comparison of adjectives ch 26 & 27. comparison of adjectives the adjectives we’ve learned so...

Comparison of AdjectivesCh 26 & 27

Comparison of Adjectives

The adjectives we’ve learned so far are used to describe a basic characteristic of the noun they modify.

Eg: clarus orator a famous orator

This is called the “positive” degree of the adjective.


Just like in English, Latin adjectives can be used to show that a person or thing has a greater degree of a certain characteristic than another person(s) or thing(s), or more than is usual or customary.


The ‘comparative’ degree is used to compare one person or thing with just one other.

The ‘superlative’ degree is used to compare a person or thing with two or more others.

Positive: a famous oratorComparative: a more famous oratorSuperlative: the most famous orator

Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives

The comparative and superlative are formed using the base of the adjective.

Comparative = base of positive + -ior (M/F) or –ius (N)

(gen = -ioris)

Superlative = base of positive + -issimus, a, um

Formation of Comparatives and Superlatives

Pos. carus, a, um felix, gen felicis

Comp. carior, -ius felicior, -ius

Super. carissimus,a,um felicissimus, a, um

Declension of Comparatives

Superlatives decline like 1st/2nd declension adjs.

Comparatives are 2-ending adjs (like,say, fortis, forte)…BUT they follow the consonant declension!

They are an exception to the rule that adjs of the 3rd declension belong to the i-stem declension.

Declension of Comparatives

Singular Plural

M/F N M/F N

Nom longior longius longiores longiora

Gen longioris longioris longiorum longiorum

Dat longiori longiori longioribus longioribus

Acc longiorem longiorem longiores longiora

Abl longiore longiore longioribus longioribus

Usage and Translation: Comparatives

Usually translated with more or with the suffix -er.

Eg: more beautiful, happier

Sometimes has the force of ‘rather’ (greater degree of quality than usual) or ‘too’ (greater degree than desirable).

Eg: rather beautiful, too happy

Usage and Translation: Superlatives

Usually translated with most or with the suffix -est.

Eg: most beautiful, happiest

Sometimes has the force of very (especially when compared to what is usual or ideal).

Eg: very beautiful, very happy

Quam

Quam and the comparative:When quam follows a comparative, it functions as a coordinating conjuction meaning ‘than’ and linking the things being compared.

The same case or construction that precedes quam follows it as well.

Eg:Hic vir est clarior quam ille.

This man is more famous than that man.

Quam

Quam and the superlative:When quam precedes a superlative, it acts adverbially and indicates that the thing modified has the greatest possible degree of a quality.

“as ______ as possible”

Eg: Amicus erat vir quam sapientissimus.The friend was the wisest man possible.The friend was a man as wise as could be.

Ablative of Comparison

When the first element to be compared was in the nominative or accusative case, the second element was often used in the ablative case (no quam) to show the comparison.

Eg: Filia eius bellior uxore erat.

His daughter was prettier than his wife.

Peculiar Superlatives

There are two groups of adjectives which, although regular in the comparatives, have peculiar forms of the superlative.


1) Six adjectives ending in –lis form the superlative by adding –limus, a, um to the base.

Ex:

facilis, e

facil- + -limus = facillimus, a, um


The six adjectives are:

facilis similis

difficilis dissimilis

gracilis humilis

Any other adjective that ends in –lis (like fidelis or utilis) is regular (fidelissimus, utilissimus).


2) Any adjective with a masculine ending in –er, though forming regularly in the comparative, forms the superlative by adding –rimus directly to the masculine –er, NOT to the base.

Ex:

Positive pulcher, -chra, -chrum

Comparative pulchrior, -ius

Superlative pulcherrimus, -a, -um

Irregular Comparison

There are a handful of adjectives which are so irregular that their forms will just have to be memorized.

Luckily, we get a lot of English derivatives from these words!

These adjectives include (see p 180):

Irregular ComparisonPositive Comparative Superlative

bonus, a, um melior, -ius optimus, a, um



magnus, a, um maior, -ius maximus, a, um




malus, a, um peior, -ius pessimus, a, um





multus, a, um ----, plus plurimus, a, um






parvus, a, um minor, minus minimus, a, um







(prae, pro) prior,-ius primus, a, um







(prae, pro) prior,-ius primus, a, um

superus, a, um superior, -ius summus, a, um

supremus, a, um

Declension of Plus

In the plural, plus acts like an adjective with mixed i-stem and consonant-stem forms.

(-ium in genitive plural, but –a [NOT –ia] in the neuter nominative and accusative – see page 181 for declension chart)

In the singular, plus is a neuter noun which takes the partitive genitive/genitive of the whole.

Ex: plus pecuniae more (of) money

comparison of adjectives ch 26 & 27. comparison of adjectives the adjectives we’ve learned so...

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