Lunfardo suffixes

[Caballero]

A rarer feature of Porteño speech that can make it completely unintelligible is the random addition of suffixes with no particular meaning, usually making common words sound reminiscent of Italian surnames. These endings include -etti, -elli eli, -oni, -eni, -anga, -ango, -enga, -engue, -engo, -ingui, -ongo, -usi, -ula, -usa, -eta, among others.

How are these suffixes used, and when are they used? Are they commonly used?

[aleCcowaN]

Originally Posted by Caballero

How are these suffixes used, and when are they used? Are they commonly used?

That list is a potpourri. It looks there are mock Italian suffixes together with African suffixes, traditional Spanish suffixes and maybe Quechuan inffixes.

Some examples:

Suffixes common in Italian surnames are used to make verbs, nouns and adjectives become "embodiments" of concepts. Famous popular characters: Figuretti -the one that tries to attract everybody's attention and be praised , the quintessential hysteric male-; Cornicelli -the quintessential cuckold-; Naboletti -the 24/7 jerk-, etc.

Suffixes that carry a diminishing, enfeebling or derogative nuance: facilongo -a piece of cake; a doddle; duck soup-; blandengue -softie; impotent-; mistongo (lunfardo) -poor and plain-