The replacement of diminutive suffixes in the New High German period

Abstract

Abstract This article addresses the replacement of the diminutive form ‑lein by ‑chen as the leading suffix in written German during the New High German period. A large sample of diminutives from 1600–1900, retrieved from the DTA corpus, forms the basis of this investigation. The study aims to provide a detailed periodization of the replacement process with regard to both types and tokens. By using methods from computational linguistics and time series analysis, clear patterns of language variation and change are demonstrated; these patterns are to some extent interrelated and staggered throughout time. The study additionally shows that there are transfers between genres that coincide with the transition from ‑lein to ‑chen. This indicates that the replacement is due to a strengthening of the semantic effort of the diminutive suffix. Finally, information regarding the writers’ origins is used to map the areal distribution of diminutive forms over time. The maps illustrate the importance of geography as a factor, particularly in the initial phase of the replacement; however, it seems to be without any impact by the end of the 19th century. In doing so, the study offers a particular framework for the analysis of word formation based on historical corpora.