Saturday, 12 March 2011
On -ish
A correspondent writes to ask if there are any rules governing the use of -ish in English. He says ‘we tend to add it to short adjectives, particularly colours and physical attributes: shortish, tallish, greenish... but googling reveals that we add -ish to just about every adjective under the sun, such as beautifulish, Europeanish, freezingish, exhaustedish...’He’s right to draw attention to the monosyllabic character of the adjectives. This is an important factor when it comes to inflections in English. We see it in the comparative and superlative forms too, where the distribution of -er and -est vs more and most correlates strongly with length. We prefer bigger to more big. Adjectives with three syllables or more use the other construction (more interesting, not interestinger). There are just a few exceptions, such as unhappier. Adjectives with two syllables are more difficult to describe: some take the inflection (eg those ending in -y and w, such as happier, narrower), some don’t (eg those ending in -ed, such as more worried), and some take both (eg commonest and most common).
A similar situation applies in the case of -ish. In the sense of ‘somewhat’, we find it added to monosyllabic adjectives from Middle English times - colour words such as bluish (1398) and blackish (1486) are among the earliest. Adjectives ending in y and w attract it too: sillyish (1766), narrowish (1823). The usage then extended to other monosyllabic adjectives, such as brightish (1584), coldish (1589), and goodish (1756), and the usage has continued to extend over the centuries. In the early 20th century we find it used for hours of the day or number of years, probably motivated by earlyish and latish - ‘See you at about eightish’, ‘She’s thirty-ish’. Note elevenish, forty-five-ish, 1932-ish, and so on, where the root has three or more syllables.
This ties in with a second use of -ish, where it’s added to nouns in the sense of ‘having the character of'. Some, such as childish and churlish, and the nationhood names such as English and Scottish, go back to Old English. Among later arrivals are boyish (1542) and waggish (1600) - the latter a first recorded use in Shakespeare, as is foppish and unbookish. (Shakespeare quite liked the suffix - knavish, dwarfish, thievish, hellish, etc.) Note that most have a derogatory sense. Again, most are monosyllabic, but we do find the occasional longer form, such as babyish, womanish, and outlandish. This trend really took off in the 19th century, when novelists and journalists extended it to proper names. We find Micawberish, Queen Annish, Mark Twainish, and suchlike, as well as some colloquial phrases - ‘You look very out-of-townish’, ‘He has a how-do-you-do-ish manner’.
What we’re seeing today - and what my correspondent has noted - is the further extension of these patterns in informal contexts to longer adjectives. I can’t see any restriction here, other than the stylistic one - they are informal, colloquial, jocular, daring. There’s a youtube site called extraordinaryish. But one senses the novelty - as does Google. When I typed it in, to see if it was used (I got 193 hits), it was worried. ‘Did you mean extraordinary fish’, it asked.
April 6, 2011
On -ish
World Wide Weird Words
SECTION INDEX
The word weird in this section is interpreted broadly to mean words that refer to obscure or outlandish subjects, are in themselves rare, or which look odd.
A Abacot; Abditory; Abigail; Absquatulate; Acersecomic; Acronychal; Acrophony; Adipocere; Adumbrate; Adust; Agelastic; Agrestic; Albertopolis; Alegar and beeregar; Alexipharmic; Ampersand; Anadiplosis; Analemmatic; Anamorphosis; Anatine; Anfractuosity; Ansible; Anthropodermic; Antimacassar; Apocope; Aposematic; Aposiopesis; Apozem; Apricate; Arenaceous; Aristology; Astrobleme; Astrobolism; Ataraxy; Atrabilious; Attercop; Austringer; Autohagiography.
B Backronym; Bafflegab; Balderdash; Balductum; Bankrupt; Bant; Baragouin; Barmecide; Bathykolpian; Bedizened; Beghilos; Bejuggle; Bellwether; Bezoar; Blackguard; Blackmail; Blatherskite; Blood and thunder; Bloviate; Blurb; Bodacious; Bodger; Bombilation; Bonzer; Boondoggle; Bootless; Borborygmus; Boscage; Boustrophedonic; Bowdlerise; Bridewell; Brimborion; Brobdingnagian; Bromopnea; Brummagem; Bruxer; Burgoo.
C Cachinnatory; Cacography; Cad; Cadastral; Cadge; Caitiff; Calenture; Callipygian; Callithumpian; Caltrop; Camelion; Cancrine; Candent; Carphology; Carwichet; Cataglottism; Cataract; Catoptromancy; Cello scrotum; Cenatory; Cento; Ceraunograph; Charabanc; Chatoyant; Cheapskate; Cheat-bread; Chicanery; Chiliastic; Chrestomathy; Chronogram; Chthonic; Chuck-farthing; Circumbendibus; Clerihew; Clinquant; Cockaigne; Cockamamie; Cockshut; Codology; Codswallop; Cohobation; Colcannon Night; Collop; Collyrium; Collywobbles; Colophonian; Comeuppance; Commash; Conkerer; Contumely; Coopering; Copacetic; Costard; Costus; Coulrophobia; Coxcomb; Cribellate; Crimping; Crinkum-crankum; Cruciverbalist; Cucking-stool; Cucumber time; Culpon; Cunicular; Curtain lecture; Cyborg; Cymbocephalic.
D Dactylonomy; Daft-days; Dandiprat; Darg; Deasil; Deipnosophist; Deliquescent; Deray; Destrier; Didgeridoo; Digamy; Digladiation; Discombobulate; Divagation; Donnybrook; Doohickey; Doryphore; Dozenal; Dracontology; Droogish; Drunkard's cloak; Dumbbell; Dumbledore; Dwile flonking; Dydler.
E Eagre; Edacious; Egyptian days; Eleemosynary; Ell; Emmet and grockle; Empasm; Emuscation; Enchiridion; Engastrimyth; Ensorcelled; Epeolatry; Ergophobia; Erumpent; Esculent; Estovers; Esurience; Etaoin shrdlu; Etheromaniac; Eyot.
F Factotum; Fanfaronade; Fantods; Farb; Fardel; Fescennine; Fidimplicitary; Fimbriated; Financephalograph; Flabbergasted; Flagitious; Flapdoodle; Flavicomous; Fletcherise; Flibbertigibbet; Floccinaucinihilipilification; Florilegium; Fogou; Folderol; Foofaraw; Foudroyant; Franglais; Frigorific; Fritinancy; Frontispiece; Fuliginous; Funambulist; Furbelow; Fustigate; Fustilugs.
G Gaberlunzie; Gadzooks; Gafiate; Galanthophile; Galimatias; Galligaskins; Gallimaufry; Gallivant; Gantlope; Garbler; Garboil; Gargalesis; Garth; Gazebo; Gazump; Geis; Gelotologist; Ginglyform; Glebe; Gnathonic; Gobbledygook; Gobo; Gomer; Gonfalon; Gong farmer; Gongoozler; Gooding; Gorbellied; Gormagon; Gossypiboma; Gowk; Gowpen; Grawlix; Gremlin; Griffonage; Grok; Groze; Guddling; Guiser; Gurning; Guy Fawkes night.
H Haberdasher; Haggard; Ha-ha; Halcyon; Handfasting; Handsel Monday; Haplology; Haptic; Harum-scarum; Haruspex; Hearth-money; Hebesphenomegacorona; Hebetude; Heiligenschein; Heterography; Higgledy-piggledy; Higgler; Hircocervus; Hobbledehoy; Hocus-pocus; Hodening; Hokey-pokey; Honeyfuggle; Honorificabilitudinitatibus; Hoosegow; Hornswoggle; Houghmagandy; Hugger-mugger; Humdudgeon; Humicubation; Humongous; Hwyl; Hyetal; Hyperborean; Hypnobioscope.
I Ice house; Ichthyophagous; Ignivomous; Impignorate; In silico; Incalescence; Incarnadine; Incunabulum; Infra dig; Infundibulum; Inglenook; Ingrained; Insinuendo; Interrobang; Inwit; Isabelline; Ishkabibble; Ixnay.
J Jackalope; Jackanapes; Jactitation; Jaculation; Janus-faced; Jiggery-pokery; Jingoism; Jobbernowl; Jocund; Jollop; Jorum; Josser; Jumentous.
K Kakistocracy; Katzenjammer; Kelemenopy; Kerfuffle; Killick; Kinetoscope; Knucker.
L Labretifery; Lackadaisical; Lagniappe; Latrociny; Leechcraft; Leiotrichous; Leucipottomy; Lexiphanic; Linhay; Linsey-woolsey; Lipogrammatist; Lippitude; Liripipe; Lithophone; Logan stone; Lollapaloosa; Lollygag; Lorinery; Lustrum NEW ; Lycanthropy.
M Macaronic; Machicolation; Macilent; Magiric; Maieutic; Makebate; Malapert; Malarkey; Mallemaroking; Maloik; Manavilins; Mansuetude; Manticore; Maritorious; Materteral; Mattoid; Maundy; Megilp; Merrythought; Mesmerise; Metagrobolise; Metemptosis; Metoposcopist; Mimsy; Mithridate; Mongo; Mononymous; Mooreeffoc; Mortsafe; Mournival; Mudlark; Mugwump; Muliebrious; Mulligrubs; Mumping; Mundungus; Musterdevillers; Mutoscope.
N Namby-pamby; Natiform; Nepenthes; Nescient; Niddering; Nihilartikel; Nincompoop; Ninnyhammer; Nipperkin; Nostoc; Nubbing-cheat; Nugiperous; Nut-crack night; Nychthemeron; Nye; Nympholepsy.
O Oaf; Obdiplostemonous; Obnubilate; Oche; Octothorpe; Olitory; Ombre; Omnium-gatherum; Omphaloskepsis; Onomasticon; Onomatopoeia; Onychophagist; Ooglification; Oojah; Opisthograph; Opodeldoc; Orismology; Orotund; Orrery; Ostrobogulous; Oxter; Oyez.
P Pace egg play; Palimpsest; Pall-mall; Pandiculation; Panglossian; Panjandrum; Panking pole; Panorama; Pantechnicon; Paralipsis; Paraphernalia; Paregoric; Paroemiological; Pastinaceous; Patibulary; Pecksniffian; Pelf; Peristeronic; Perverb; Petard; Petrichor; Pettifogging; Phantasmagoria; Pharology; Phenology; Phrop; Picadil; Picayune; Piepowder; Pigwidgeon; Pilcrow; Pilgarlic; Pillaloo; Pinchbeck; Pinguescence; Pitmatic; Plenilune; Pocillovy; Pogonotrophy; Poodle-faker; Popinjay; Poppycock; Poppysmic; Portolan; POTUS; Pound; Preposterous; Prick-me-dainty; Pridian; Prodnose; Prognosticate; Protologism; Pulchritudinous; Purdonium; Pusillanimous; Pyknic.
Q Quidnunc; Quillon; Quincunx; Quinquagenary; Quocker-wodger; Quodlibet.
R Rambunctious; Rannygazoo; Rantipole; Rasorial; Rebarbative; Retronym; Rhadamanthine; Rhapsodomancy; Rhinotillexomania; Rhopalic; Richard Snary; Rigmarole; Ripsnorter; Robinsonade; Rodomontade; Roister-doister; Roo; Rumbledethumps; Rusticate.
S Sabermetrician; Sabrage; Saggar; Salmagundi; Sapid; Sarcophagus; Sardoodledom; Saturnalia; Scacchic; Scalene; Scallywag or Scalawag; Sciolist; Scofflaw; Scombroid; Scrimshaw; Scrumping; Scutching; Seersucker; Selmelier; Semordnilap; Sennight; Sequacious; Serendipity; Sesquipedalian; Sferics; Shemozzle; Shenanigan; Simoleon; Singultient; Sisyphean; Sitooterie; Skedaddle; Skew-whiff; Skillygalee; Skimble-skamble; Skimmington; Skulduggery; Sledging; Slipshod; Slubberdegullion; Slumgullion; Smaragdine; Smellfeast; Smouch; Snarge; Snickersnee; Snollygoster; Sockdolager; Solar sail; Sophrosyne; Spanghew; Spatterdashes; Sphairistike; Sphragistics; Spifflicate; Spissitude; Spondulicks; Sponging-house; Squabash; Staddle; Stammel; Stannator; Steganography; Sternutatory; Stillicide; Stotting; Stramonium; Struthonian; Stultiloquy; Stylite; Subfusc; Surrebutter; Swan-upping; Swazzle; Swoose; Symploce; Synaesthete; Syzygy.
T Tabnabs; Taghairm; Talaria; Tantivy; Tatterdemalion; Tautochrone; Tawdry; Teetotum; Teknonymy; Teleplasmic; Tergiversate; Termagant; Tetrapyloctomy; Thaumaturgy; Thelemic; Therianthrope; Tiffin; Tintamarre; Tintinnabulation; Titch; Titivil; Titubation; Tolfraedic; Tolley; Tontine; Totter; Trebuchet; Triacle; Tripudiate; Triskaidekaphobia; Truckle; Truepenny; Trussell; Tufthunter; Tumbarumba; Turducken; Turgescent; Turlough; Twitterpated.
U Ugsome; Ullage; Ultimo; Ultracrepidarian; Umami; Umquhile; Unipedal; Unobtainium; Urtication; Usufructuary.
V Vaccary; Vaccimulgence; Valetudinarian; Vellicate; Velocipedist; Venery; Verecund; Vexillology; Vilipend; Vinolent; Virescent; Volitation; Volvelle; Vomitorium; Vril.
W Wait; Wassail; Wayzgoose; Welkin; Whilom; Widdiful; Wigg; Will-o’-the-wisp; Willy-nilly; Wiseacre; Wittol; Wobbegong.
X Xenoglossy; Xeric.
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World Wide Words: Kitty-corner
KITTY-CORNER
Q From Ian McAloon in the UK; Patricia P Miller asked a related question: I have heard an American friend of mine use the phrase kitty corner to describe things that are diagonally opposed, as for example: ‘The drugstore is kitty corner to the ice-cream parlor’. Have you heard this phrase before and do you have any clue as to its origin?
A It’s certainly a very odd-looking phrase. It has lots of variant forms, such as catercorner, kitty-cornered, cata-cornered, and cater-cornered, a sure sign that it puzzles users.
The first part comes from the French word quatre, four. It’s actually quite an old expression that first appeared in English as the name for the four in dice, soon Anglicised to cater. The standard placement of the four dots at the corners of a square almost certainly introduced the idea of diagonals. From this came a verb cater, to place something diagonally opposite another or to move diagonally, which can be found in the sixteenth century. Some English dialects had it as an adverb in compounds such as caterways or caterwise. By the early years of the nineteenth century it was beginning to be recorded in the USA in the compound form of cater-cornered. It had by then lost any link with the French word; people invented spellings in attempts to make sense of it, often thinking it had something to do with cats, which is why we have forms like kitty-corner.
That wonderful word catawampus is often used in the central and southern parts of the USA to mean the same thing, though it can also refer to something that’s askew, crooked, out of shape, or out of joint. The first part of it comes from the same source, though the second half is mysterious. It has been suggested its source is the Scots dialect verb wampish, to brandish, flourish or wave about. However, catawampus can also refer to something ferocious, impressive or remarkable. It may be this is an entirely separate sense, deriving from catamount for the mountain lion or cougar.
