Does Approximation fit into the Theory of Vagueness? An Essay on the Meaning of Approximatives vs. Approximators

This work distinguishes approximation from vagueness and problematizes the connection between both linguistic phenomena. From a semasiological point of view, I argue that certain forms like approximately differ from others like almost. These forms correspond to two types of vagueifiers: those vagueifiers of the type-approximately and vagueifiers of the type-almost. I call the former ones approximators and the latter ones approximatives. Approximators suspend the truth-value assignment of a given utterance and denote vagueness prototypically, while approximatives trigger a negative scope, involving the phenomenon here defined as approximation. Although both phenomena cover different functional domains, approximation and vagueness are akin, as an analysis of the semantic implications of their forms reveal.