AboutMaciej St. Zięba Expertise I am native Polish and I used to teach Polish to foreigners. I know (passively of actively) more than 15 other languages - so I can answer many questions concerning Polish grammar, pronounciation, spelling, ethymology and usage - as compared to English, French, German, Russian, Dutch, Esperanto or Norwegian. Also questions concerning other Slavic languages, Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan, or general linguistics, especially scripts (writing systems and transcriptions) - are welcome.
Experience Teaching English and French to Poles, Polish to foreigners, teaching Sanskrit, Chinese and Tibetan to philosophy students.
Expert: Maciej St. Ziêba Date: 1/6/2008 Subject: Nickname for Granddaughter
Question Hello, both of my parents who are now deceased were Polish. I have a granddaughter who I call Little One. My son has suggested that I find out how to say and write Little One and use this for his daughter's nickname. Can you help me to say and write "Little One" for a little girly ? Thanks so much..... Helen Kucharczyk Buttson
Answer Hi Helen,
I think the best translation of "Little One" for girls is such a situation is either "Malutka" or "Maleńka" (or use both interchangeable; they have the same meaning they are just different diminutives or endearment forms for "Mała" which means "Little One" ). Here in Eastern Poland one would also use the word "Niunia", "Niunieczka" or "Niuniasia" - which are most probably derivatives of "Wnuczka" (granddaughter) "Wnuczka" => "Wnusia" => "Wnunia" => "Niunia".
Pronounciation (in the order the words appear):
mah-LOOT-kah
mah-LENY-kah
NYOO-nyah
nyoo-NYETCH-kah
nyoo-NYAH-sh'ah
VNOOTCH-kah
VNOO-sh'ah
VNOO-nyah
ah as a in father
e as e in get
ny - is a soft (palatalised) n - as gn in French "Mignon", "beigne", or in Italian "Agnus Dei" or as Spanish n with tilde (~) above, in "Espan~a"
oo like oo in boot
sh' - like softer (palatalised) sh used before y or i (ex. s in sure; sh in she; Polish distinguishes two sound similar to sh - "hard" sz and "soft" ś (s', si) - the English "sh" lies in betwenn the two Polish sounds.
Success with your Niunia,
(I know what fun and joy you have - we also have a two-years old Niunia, and one year old Niuniuś (=grandson). [NYOO-nyoosh']
regards
Maciej
the CAPITALISED syllable is the one stressed in each case.
