comparativelike

Comparativelike is a term used in linguistics to describe expressions that convey the idea of comparison without conforming to a language’s standard morphological or syntactic pattern for forming comparatives. The label is not widely standardized and appears mainly in descriptive or typological discussions as a practical way to categorize certain degree expressions.

Definition and scope

Comparativelike covers both periphrastic or analytic forms that express comparison through separate words (for example, more, less, or so before an adjective) and constructions in languages that lack productive comparative morphology but still convey a relative degree. It can also apply to lexical items or idiomatic phrases that semantically project a comparative scale, even if they do not participate in a conventional gradable inflection. The central idea is that the expression functions like a comparative in meaning or interpretation, even if its formal realization differs from the language’s canonical comparative paradigms.

Distribution and interpretation

Comparativelike forms participate in degree semantics and allow interpretation with standard comparative verbs of comparison, such as than, or with degree modifiers. They often arise in languages with limited inflection, in child language, or in contact varieties where non-standard forms become salient. The notion emphasizes the semantic effect—expressing higher or lower relative degree—over strict morphological conformity.

Relation to related concepts

The concept aligns with discussions of gradability, scale structure, and degree modifiers, as well as with periphrastic constructions and irregular or non-canonical forms. It is a descriptive label rather than a formal grammatical category, used to capture a family of forms and functions that resemble comparatives in meaning.