1. Denoting smallness or diminutiveness:
* This is the most common use, similar to "-let" or "-ling."
* Examples:
* Cricketisk: a small cricket (rarely used, but illustrates the meaning)
* Dwarfish: small and stout, like a dwarf
* Bookish: concerned with books or scholarship
2. Denoting characteristic of:
* It can suggest a quality or characteristic associated with the word it's attached to.
* Examples:
* Devilish: having qualities of a devil, like being mischievous or wicked
* Childish: behaving like a child, perhaps immaturely
* Bestial: having the characteristics of a beast, such as savagery
3. Denoting belonging to or relating to:
* Similar to "-ic" or "-al," it can indicate a connection to a specific thing or concept.
* Examples:
* Feminist: relating to feminism or advocating for women's rights
* Nationalist: relating to a nation or advocating for its interests
* Romanesque: pertaining to the Romanesque style of architecture
4. Denoting a specific kind or type:
* It can differentiate a particular type of something.
* Examples:
* Frisk: a type of dance
* Tisk: a type of sound (rarely used)
It's important to remember that the meaning of "-isk" often depends on the specific word it's attached to. In some cases, it may be used to create a new word with a unique meaning, without directly mirroring any of the above categories.