The finite dual $H^{\circ}$ of an affine commutative-by-finite Hopf algebra H is studied. Such a Hopf algebra H is an extension of an affine commutative Hopf algebra A by a finite dimensional Hopf algebra $\overline{H}$ . The main theorem gives natural conditions under which $H^{\circ}$ decomposes as a crossed or smash product of $\overline{H}^{\ast}$ by the finite dual $A^{\circ}$ of A. This decomposition is then further analysed using the Cartier–Gabriel–Kostant theorem to obtain component Hopf subalgebras of $H^{\circ}$ mapping onto the classical components of $A^{\circ}$ . The detailed consequences for a number of families of examples are then studied.

This paper introduces baby Verma modules for symplectic reflection algebras of complex reflection groups at parameter $t=0$ (the so-called rational Cherednik algebras at parameter $t=0$), and presents their most basic properties. Baby Verma modules are then used to answer several problems posed by Etingof and Ginzburg, and to give an elementary proof of a theorem of Finkelberg and Ginzburg.