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Old 06-11-2008, 11:10 AM   #313
nekokami
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RickyMaveety View Post
To an extremely limited extent we have that in English buy sticking "y" or "ie" at the end of the first name to make it a diminutive. Can be really insulting when used with someone who has (or thinks he has) higher status than you.
Yes, I agree, that's the closest equivalent to "-chan."

In Mandarin Chinese, you form this kind of diminutive by doubling the syllable. (Many Chinese words only have one syllable, but I think you double the second syllable if there are two.) So, for example, my younger daughter's Chinese name is Yang, and Yangyang would be the diminutive.
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