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ish
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:28 am
by Perry
-ish
adj. suffix, from O.E. -isc, common Gmc. (cf. O.N. -iskr, Ger. -isch, Goth. -isks), cognate with Gk. dim. suffix -iskos. Colloquially attached to hours to denote approximation, 1916.
Apologies if this has bee discussed before; but I was wondering about this over the weekend. Everyone knows what is meant by noonish or eight o'clockish, but how did this suffix come to be a substitute for about in this context?
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:57 pm
by gailr
Well,
Maven said this:
Finally, the last main sense formed from nouns is 'near; approximately', used with numbers, as thirtyish 'about thirty (years old)', or your sevenish 'about seven (o'clock)'. This sense is the rather recent one, but is still not really a neologism, as it has been in use since the early twentieth century.
[embedded joke expunged for this posting]
I like
-ish appointments; they're low-key.
We'll meet at the box office at 7-ish means after 7 but before 7:15.
-gailr
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:40 pm
by Perry
I loved the expunged joke. In the same vein (although it should go in the pun thread), here is one my kids love to tell.
Why is 6 afraid of 7. Because 7 8 9!
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:46 pm
by tcward
My kids love the PBS kids' show,
Zoboomafoo.
Zoboo is always saying how he feels in relationship to how other animals behave, using the infamous -ish suffix. Then he
launches into song.
It's so cute watching my little ones dance and sing with the muppet on the show... lol.
-Tim
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:30 pm
by gailr
I wasn't familiar with zoboo, Tim. I wonder if his fans will remember him as fondly in their adult years as I remember
Rowlf? 
-gailr
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:37 pm
by Perry
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:18 pm
by Bailey
Gailr I noticed your avatar was missing for a while, now it's sporting a charming eyepatch, I do hope your affliction is in only one eye,
mark just-a-pirate-costume? Bailey
Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:53 pm
by gailr
You kids are making me feel old!
Ahhh, but I remember Rowlf
"the early years"...
Gailr I noticed your avatar was missing for a while, now it's sporting a charming eyepatch, I do hope your affliction is in only one eye,
I'm just investing me
bilge rats with Pirattitude.
-gailarrrrrr
Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:43 am
by Stargzer
Perry! You forgot the most famous Ish of them all,
Ish Kabibble! What is he,
chopped liver?
Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:00 am
by Bailey
Is there another meaning for bilge rats than rodentia living below the cargo hold?
mark confused Bailey
Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 10:23 pm
by Perry
Not chopped liver Gzer, but not a puppet either.
Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 2:42 am
by gailr
Is there another meaning for bilge rats than rodentia living below the cargo hold?
mark confused Bailey
someone who works in the engineering spaces, also attested
here (under snipe).
-gailr
Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:30 pm
by Ferrus
I know people who use the word 'ish' in a slang sense. When they do so they generally mean 'somewhat'.
