An English Grammar Part 31

From Ruskin: "The sharpest, finest chiseling, and _patientest_ fusing;" "_distantest_ relations.h.i.+ps;" "_sorrowfulest_ spectacles."

Carlyle uses _beautifulest_, _mournfulest_, _honestest_, _admirablest_, _indisputablest_, _peaceablest_, _most small_, etc.

These long, harsh forms are usually avoided, but _more_ and _most_ are frequently used with monosyllables.

162. Expressions are often met with in which a superlative form does not carry the superlative meaning. These are equivalent usually to _very_ with the positive degree; as,--

To this the Count offers a _most wordy_ declaration of the benefits conferred by Spain.--_The Nation_, No 1507

In all formulas that Johnson could stand by, there needed to be a _most genuine_ substance.--CARLYLE

A gentleman, who, though born in no very high degree, was _most finished_, _polished_, _witty_, _easy_, _quiet_.--THACKERAY

He had actually nothing else save a rope around his neck, which hung behind in the _queerest_ way.--_Id._

"So help me G.o.d, madam, I will," said Henry Esmond, falling on his knees, and kissing the hand of his _dearest_ mistress.--_Id._

[Sidenote: _Adjectives irregularly compared._]

163. Among the variously derived adjectives now in our language there are some which may always be recognized as native English. These are adjectives irregularly compared.

Most of them have worn down or become confused with similar words, but they are essentially the same forms that have lived for so many centuries.

The following lists include the majority of them:--

LIST I.

1. Good or well Better Best 2. Evil, bad, ill Worse Worst 3. Little Less, lesser Least 4. Much or many More Most 5. Old Elder, older Eldest, oldest 6. Nigh Nigher Nighest, next 7. Near Nearer Nearest 8. Far Farther, further Farthest, furthest 9. Late Later, latter Latest, last 10. Hind Hinder Hindmost, hindermost

LIST II.

These have no adjective positive:--

1. [In] Inner Inmost, innermost 2. [Out] Outer, utter {Outmost, outermost {Utmost, uttermost 3. [Up] Upper Upmost, uppermost

LIST III.

A few of comparative form but not comparative meaning:--

After Over Under Nether

Remarks on Irregular Adjectives.

[Sidenote: _List I._]

164. (1) The word good has no comparative or superlative, but takes the place of a positive to _better_ and _best_. There was an old comparative _bet_, which has gone out of use; as in the sentence (14th century), "Ich singe _bet_ than thu dest" (I sing better than thou dost). The superlative I form was _betst_, which has softened to the modern _best_.

(2) In Old English, evil was the positive to _worse_, _worst_; but later _bad_ and _ill_ were borrowed from the Norse, and used as positives to the same comparative and superlative. _Worser_ was once used, a double comparative; as in Shakespeare,--

O, throw away the _worser_ part of it.--HAMLET.

(3) Little is used as positive to _less_, _least_, though from a different root. A double comparative, _lesser_, is often used; as,--

We have it in a much _lesser_ degree.--MATTHEW ARNOLD.

Thrust the _lesser_ half by main force into the fists of Ho-ti.

--LAMB.

(4) The words much and many now express quant.i.ty; but in former times _much_ was used in the sense of _large_, _great_, and was the same word that is found in the proverb, "Many a little makes _a mickle_." Its spelling has been _micel_, _muchel_, _moche_, _much_, the parallel form _mickle_ being rarely used.

The meanings _greater_, _greatest_, are shown in such phrases as,--

The _more_ part being of one mind, to England we sailed.--KINGSLEY.

The _most_ part kept a stolid indifference.--_Id._

The latter, meaning _the largest part_, is quite common.

(5) The forms elder, eldest, are earlier than _older_, _oldest_. A few other words with the vowel _o_ had similar change in the comparative and superlative, as _long_, _strong_, etc.; but these have followed _old_ by keeping the same vowel _o_ in all the forms, instead of _lenger_, _strenger_, etc., the old forms.

(6) and (7) Both nigh and near seem regular in Modern English, except the form _next_; but originally the comparison was _nigh_, _near_, _next_. In the same way the word high had in Middle English the superlative _hexte_.

By and by the comparative _near_ was regarded as a positive form, and on it were built a double comparative _nearer_, and the superlative _nearest_, which adds _-est_ to what is really a comparative instead of a simple adjective.

(8) These words also show confusion and consequent modification, coming about as follows: further really belongs to another series,--_forth_, _further_, _first_. First became entirely detached from the series, and _furthest_ began to be used to follow the comparative _further_; then these were used as comparative and superlative of _far_.

The word far had formerly the comparative and superlative _farrer_, _farrest_. In imitation of _further_, _furthest_, _th_ came into the others, making the modern _farther_, _farthest_. Between the two sets as they now stand, there is scarcely any distinction, except perhaps _further_ is more used than _farther_ in the sense of _additional_; as, for example,--

When that evil principle was left with no _further_ material to support it.--HAWTHORNE.

(9) Latter and last are the older forms. Since _later_, _latest_, came into use, a distinction has grown up between the two series.

_Later_ and _latest_ have the true comparative and superlative force, and refer to time; _latter_ and _last_ are used in speaking of succession, or series, and are hardly thought of as connected in meaning with the word _late_.

(10) Hinder is comparative in form, but not in meaning. The form _hindmost_ is really a double superlative, since the _m_ is for _-ma_, an old superlative ending, to which is added _-ost_, doubling the inflection. _Hind-er-m-ost_ presents the combination comparative + superlative + superlative.

[Sidenote: _List II._]

165. In List II. (Sec. 163) the comparatives and superlatives are adjectives, but they have no adjective positives.

The comparatives are so in form, but not in their meaning.

The superlatives show examples again of double inflection, and of comparative added to double-superlative inflection.