Search from various Engels teachers...
Brainer
Words that I don´t understand
I am reading a Harry Potter book and there are some words that I don´t understand.
1 - Sweetums
2 - Duddydums (I believe this comes from his name "Dudley"
3 - To yell between huge, pretend sobs (Huge is an adj., but in this case I don´t know. I think that here it is a name).
PS: Is "(d)ums" a suffix? I´ve never seen this in a word but these ones.
Thank you in advance
24 aug. 2012 06:12
Antwoorden · 1
1
It's not a suffix.
Both of these are terms of endearment based on the word 'diddums'. People call a very young child 'diddums' if he/she is upset - "Don't cry, diddums." However, we also say it to mock an adult if we believe he/she is behaving like a child - "You broke your fingernail? Aw, diddums!"
So Rowling has made up two new terms of endearment based on this word (you are right about number 2 being based on Dudley). Dudley's parents speak to him as if he is a much younger child because he is spoilt.
No. 3 - 'huge' is an adjective. The sobs are both huge and pretend.
24 augustus 2012
Heb je je antwoorden nog steeds niet gevonden?
Schrijf je vragen op en laat de moedertaalsprekers je helpen!
Brainer
Taalvaardigheden
Engels, Japans, Portugees
Taal die wordt geleerd
Engels, Japans
Artikelen die je misschien ook leuk vindt

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
22 likes · 17 Opmerkingen

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
17 likes · 12 Opmerkingen

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
14 likes · 6 Opmerkingen
Meer artikelen
