----- Original Message -----
From: "H.M. Hubey" <hubeyh@...>
To: <Nostratica@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 01, 2003 1:32 AM
Subject: Re: [Nostratica] Cardinal and Ordinal Integers


> Is -ul diminutive in Latin? Always? Just curious.

Not always (and it isn't the only diminutive suffix; another popular one is <-cul->), but it's easy to tell when it is, e.g.:

circus 'ring' --> circ-ul-us '(small) circle'
re:x 'king' --> re:g-ul-us 'petty king'
puer 'boy' --> puel-l-us (= puer- + -lus) 'little boy'
calx 'stone' --> calc-ul-us 'pebble'

Piotr