen the nickname Floortje for Floor, but also wanted to double-check just in case. It got pretty confusing keeping track of which diminutive endings are used depending on a name or word's final letter or syllable.
Floortje is the correct nickname for Floor (my sister's name, by the way). Yeah, diminutives are hard in Dutch. Dutch is a nasty, confusing language in general, very hard to learn if you haven't grown up with it.
- Also, what would the nicknames be for Leendert, Govert, and Jeronymus? (I know Jeronymus is a bit of an old-fashioned name, but it suits him better than the modern form Jeroen.)
Jeronymus might be Jerry/Jerrie. I have no idea for the other two, because nicknames aren't as big in the Netherlands as in other countries - most nicknames are meant for children, we don't have many nicknames like Matt or Kate, etc. Leendert and Govert would be called by their full names, I suppose.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I know, it's all horrible teenage angst.
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Replies
They can be used, though Bernie/Bern/Bernt/Bernd seem more logical to me.
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