The problematic use of noun diminutive forms in English

Abstract EN

In language structure, a diminutive (or diminutive form), is a form of a word used to describe smallness of the object or quality named, intimacy, or endearment.

Diminutives are created by adding suffixes to a word.

It has been hypothesized that Iraqi EFL learners find difficulty in using noun diminutive suffixes correctly in their writing tasks since there are different suffixes used to form diminutive nouns.

The present study is an attempt to identify the errors made by advanced EFL learners in the Department of English Language / College of Education for Human Sciences, University of Babylon in the use of noun diminutive forms.The current study falls into two parts, theoretical and practical.

The theoretical introduces a general background to noun diminutive forms where they are classified according to form and function.

A representative sample of Iraqi EFL learners has been chosen for error analysis.

Errors have been pinpointed and results have been analyzed and statistically treated.

This study is expected to be valuable to both EFL learners and instructors , on one the hand and translators to and from English and Arabic, on the other.