This study investigates the morphological structure, semantic functions, and pragmatic implications of diminutives in Iraqi Arabic by adopting a holistic and integrated morphopragmatic framework. It addresses a significant gap in contemporary Arabic linguistics by demonstrating that morphological patterns cannot be fully isolated from their communicative and social contexts. The research employs a corpus-based mixed-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Data was collected from natural spontaneous speech across social media platforms and daily interactions, supplemented by elicitation tasks and a pragmatic acceptability questionnaire completed by thirty native speakers from Baghdad and three other Iraqi provinces, ensuring a diverse representation across gender, age, and education. The empirical findings are categorized into three main dimensions: First, regarding morphological patterns, the analysis reveals that the Iraqi Arabic diminutive system operates on a systematic, template-based structural architecture. The historical evolution from Classical Arabic patterns led to the dominance of the fīʕēl template for triliteral roots, accounting for over sixty-three percent of the occurrences across common nouns, adjectives, and proper names. For quadriliteral roots, the fīʕēlīl template comprises nearly twenty-one percent of the data, while non-standard formations make up the remaining percentage. Second, regarding semantic functions, the thesis demonstrates that diminutives extend far beyond physical downsizing or size reduction. Instead, they function within a radial semantic network governed by scalar semantics. The diminutive marker decreases the degree of the baseline noun along context-dependent scales, such as scale of importance, intensity, value, or social weight, moving from physical size to abstract social realities. Third, regarding pragmatic and sociolinguistic implications, the research identifies six major communicative functions of diminutives in Iraqi society: affection, sympathy, mitigation and face-saving, depreciation, irony, and the softening of insults. Affection remains the most highly acceptable and stable usage across all groups. Furthermore, sociolinguistic variables significantly influence the interpretation of these functions. Female speakers lean towards positive, emotionally supportive uses, whereas male and younger speakers display a higher tolerance for ironic, depreciative, and mock-affectionate contexts. Ultimately, the thesis underscores that the Iraqi diminutive is a fully fledged morphopragmatic construction where word formation and social norms are deeply intertwined to negotiate interpersonal relationships, politeness, and social identity in everyday conversation.
