campana (bell): campanone, campanello, campanellino, campanino, campanaccio
giovane (youth): giovanetto, giovincello, giovinastro
fiore (flower): fioretto, fiorellino, fioraccio, fiorone
tavolo (board): tavolino, tavoletta, tavolone, tavolaccio
seggiola (chair): seggiolone, seggiolina, seggiolaccia
pietra (stone): pietruzza, pietrina, pietrone, pietraccio
sasso (rock): sassetto, sassolino, sassettino, sassone, sassaccio
cesto (basket): cestino, cestone, cestello, cestellino
piatto (plate): piattino, piattello, piattone
pianta (plant or tree): piantina, pianticella, pianticina, pianterella, piantona, piantaccia
fuoco (fire): fuochetto, fuochino, fuocherello, fuocone, fuochettino
festa (festival): festicciola, festona, festaccia
piede (foot): piedino, piedone, pieduccio, piedaccio
mano (hand): manina, manona, manaccia, manuccia
seme (seed): semino, semetto, semone, semaccio, semettino
semplice (simple person): semplicino, semplicetto, sempliciotto, semplicione
ghiotto ("sweet-tooth"): ghiottone, ghiottoncello, ghiottaccio, ghiottissimo
vecchio (old man): vecchietto, vecchione, vecchiaccio, vecchissimo
cieco (blind): ciechino, ciechetto, ciecolino, ciecone, ciecaccio
Note:—The rôle of augmentative and diminutive suffixes in English is vastly less important than in Italian. Here are a few specimens:
lamb—lambkin duck—duckling bird—birdling nest—nestling goose—gosling mouse—mousie girl—girlie book-booklet brook—brooklet stream—streamlet poet—poetaster
The child's exercise is as follows: he composes the first word in any line with the alphabet of a single color (e.g., black). Next underneath and using the alphabet of the same color, he repeats the letters in the second word which he sees also in the first. But just as soon as a letter changes he uses the alphabet of another color (e.g., red). In this way the root is always shown by one color, the suffixes by another; for example:—
buono
buonuccio buonino buonissimo
For English:
stream
streamlet lamb lambkin
Then the child chooses another word and repeats the same exercise. Often he finds for himself words not included in the list which is given him.
In the following chart the suffixes are constant while the root varies. Here the suffix changes the meaning of the word. From the original meaning is derived the word for a trade, a place of business, an action, a collective or an abstract idea. Naturally, the child does not realize all this at first but limits himself merely to building the words mechanically with the two alphabets. Later on, however, as grammar is developed, he may return to the reading of these charts, which are always at his disposal, and begin to realize the value of the differences.
List II
| macello (slaughter) | macellaio (butcher) |
| sella (saddle) | sellaio (saddler) |
| forno (oven) | fornaio (baker) |
| cappello (hat) | capellaio (hatter) |
| vetro (glass) | vetreria (glaziery) |
| calzolaio (shoe-maker) | calzoleria (shoe-shop) |
| libro (book) | libreria (book-store) |
| oste (host) | osteria (inn) |
| pane (bread) | panetteria (bakery) |
| cera (wax) | cereria (chandler's shop) |
| dente (tooth) | dentista (dentist) |
| farmacia (pharmacy) | farmacista (druggist) |
| elettricita (electricity) | elettricista (electrician) |
| telefono (telephone) | telefonista (telephone operator) |
| arte (art) | artista (artist) |
| bestia (beast) | bestiame (cattle) |
| osso (bone) | ossame (bones, collective) |
| corda (string) | cordame (strings, collective) |
| foglia (leaf) | fogliame (foliage) |
| pollo (chicken) | pollame (poultry) |
| grato (grateful) | gratitudine (gratitude) |
| beato (blessed) | beatitudine (blessedness) |
| inquieto (uneasy) | inquietudine (uneasiness) |
| grano (grain) | granaio (barn) |
| colombo (dove) | colombaio (dove-cote) |
| paglia (straw) | pagliaio (hay-stack) |
| frutto (fruit) | frutteto (orchard) |
| canna (reed) | canneto (brake) |
| oliva (olive) | oliveto (olive-grove) |
| quercia (oak) | querceto (oak-grove) |
English