You are right. There is no fixed rule as to why a diminutive y or ie is used (‘greenies’) as opposed to o (‘muso’). Sometimes the
explanation is obvious. We have ‘birdo’ because ‘birdie’ was already in use with another meaning. The y suffix has a long history in the English language and its forbears as an ending which can often be diminutive (tiny, flimsy, silly, crazy) . There are of
course all the baby words like pussy, puppy, bunny, doggy, horsey etc.
The o suffix almost certainly came long ago from other European languages. I have had the question of its arbitrary usage all my
life. You can’t shorten John so people who want to be familiar think they have to call me Johnny or Johno but there is no rule!
While we do not have a clear rule as to the use of y or o, we do have a set of rules or generalisations about why such diminutives
are formed in the first place. Familiarity is certainly one (Lizzie, Tommy, Alfie, Vicky). Surnames often have o rather than y (Tommy vs Tommo). Australians are very inclined to abbreviate and add a diminutive to places, things and activities etc which are
a common part of everyday casual speech, especially if they are associated with relaxation or fun – footy, barbie, sunnies etc. We say we shop at Woollies because it is a shortening, sort of, but we don’t try to do anything with Coles. And what could you possible
do with Aldi?
Finally, as to the choice between y and o, there may be historical precedents but these days it no doubt comes down to who first
said it. Someone – a journalist no doubt- had to be the first person to say ‘pollies’ and it stuck. She/he could have said ‘pollos’ and it would have stuck too. Somebody first called the ‘garbage man’ a ‘garbo’. Someone was the first to shorten Western
Suburbian to ‘Westie’ or Brisbane to ‘Brisie’ and they simply caught on.
As a person with an interest i the language, I would like to know whether ‘entos’ is indeed legal tender.
We know the Australian tendency to add the semi-affectionate ‘o’ in such abbreviations, and I have wondered if there is a rule that dictates that choice in preference to ‘ies’ (eg
fieries, pollies, bookies, roadies (in the entertainment sense),chippies, greenies, cockies.
Even ‘blockies’, for persons holding an allocated agricultural block.)
On the other hand, we also have
garbos, birdos, musos, commos, winos, reffos.
I remember being told that ‘sussos’ built the Great Ocean Road, although that was well before my time.
With ‘ento’ there is perhaps a slight chance of confusion with ‘enterologist’, which could only be avoided by using the longer
forms ‘entomos’ and ‘enteros’. The latter are likely to be in practice under the longer title of ‘gastroenterologist’, but ‘gastros’ is not really available for the same reason that reptile persons would not wish to be known as ‘herpos’.
On the subject of ailments, if ‘ento’ is legitimate it will only be a matter of time before ‘csiroento’ is used for the sub-class,
and that sounds like something I for one would not wish to be diagnosed with.
Thanks to everyone who responded, in particular to the CSIRO entos from the Australian National Insect Collection. The consensus is that the insect is a type of March fly
Scaptia auriflua
I must admit that this is the first time in my life that I have felt even a very tiny bit favourably disposed towards a march fly.
regards
Con
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