And the dangerous head injury
In the Peruvian community it is common to minimize things, meaning making something sound cuter and smaller. This happens by adding the little word “ita” (female) or “ito” (male). Then grandmother becomes granny, just as abuela becomes abuelita. The diminutive form expresses respect and affection at the same time. Instead of Doctora one says Doctorita, in English “the little doctor”. Or one has to wait a momentito, because then the moment doesn’t seem as long anymore.
A few days ago, however, a patient with a dangerous head injury arrived in the emergency department. He said that an “arbolito” – a little tree had fallen on his head while logging trees. The CT showed several cranial fractures. They were impressed and had caused a severe bleeding underneath. The Peruvian Doctorita Carina who was on call that night transferred the patient directly to a neurosurgeon who would treat the damage caused by the little tree. As an additional finding on x-ray his clavicle was fractured as well. Not everything that sounds small and harmless is small and harmless. (Martina John)
