Peripheral adjectives

I may have spoken too hastily...

In the Little/Small thread in the Vocab section, khoff perceptively says that '['it is little', etc] sounds like a childish vocabulary selection'.

I think this is true. In the instances where I've heard adults use 'little' in this way, there has usually been an element of humour or deliberate twee-ness. Take 'I'm only little', for instance:

{In the English Forums complaints department:}
A: Here's the letter of complaint about MrP. You'll find his file on the top shelf.
B: On the top shelf? How can I reach up there? I'm only little!

{In the English Forums 'Prepositions and Adverbs' department:}
A: What a very small office you have here. How do you manage?
B: Oh well, I'm only little...

The humour (such as it is) seems to reside in the self-deprecation (appropriately, Merriam-Webster gives 'belittle' as a synonym of 'deprecate'). Perhaps the 'childish vocabulary selection' adds to this.

Curiously, I wouldn't expect a male to say 'I'm only little!'. Cf. 'more-ish', 'ah, bless!', 'poo': all slightly surprising from males. (Against which, there are plenty of 'chaps' phrases', of course.)

So perhaps 'to be + little' should have a Warning! flag, rather than an outright and utter ban.

MrP
PS: Above only applies to BrE, as usual...It may be different in other dialects!