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My understanding of diminutives is to "simply add a -inho(a) to any word to make it smaller or cuter" -- more or less.

My question resolves around two specific, every day words:

calça and camisa

Many times I have, out of (improper) habits, attempted to use the diminutive of these words, only to stop myself as I am well aware of their (at least in Brazil) meanings.

So, if the diminutive of calça is not calcinha, what is it?

If the diminutive of camisa is not camisinha, what is it?

brazilianldsjaguar
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1 Answers1

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Well, these days the word "camisinha", as a popular synonym for "condom", has come to be used so often that some people just forget it can also mean "a small shirt". Whilst it may be ambiguous at times, context is everything. Most people prefer to avoid it altogether and say "uma camisa pequena", though. There are times, however, when you have to use "camisinha" for a small shirt: "camisinha de pagão" is an example and there is no ambiguity. It's a small shirt for a newborn baby or an infant. Then again, "calcinha" would never be used as a diminutive for "calças" (trousers) and it always means panties. I might refer to small trousers as "calças pequenas" or "calças curtas" if it were the case.

Centaurus
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  • @Centauros in Portugal we can say camisinha or calcinhas but we prefer to use camisa pequena and calças pequenas. We don't use calcinha like panties neither camisinha like condom. – Jorge B. Sep 14 '15 at 16:00
  • @JorgeB. What do you use for panties, then? – brazilianldsjaguar Sep 14 '15 at 16:04
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    @Centauros, thanks for the answer! This is how I usually solve the problem - calças pequenas and uma camisa pequena to avoid ambiguity. I was hoping there was something more, but seems like this is the solid answer. Thanks! – brazilianldsjaguar Sep 14 '15 at 16:05
  • @brazilianldsjaguar we use "Cuecas". – Jorge B. Sep 14 '15 at 16:06
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    @brazilianldsjaguar um conselho, não aceites a resposta tão rápido, isso faz com que outros utilizadores deixem de responder. Eu costumo esperar um ou dois dias para aceitar. – Jorge B. Sep 14 '15 at 16:07
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    conselho aceito ;) – brazilianldsjaguar Sep 14 '15 at 16:08
  • @JorgeB. "Cuecas" in Brazil refers just to men's underwear. In Portugal, do you use the same word or you have another word for this? – James Sep 14 '15 at 17:13
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    @James we use "cuecas" for both. But for panties, we sometimes also use "cuequinhas". – ANeves Sep 14 '15 at 17:48
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    Sometimes I think @JorgeB and I live in different Portugals. I've heard camisinha used as condom. And Dicionário da Academia das Ciências de Lisboa has it too, and not marked as Brazillianism. But why would you need a camisa pequena? For little children? Would people laugh at you if you asked in a clothes shop for "uma camisinha para um menino de 5 anos?" Or would they say, "Mas que precoce!?" – Jacinto Sep 14 '15 at 21:56
  • @Jacinto Do you have "camisinha de pagão" in ptPT ? – Centaurus Sep 14 '15 at 22:04
  • Never heard of it. And a gaucho friend I've just talked too hasn't either. Now I know. Buf if I hadn't i might even think it was a very special camisinha for a pagan! Do you call your newborns pagans? Because they haven't been baptised yet? – Jacinto Sep 14 '15 at 22:10
  • @Jacinto No, we don't call our newborns "pagans" though the term applies. Not every Brazilian knows what "camisinha de pagão" is. I heard it for the first time when my eldest daughter was born. My mother-in-law said: I've made some "camisinhas de pagão" for her. see http://www.dicio.com.br/calcolas/ – Centaurus Sep 14 '15 at 22:37
  • @Jacinto Yes, we call "pagão" anyone who hasn't been baptized. As most children have already been baptized by the time they are one year old, those very small shirts, open at the front, are called "camisinha de pagão" because they are meant for newborns and infants. – Centaurus Sep 14 '15 at 22:40
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    a downvote? Interesting. – Centaurus Sep 15 '15 at 01:06
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    Looks like a short, balanced answer to me, and so far with no one presenting a contrary view. There's no second-guessing a voter's feelings. – Jacinto Sep 15 '15 at 10:12