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Part of
Reference and Identity in Public Discourses
Edited by Ursula Lutzky and Minna Nevala
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series 306] 2019
► pp. 227–250

What’s in a diminutive?

The pragmatics of the Spanish diminutive in a televised political interview and its reverberations in online comments

| University of Hildesheim

This contribution attempts to reconstruct the different values associated with the diminutive -ita, which was repeatedly added to the first name of Spanish journalist Ana Pastor by Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa in a 2012 televised interview, and against which she protested explicitly. While Correa has claimed that his use of Anita was intended to show respect and affection, some online followers interpret it as a sign of machismo. The contribution reflects on these interpretations, also in light of two other interviews between Correa and Pastor and of the continuing online discussion among commentators from Spain, Ecuador and other countries. Ultimately, different conceptions of journalist practices can be shown to be at the heart of the discussion.

Keywords: Spanish, diminutive, nominal address, political news interview, professional identity, intercultural misunderstanding, machismo , gender, online comments, term of reference
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The Spanish diminutive
  • 3.Power relations and roles in political interviews
  • 4.Address terms in the political news interview
  • 5.Analysis of the ‘Anita incident’: Public roles and media format
    • 5.1The long-term face needs of Pastor and Correa
    • 5.2The media format Los desayunos de TVE
    • 5.3 Anita and Presidente in the political interview
    • 5.4Post-interview reframing of the incident by Ana Pastor, her colleagues, and Rafael Correa
  • 6.Public reaction to the interview, 2012–2018
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
  • Journalistic sources
  • YouTube videos and TVE website
Published online: 21 October 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.306.09klu
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2012 “Spanish Government Accused of Purging Critics from National Radio and TV.” The Guardian, August 5 2012 Available online at [URL] (accessed 15 April 2019).
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2012 “La periodista española Ana Pastor se suma a CNN.” CNN español, September 11 2012 Available online at [URL] (accessed 15 April 2019).
Correa, Rafael
(@MashiRafael) 2012 “@MarioTroya No recuerdo, pero nos entendimos muy bien. Fue una entrevista muy agradable. Anita (costumbre latina) es muy profesional.” Tweet, March 19 2012 [URL] (accessed 15 April 2019).
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2018 “De negro. Al que no le guste TVE, que cambie de canal. Ese es el descaro inmoral que rige entre los políticos españoles.” El País, May 22 2018 Available online at [URL] (accessed 15 April 2019).

YouTube videos and TVE website

CNN en español
2013 Rafael Correa “Frente a frente” con Ana Pastor. Part 1. September 28 2013 [URL] (accessed 25 June 2019)
2014a Detrás de cámaras mostrando los preparativos para la entrevista. May 2 2014 [URL] (accessed 15 April 2019)
2014b Ana Pastor entrevista a Rafael Correa. May 4 2014 [URL] and [URL] (accessed 15 April 2019)
Izquierda Unida Avila (IUAVILA1)
2012 “Rafael Correa vapulea a Ana Pastor.” YouTube video, March 25 2012 [URL] (accessed 15 April 2019)
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Sucreranda Hugo Chávez Venezuela
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