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toutou

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: tōutōu and tou-tou

French

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Etymology

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Reduplication of a sound-symbolic syllable to-, denoting a small and probably cute object. Appeared in the 17th century with the sense of "favorite", then evolved into "a docile person". For a similar formation in an unrelated language, compare Chinese 嘟嘟 (dūdū, “chubby, plump”).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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toutou m (plural toutous)

  1. (informal, childish) doggie, bow-wow (dog)
  2. (Quebec) soft toy, stuffed animal
  3. (figuratively, derogatory) poodle (person servile towards someone whom he or she considers his or her superior)
    Synonym: caniche

Further reading

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Tokelauan

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Etymology

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From Proto-Polynesian *te-o-u-tou.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): [to.u.ˈto.u]
  • Hyphenation: to‧u‧to‧u

Determiner

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toutou

  1. (inalienable, definite) your

See also

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Tokelauan possessive determiners
Definite inalienable (O-type)
singular reference plural reference
sg du pl sg du pl
long short long short
1st person excl. toku, tota1 to māua to mā to mātou oku, ota1 o māua o mā o mātou
incl. ― to tāua to tā to tātou ― o tāua o tā o tātou
2nd person tō toulua toutou ō oulua outou
3rd person tona to lāua to lā to lātou ona o lāua o lā o lātou
Definite alienable (A-type)
singular reference plural reference
sg du pl sg du pl
long short long short
1st person excl. taku, tata1 ta māua ta mā ta mātou aku, ata1 a māua a mā a mātou
incl. ― ta tāua ta tā ta tātou ― a tāua a tā a tātou
2nd person tau taulua tautou au aulua autou
3rd person tana ta lāua ta lā ta lātou ana a lāua a lā a lātou
Indefinite inalienable (O-type)
singular reference plural reference
sg du pl sg du pl
long short long short
1st person excl. hoku, hota1 ho māua ho mā ho mātou ni oku,
ni ota1 		ni o māua ni o mā ni o mātou
incl. ― ho tāua ho tā ho tātou ― ni o tāua ni o tā ni o tātou
2nd person hō houlua houtou ni ō ni oulua ni outou
3rd person hona ho lāua ho lā ho lātou ni ona ni o lāua ni o lā ni o lātou
Indefinite alienable (A-type)
singular reference plural reference
sg du pl sg du pl
long short long short
1st person excl. haku, hata1 ha māua ha mā ha mātou ni aku,
ni ata1 		ni a māua ni a mā ni a mātou
incl. ― ha tāua ha tā ha tātou ― ni a tāua ni a tā ni a tātou
2nd person hau haulua hautou ni au ni aulua ni autou
3rd person hana ha lāua ha lā ha lātou ni ana ni a lāua ni a lā ni a lātou

1) Sympathetic

References

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  • R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎[1], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 389
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