# Abbreviation Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation-question/216473>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 2, 2003, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation-question/216473 "2003-12-02T08:19:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation-question/216473/1 "2003-12-02T08:19:42Z")

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Would “Rick” or “Dick” for “Richard” or “Bill” for “William” or “Ted” for “Edward” be classed as abbreviations? If not, what would you call them?

I think not, but I couldn’t come up with an alternative term… Anyone have the GA?

Grim

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**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation-question/216473/2 "2003-12-02T08:45:40Z")

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Diminutives

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation-question/216473/3 "2003-12-02T13:55:20Z")

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Wouldn’t that apply better to “Ricky” or “Billy”??

Grim

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**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation-question/216473/4 "2003-12-02T14:05:20Z")

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How about _nickname_?

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**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation-question/216473/5 "2003-12-02T15:12:25Z")

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_Diminutive_ is correct (bolding mine):

> [@](#):
>
> Main Entry: diminutive  
> Function: adjective  
> Date: 14th century
> 
> 1 : indicating small size and sometimes the state or quality of being familiarly known, lovable, pitiable, or contemptible — used of affixes (as -ette, -kin, -ling) and of words formed with them (as kitchenette, manikin, duckling), **of clipped forms (as Jim), and of altered forms (as Peggy)**; compare AUGMENTATIVE

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation-question/216473/6 "2003-12-02T15:37:02Z")

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Cool - thanks…

Grim