06.02.26: Level 1; Carolus et Maria [24][v]: the comparative of adjectives

Ubi populus sibi imperat, laetior est. │ When a people governs itself, it is happier [ = when the people rule themselves, they are happier]

Urbs antīqua etiam pulchrior erat │ The ancient city was even more beautiful

comparative: in English, happier, longer, more beautiful; sometimes the comparative simply means rather + adjective or too + adjective

vir fortior: [i] a braver man; [ii] a rather brave man

hoc difficilius est: [i] this is more difficult; [ii] this is rather / too difficult

[ii] Apart from a few irregular forms, the comparatives of adjectives are formed by two distinctive endings: -ior (masculine and feminine); -ius (neuter)

[iii] 1^st / 2^nd declension adjectives

(i) addition of -ior or -ius to the stem of the adjective:

long¦us, -a, -um: long > longior, longius: longer; rather / too long

(ii) adjectives in -er form drop /e/ before the ending is added:

pulcher, pulchr¦a, pulchrum: beautiful > pulchrior, pulchrius: more beautiful

[iv] 3^rd declension adjectives

(i) The comparatives of these adjectives have the same endings i.e. -ior / -ius:

fort¦is, forte: brave, strong > fortior, fortius: braver, stronger

(ii) 3^rd declension adjectives which have a stem change – indicated by the genitive singular – will use that stem to form the comparatives:

audāx: bold > genitive singular: audāc¦is > stem: audāc- > comparative: audācior, audācius: bolder

recēns: recent > genitive singular: recent¦is > stem: recent- > comparative: recentior, recentius: more recent

Links:

Degrees of comparison: introduction

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/041124-level-2-degrees-of-comparison-1.html

-ior; -ius

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/041124-level-2-degrees-of-comparison-2.html

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/081124-level-2-degrees-of-comparison-3.html

Translation of comparatives

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/09/161124-level-2-degrees-of-comparison-8.html