ZINHO and ZAO - ALL THINGS, BIG and SMALL

This page is under construction!
Please come back later.

Brazil is a country of great extremes -- rich and poor, beauty and uglyness, joy and sorrow. It is also a land where language esily expresses some of these extremes, at least when the subject is size.

The Portuguese language, and particularly the Brazilian version, makes common use of the ability to incorporate a concept of size into any noun, by adding a suffix. This is called xxxxxxx and it has two forms: the aumentative and the diminutive. In basic terms, idea of smallness is incorporated by adding "inho" (or "zinho" if preceded by a vowel) and anything on the large side is conceptualized by adding "ao" (or zao) to the word. This is the general rule and there are many exceptions. In English, as in many languages, we usually do the same thing with adjectives. Of course, Portuguese also has the full range of adjectives that are used to describe and modify nouns.

Now some thoughts on this...
a. This usage is very common, but never in formal language or writing. It is something used when talking to friends and family.

b. It is used for just about everything: objects, people, events, events and actions... (mesinha = little table, Pedrao = Big Peter, voltinha = a small walk, tempinho = a short time, amigao = big or good friend). Incredibly, it is even sometimes incorporated into verbs.

c. The diminutive (inho) is much more commonly used than the aumentative (ao) form.

d. These are also used to indicate a superlative status, or the lack thereof. Thus, "carrao" is not necessarily a big car, but a great, expensive, nice car, and a "jogao" is a great, exciting and fun game. This usage is much for common for the aumentative "ao" form. The "zinho" can be used to indicate lack of quality, but when used in this sense, it is usually followed by an adjective (joginho ruim = bad game, juizinho de merda = something about a bad judge) and so on..."

e. Sometimes the forms are combined (chained) for added emphasis. Thus we come to one of my favorite words in Portuguese: pequenininho. This is something that is not just small (pequeno), or very small (pequeninho), but really, really small (pequeneninho), with a double diminuitive.

Last of all, to illustrate this, I am including some jokes (piadinhas) sent to me, with their respective translations. In fact, it was because of these jokes and their wording that I decided to write this silly little essay. They may not be politically correct, but they illustrate the language and humor of Brazil.

Joke 1.

Dois baianos esticadão em redes no salão:
- Oxente, será que tá chovendo?
- Sei não, meu rei...
- Vai lá fora e dá uma olhadinha...
- Vai você...
- Vou não, tô cansadão...
- Então, chame nosso cão...
- Oxente, chame você...
- Ô Tigão!
Um cachorrinho entra na sala, pára e deita de costas para os dois.
- E então, meu rei, tá chovendo?
- Tá não... O cão tá sequinho.
Joke Number 2...

O baiano deitadão na varanda :
-"Ô mãinha , a xente temos aí pomada , pra queimadura, de taturana?'
-'Porque amorzinho? Uma taturana encosto em ti, foi ?"
-"Foi não, mas, tá pertinho..."
Two Bahianos (very) extended in hamocks in the (big) hall:
- Hey guy, could it be raining?
- I know not, my king...
- Go out and take a little look...
- You go...
- Not me, I'm (really) tired...
- Then, call our dog...
- Oxente, call him yourself...
- Hey (big) Tiger!
A (small) dog enters in the room, stops and lies down with its back to the two.
- and so, my king, is it raining?
- no... The dog is (very) dry.

A bahiano laidback on the porch:
-"little Mom, do we have a tube of creme for tarantula insect burns?
-'Why, my little love? Did a tarantula get you?"
-"No, but it's really close.. "

OK, THE JOKES STINK, THE TRANSLATION IS LOUSY, THE LANGUAGE IS DEROGATORY, BUT... the jokes do convey the relaxed attitue of Bahia and the Bahianos, and the language is so very fitting. It is exactly how some people talk in certain parts of Brazil, with the use of regional expressions ("Xente" and the use of "Ta, nao" as a negative) and the very frequent use of the aumentative and diminutive forms.

The fact is that the stories would not have the same effect if "zinho" and "zao" formats were not used. They convey a very personal, intimate relationship between the characters and with time and space. Words like, "Olhadinha, cansadao, Tighrao, pertinho, Mainha" give the reader (or listener) a much more colorful understading of both actions and attitudes, that would not have been evident with the regular vocabulary with these same words.

Other stuff...

The Spanish diminutive forms "ito" and cito" are understood, but not used - usually. There are exceptions, but none that are worth talking about. The diminutives are used in several ways: 1. to indicate size (pedacinho), 2. as a term of endearment or intimacy (maezinha) 3. to convey a sense of significance Note: The diminutive -ito ending should not be confused with the -ito ending of some past participles such as frito (fried) and maldito (cursed).