teeny tiny

English translation: petite

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	teeny tiny
Selected answer:	petite
Entered by:	Will Matter

14:52 Oct 30, 2007

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Linguistics

English term or phrase: teeny tiny

I need to describe the physical appearance (height) of a Turkish novelist in English.

According to the original text, she was a large-eyed young woman and was a diminutive figure, less than five feet tall.

Would you use the word "teeny weeny / teeny tiny" to describe her height?

OR

What would be your personal preference? petite? small-boned?

Many thanks in advance.

Mehmet Hascan KudoZ activity Questions: 193 (none open) (25 closed without grading) Answers: 1457 Ireland
Local time: 16:18

petite

Explanation:
Self-explanatory. HTH.

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Note added at 9 mins (2007-10-30 15:02:12 GMT)
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Here is a searchable resource that might be useful for you http://www.synonym.com/synonyms// and here is yet another http://www.wordwebonline.com/search.pl?w=petite For the second reference look at the bottom of the page and you will see a list of synonyms already there, with additional info and links provided. HTH.

Selected response from:

Will Matter
United States
Local time: 08:18

Grading comment

Thank you all very much for your help.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

5 +7

petite

Will Matter

3 +6

short

Ken Cox

3 +3

small/tiny

VIV FATHIMAN (X)

petite, small in stature, of diminutive size

Lorraine Lamont

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

8 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

short

Explanation:
... is the most neutral term. 'Dimuntive stature' is a also a good choice in a relatively formal register. 'Tiny' is also possible, but it should be used with caution.

'Petite' sugests (at least to me) both short and slender, which is fine it the person fits this description.

Whatever you do, *don't* use teeny-weeney, itsy-bitsy, or the like (too childish and potentially derogatory).

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Note added at 9 mins (2007-10-30 15:01:54 GMT)
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sorry, 'dimunitive'

Ken Cox
Local time: 17:18
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 47

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks a million, Ken

2 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

petite

Will Matter
United States
Local time: 08:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 24

Grading comment

Thank you all very much for your help.

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks a million, William. As far as I know, the phrase "teeny weeny / teeny tiny" is only used to describe small objects / insects etc. Can we also use it to describe a woman?

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

juvera

1 min

-> Thank you.

agree

Alexander Demyanov

8 mins

-> Spasiba. Skolka lyet, skolka zhim, my friend.

agree

Can Altinbay: This is good, too. Again, Mehmet bey, if you use teeny, etc. to describe a person, you might get clobbered.

15 mins

-> O-hisashiburi desu ne. Doomo for the agree.

agree

Sabine Akabayov, PhD

38 mins

-> Danke. Toda raba. Nice CV. Welcome to ProZ.

neutral

Sheila Wilson: Fine is she's slim, but the context given doesn't exclude a short, obese woman//Please, don't interpret my comment as a disagree - just "with reservations"

43 mins

-> I simply agreed with one of the choices the asker already offered and provided some other helpful info. Given the context I doubt that anyone would infer that the woman in question (teeny tiny) is obese, those two words don't usually 'mix'.

agree

Claire Chapman: Thank you, willmatter :-)

5 hrs

-> Nice CV. If any textile-related stuff comes my way I'll try to remember you. Thanks for the agree.

agree

Madeleine MacRae Klintebo: Yes. And to the asker: how come you think a term which is "used to describe small objects / insects etc." can also describe a woman. Do you consider women to be in the same category as insects???

6 hrs

-> Thank you for the agree.

agree

Patricia Townshend (X)

1 day 5 hrs

12 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

small/tiny

Explanation:
If you want to emphasise her height (or rather lack of)

VIV FATHIMAN (X)
Local time: 09:18
Native speaker of:

English,

French

15 hrs confidence:

petite, small in stature, of diminutive size

Explanation:
I agree with many, if not most here. Petite denotes shorter and small-framed, small-boned, slender, etc. Diminutive is little, without implying anything possibly derogatory, though the author already refers to height specifically. Are we modifying the stated height OR are we referring to a small frame and less than 5' tall... Small in stature relates more to height.

Example sentence(s):

... she was a large-eyed young woman, small in stature at less than five feet tall.
... she was a large-eyed, petite young woman, and less than five feet tall.

Lorraine Lamont
United States
Local time: 11:18
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

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