ABSTRACT:
This work investigates the morphosyntactic structure of -inh diminutive formation in Brazilian Portuguese. Assuming a syntactic approach to word formation, it proposes that -inh is not able to project its label in the syntactic structure. It also proposes that -inh attaches to the gender projection, which categorizes the root and is understood as part of the extended projection of the noun. This structure is able to derive the locality relations between the root, the gender head, and the diminutive morpheme, capturing the empirical properties of these formations.
Key words:
Diminutive; Gender; Locality; Morphosyntax
