Thursday, September 26, 2024

12.11.24: level 2; degrees of comparison [5]; irregular comparatives

bonus, -a, -um: good > melior [m/f], melius [n]: better

magnus, -a, -um: big  > māior [m/f], māius [n]: bigger

malus, -a, -um: bad > peior [m/f], peius [n]: worse

parvus, -a, -um: small > minor [m/f], minus [n]: smaller

All four exist in English as derivatives in:

[1] MAJORity and MINORity

[2] aMELIORate: not a common word, but it means to make something better; in French améliorer: to improve / make better

[3] PEJORative (disparaging; belittling) from French péjoratif < Late Latin: peiōrō, -āre, -āvī [1]: make worse < peior




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