‘Wellness’ equatives and their extensions in English <i>as well as</i> in Dutch and German

Abstract This is a study of English (just ) as well ( as) and as good (as ) constructions and their counterparts in Dutch and German. These constructions can express an equative meaning, which is the oldest meaning, as well as ‘extended’ meanings, like coordination, with as well as functioning like the coordinator and , or approximation, with as good as. The study is based on the Sketchengine TenTen corpora for each of the three languages. The findings are evaluated relative to the influential ‘Germanic Sandwich’ hypothesis that Dutch is intermediate between English and German. It is argued that, in most respects, Dutch and German pattern alike, and that, from a diachronic perspective, each language has shown innovation.