"N Cook" wrote in message
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msg wrote in message
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Greetings:

Just wondering when the confusing usages of diminutive names
crept into English (by the English), such as 'tranny' for
I presume transistor or perhaps transformer?, 'addy' for
I presume address, 'proggy' for I presume program ,etc.

I think the terminology may have originated in Australia.

For example, we (Aussies) don't have truckers, we have truckies. We don't
have surfers (surf-board riders), we have surfies. But not every noun is
modified the same way: oh, no ... that'd be boring

A couple of sites to browse through, at your leisu
http://www.abc.net.au/wordmap/

http://www.abc.net.au/newsradio/programs/WORDWATCH.htm

Cheers,

HT.