This study makes a review of the analysis and interpretations of the diminutive in Portuguese, recovering the vision of Soares Barbosa (1789), obliterated by most of the analysis of the last century. Taking this point of view as reference, the hypothesis that guides this analysis, which is based on the Optimality Theory, is that -inho is the morpheme; and z in -zinho, an epenthetic consonant. Considering the morphological word as base of the derivative and a ranking of correspondence, markedness and alignment constraints as the instrument of analysis, the explanation comes out firmed on the theory and on the data.
diminutive; faithfulness alignment; markedness
