04.11.24: level 2; degrees of comparison [1]; introduction

The images from the little schoolbook Principia show the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives.

Adjectives are compared in Latin in the same manner as in English.

There are three degrees of comparison:

[1] Positive: long │ longus, -a, -um

[2] Comparative: longer │ longior [masculine / feminine], longius [neuter]

[3] Superlative: longest │ longissimus, -a, -um

[i] In English we sometimes use ‘more’ and ‘most’ + adjective e.g. more beautiful / most beautiful, and there are a few adjectives in Latin which need to do this but almost all adjectives form their comparative and superlative in the way shown above.

[ii] English and Latin also have irregular comparatives that don’t conform to the endings listed above:

good │ bonus, -a, -um

better │ melior, -ius

best │ optimus, -a, -um

However, the irregular comparatives and superlatives in Latin are more familiar to us than they might at first appear; more on that in a later post.