Getting close-ish: A corpus-based exploration of -ish as a marker of approximation and vagueness

This paper investigates the approximative nature of -ish, which takes its origin in de-adjectival adjectives Middle English and from there spreads to -ish-derivatives a wide array bases, terms both categoriality complexity. Drawing on data TV corpus, charts inventory ‑ish-derivatives expressing senses zooms derivatives (largish, small-er-ish), de-numeral (fourth-ish, 2.8-ish), as well non-category changing -ish-formations (a few weeks-ish, nothingish). Building diachronic trajectory ‑ish proposes an approximation cline ranging earliest relational/associative suffix via similitudinal genuinely incipient privative senses, (almost) all are attested investigated.