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Comparison is a feature in the morphology or syntax of some languages whereby adjectives and adverbs are rendered in an inflected or periphrastic way to indicate a comparative degree, property, quality, or quantity of a corresponding word, phrase, or clause.
Consequently, comparative and superlative forms of such adjectives are not normally used, except in a figurative, humorous or imprecise context. Similarly, such adjectives are not normally qualified with modifiers of degree such as very and fairly , although with some of them it is idiomatic to use adverbs such as completely .
Comparative deletion is an obligatory ellipsis mechanism that occurs in the than-clause of a comparative construction. The elided material of comparative deletion is indicated using a blank, and the unacceptable b-sentences show what is construed as having been elided in the a-sentences: a. Fred reads more books than Susan reads ___. b.
Superlatives are linguistic and conceptual constructs used to indicate the highest degree or extreme quality within a given category. This analysis examines their grammatical structure, theoretical implications, and applications across disciplines, focusing on linguistic, philosophical, and cognitive dimensions.
Under the model of Distributed Morphology, the structure of a superlative would be [SPRL [CMPR [ADJ Adjective ] Comparative ] Superlative ]. Thus, the exponent of the comparative morpheme attaches to the bare adjective and the exponent of the superlative morpheme attaches to the comparative form (or replaces it in the suppletive cases).
Compound modifiers that include comparatives and superlatives with more, most, less or least: "a more recent development" "the most respected member" "a less opportune moment" "the least expected event" Ordinarily hyphenated compounds with intensive adverbs in front of adjectives: "very much admired classicist" "really well accepted proposal"
Similarly, colour terms marked as plural (e.g., the reds in the painting) are nouns while those marked as comparative (e.g., redder) or superlative (e.g., reddest) are adjectives. However, the categorization of colour terms is less clear in cases like The foliage emerged, becoming deep green as the summer unfolds.
Comparatives and superlatives were usually formed by adding -er and -est. Adjectives with long vowels sometimes shortened these vowels in the comparative and superlative (e.g., greet, great; gretter, greater). [34] Adjectives ending in -ly or -lich formed comparatives either with -lier, -liest or -loker, -lokest. [34]