THE COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

COM III CONTRASTIVE GRAMMAR 1

THE COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES

Preliminaries

Lets examine the underlined forms in the sentence below:

(1) The best remembered and most publicized film in Hollywoods flamboyant history, the biggest of David O. Selznicks good obsessions, and quite probably the most beloved movie of all times.

As we can easily see the underlined participial forms (remembered, publicized), adjectival forms (big, beloved) and adverbial forms (probably) are integrated in a comparison scale. While in the form quite probably, quite operates a mere intensification of the degree of probability represented by the adverb probably, the forms best remembered, most publicized, biggest and most beloved represent an intensification brought to the extreme, namely superlative forms.

(2) His style is more lyrical, and more attentive to the literary qualities of the source material, than that of Victor Fleming.

Looking at the sentence above that shows the comparative forms of the adjectives lyrical and attentive, let us remember some of the main facts about the comparison of adjectives:

I. Comparing and intensifying

Adjectives can be compared, namely the qualities which they identify may be expressed in varying degrees of comparison represented by the comparative (bigger, more attentive, less attentive) or the superlative (the biggest, the most attentive, the least attentive).

Adjectives can be also intensified (quite probable, very probable), without receiving a precise, definite degree or value. In order to understand the distinction between comparison and intensification, lets examine the following examples:

(3) Pauls wife is thinner than his mistress. ( Pauls wife weighs six pounds less than Pauls mistress.)

(4) Pauls wife is the thinnest woman in the world. (Pauls wife weighs less than everybody I have seen)

(5) Pauls wife is rather thin, dont you think? (I think she is thin, but I cant precisely tell how thin.)

(6) Pauls wife is very thin. (I think she is definitely thin, but I dont necessarily compare her to others.)

(7) Pauls wife has become horribly thin. (She is thin to a degree that horrifies me.)

The sentences above show clearly that there is a difference between comparison and intensification. Sentences (3), (4) show precisely what the degree of thinness of Pauls wife is, namely in (3), it is greater than someone elses or, in (4), it is the greatest degree in the set of the world (thinner than everyone else), according to the speaker. Sentences (5), (6), (7) do not show values as precise as the ones shown in (3), (4). Here, what the speaker tells us is that the intensity of Pauls wifes thinness is great, according to him, but he does not indicate the precise degree of her thinness in comparison to someone elses.

2. Remembering about the comparison of adjectives

The table below will remind you some simple facts about the comparison of adjectives:

A few rules will makes the table above clearer:

i.             Inferiority is always expressed by phrasal comparison as shown above less/least

ii.           All adjectives with one syllable (thin, hot, fast) and all adjectives with two syllables ending on -y (easy, happy, pretty, dirty), -er (clever), -le (simple), -ow (narrow) have inflectional comparison in er/-est

iii.         All adjectives with more than one syllable (with the exception of the two syllable adjectives in 2) have phrasal comparison with more/most

iv.         A limited number of widely used adjectives have kept the irregular forms they had in Anglo-Saxon. Examples: bad-worse-the worst, much-more-the most. Try to remember other examples.

v.           There are spelling rules to be obeyed in order to form inflectional comparison. With the help of examples, try to remember the spelling rules that you have already learned.

Nota bene!

You have to make a distinction between most as a superlative comparison marker and most as an intensifier (which is rather formal):

Your daughter is the most beautiful woman in the world. (superlative)

I found a most interesting book in that bookshop down the corner. (intensifier)

3. Gradable and non-gradable adjectives

(8) Jean saw a foreign film.

(9) ??? The film Jean saw is more foreign than the one Bill saw.

(10) ??? The film I saw was the most foreign of them all.

(11)??? The film Jean saw is very foreign.

As you can see in the examples above, not all adjectives can be compared or intensified. This is why we can divide the class of adjectives into gradable (those that can be compared and intensified), such as hot, attentive or bad and non-gradable (those that cant be compared and intensified), such as foreign.

Generally, adjectives that show the qualities of a thing are always gradable. We can give a few examples such as old, new, nice and beautiful. Since all these show qualities, they can be compared and intensified.

Non-gradable adjectives can be adjectives that do not show so much the quality of a thing but its belonging in a class. Many such classifying adjectives are non-gradable, such as:

French, English, foreign, ajar, ruined, dead, alive, married, single, separate, square, triangular, etc.

If you think about the adjectives above, it becomes clear that they mark an object as belonging to a certain class (that of French objects/persons or that of married people). They do not mark the quality an object or a person might have, as old, new or hot can do.

One other group of non-gradable adjectives is represented by those already having absolute or superlative values:

perfect, optimal, maximum, unique, false, utmost, absolute, etc.

Nota bene!

Even non-gradable adjectives can be compared and intensified!

Yes, some of them can indeed, but if you do that you operate a change in meaning. Lets examine the following examples:

(12) ???This object more French than the other.

(13) ???This is fish is more alive than the other.

(14) Pierre is more French than Marcel.

(15) My mother is very French.

(16) Susan is more alive than you think.

(17) Today I felt very much alive.

The first two sentences are ungrammatical. Here French and alive are used with their basic meaning and this is why they are non-gradable. However, sentences (14), (15) and (16), (17) can be interpreted as grammatical, even if alive and French have been compared/intensified. The sentences can be interpreted as correct, if we give a different meaning, a figurative meaning to the adjectives. In (14) and (15) French can be thought to refer to the quality of being French. For example, Pierre is seen to be more French than Marcel, because he behaves more like French persons do than Marcel, or because, who knows, hes more nationalistic than Marcel. In the same manner, alive can be taken in its figurative meaning, namely lively or full of life, etc.

4. Various means of intensifying adjectives

We have already seen the ways in which adjectives can be compared. Let us take a look at the means of intensifying adjectives. There are intensifiers that can do that, such as:

quite

(18) This tea is quite hot.

rather

(19) Her husband is rather old.

really

(20) My linguistics teacher is really annoying.

so

(21) That music you play is so loud!

how (in exclamative sentences)

(22) How interesting this movie is!

very

(23) The movie I saw last night is very entertaining.

As you can see above, some words can be used with no other meanings, but as that of intensifiers, but there are words that apart from being used as mere intensifiers, can also function independently. Such words are adverbs such as:

extremely, immensely, hugely, fairly, fantastically, incredibly, etc.

terribly, awfully, dreadfully, horribly, etc.

Compare:

(24) You sang fantastically!

(25) She spent a fantastically large amount of money in that shop.

Compare:

(26) She sang terribly!

(27) She was terribly tired and couldnt come to the party.

5. Intensifying participles used adjectivally

Past participles that are used as adjectives can be compared in the same way as adjectives:

(28) This film has been more publicized than the other.

(29) This has been the most publicized film ever.

There are however some means of intensification that some participles prefer that cant be used for adjectives, such as better/best or much:

(30) This director is best remembered or better known for this feature.

(31) This is the much acclaimed and the much criticized play that was staged last year.

5. A case of metaphoric intensification

There are other means of intensification that can be used for certain adjectives. For example in the case of colours, there is a variety of adjectives/nouns used as modifiers meant to express the degrees and variety of a colour, such as:

bottle green, deep purple, navy blue, dark grey, light blue, pale yellow, soft green, dull grey, etc.

In the same way, metaphoric intensification can be achieved for other adjectives. Lets give some examples:

stark naked, raving mad, stinking rich, etc.

EXERCISES

1*. Translate into English:

Malvolio era imbracat intr-o jiletca verde prazuliu si purta niste ciorapei galbeni tipator cu jartiere incrucisate.

Am citit cartea ta mult laudata si nu mi s-a parut cine stie ce. Cred ca ai fi mai cunoscut daca te-ai multumi sa scrii doar piese.

Fratele lui Joan a venit aseara acasa beat mort. Cu cat pleaca mai repede de pe capul meu, cu atat mai bine.

Afara era un ger de crapau pietrele si am ajuns acasa cu adevarat inghetata.

Ann este cam prostuta, dar este chiar priceputa la treburile gospodariei.

Vino si tu la petrecere cu noi. Cu cat vom fi mai multi, cu atat mai bine.

Nu-mi place sa port haine bleumarin inchis, cu atat mai putin in fiecare zi.

Apa din cada era ingrozitor de fierbinte si sincer sa spun, nu stiu cum ai facut baie in ea, cu atat mai mult cu cat stiu ca esti bolnav de inima.

Sa stii ca piesa a fost extraordinar de frumoasa si ar fi fost cu mult mai frumos daca ar fi venit si parintii tai s-o vada.

Este oribil de zgarcit cu toate ca e putred de bogat si are cei mai multi bani din oras.

Nu m-as casatori cu Victor nici daca ar fi ultimul barbat de pe Pamant!

Oglinda, oglinjoara, cine-i mai frumoasa-n tara?

Cred ca barbatul tau este destul de chipes insa este ingozitor de slab, pe cand iubitul lui Ann este al naibii de aratos si pe deasupra extraordinar de musculos.

Chiar daca in camera era intuneric bezna se gandi ca ar fi mai simplu sa-si astepte prietenul acolo, in cazul in care acesta venea mai devreme.

Desi era gol pusca si teribil de obosit, isi lua inima-n dinti sa se imbrace si pleca chiar mult mai repede decat anticipase.

Nu vreau absolut deloc sa te critic, dar cred ca daca ai fi mai putin ingrijorat de reactia celorlalti si mai preocupat de propriile-ti griji, ai fi mai fericit.

E blond roscata, frumoasa de-ti taie rasuflarea si, pe deasupra, are o minte brici.

Desi era sarac lipit pamantului, a reusit sa-si construiasca o casa cu mult mai frumoasa decat a acelora mai bogati decat el.

Uite, cerneala e uscata iasca, nu cred ca se mai poate folosi. Ia un pix la tine si renunta la stilou.

Nenea Gicu e surd toaca si n-aude nici daca ii racnesti in ureche. Nu-ti ramane decat sa ii scrii biletele daca vrei sa te faci inteles.

2. Fill in the blanks with the right choice or choices. Try to find an appropriate Romanian translation for the combinations thus obtained:

buck, scarlet, deep, snow, shocking, lime, dirt, jet, inky, piping, blood, rock, midnight, iron, primrose, lemon, cherry, pea, chrome, navy, olive, lily, razor, dove.

.. pink, ..blue, ..sharp, ..white, .purple, .. solid, .black, .red, .cheap, yellow, .green, ..grey, ..naked, ..hot

3*. Translate into Romanian:

1. When she abused him in public, she did so with a diamond smile that suggested she was only teasing, that her constant belittlements were no more than a way of concealing an adoration too enormous to express; it was an ironising smile that sought to put her behaviour into quotes. This act was never completely convincing. Often, she drank the anti-alcohol regulations came and went and when she drank she cursed. Confident of her genius, armed with a tongue as merciless as her beauty and as violent as her work, she excluded nobody from her coloratura damnations, all delivered with that cheery stone-hard smile that sought to anaesthetise her victims as she ripped out their innards. (Ask me how it felt! I was her only son. The closer to the bull you work, the likelier you are to be gored.) (Salman Rushdie The Moors Last Sigh)

2. This was the closest Aurora came to thanking Abraham for the uncomplaining inexhaustibility of his cheques, for the city of gold he had so quickly built from her familys wealth, which for all its old-money graciousness had been no more than, as it were, a village, a country-estate, or a small provincial town, compared to the great metropolis of their present fortune. Aurora was not unaware that her lavishness required maintenance, so that she was bound to Abie by her own needs. Sometimes she came close to admitting this, even to worrying that the scale of her spending, or the looseness of her tongue, might bring the house down. Always fond of macabre bedtime stories, she would tell me the parable of the scorpion and the frog, in which the scorpion, having hitched a ride across a stretch of water in return for a promise not to attack his mount, breaks his vow and administers a potent and fatal sting. As the frog and scorpion are both drowning, the murderer apologises to his victim. I couldnt help it, says the scorpion. Its in my nature.

(Salman Rushdie The Moors Last Sigh)

4. Translate into English:

1*. Desigur, asupra lui timpul isi facuse simtita apasarea; avea douazeci si sase de ani si isi traise o parte a vietii mai mult pe sub pamant si prin mlastini, sapand gropi si pregatind ambuscade si se putea sa si moara fara sa apuce sa vada sfarsitul luptei si sa respire in libertate, dar nu se putea ca acesti opt ani sa nu-l fi atins greu si pe inamic, doar viata s-a scurs si pentru el si opt ani nu e o gluma cu atat mai mult cu cat multi dintre ai lui si-au dat si ei viata pe aceste locuri si uneori in chinuri la fel de cumplite ca acelea pe care ei le starneau pe unde treceau (fiindca ei au fost cei care s-au aratat cei dintai fara crutare aruncand din avioane benzina asupra satelor si oamenilor, facandu-i sa arda ca niste torte, si atunci si lor au inceput sa le fie intinse pe drumurile lor de patrulare niste curse, nu atat de spectaculoase ca flacarile unui incendiu, dar nu mai putin sinistre prin aparenta lor inofensiva, gropi de pilda, acoperite cu un capac bine camuflat, la fel de sensibil ca o balanta, care se rasturna fulgerator indata ce era atins cu piciorul, de pe fundul carora trupul celui cazut era intampinat de varfuri ascutite de bambus care ii spintecau rinichii si matele si ale carui urlete nici macar nu se mai auzeau.) (Marin Preda - Friguri)

CONVERSATION 1

SUGGESTIONS

Dialog 1

Would you like to see a film tonight, or would you prefer to go to a pub?

Why don't we call Peter and Mary and see what they'd like to do?'

Let's do that⁴. But I suspect Peter would rather go to a pub.

l'm not sure. He may have something else to suggest. We'd better call them now. It's already six o'clock.

Dialog 2

J. = James M. = Mary C. = Carol

J. : It's Carol's birthday next week. What shall we do?

M. : Um We could go to the cinema.

J. : Oh no, it's too boring. We go there every week.

M. : Well, what about going to the theatre instead? That would make a change.

J. : That's an idea. But I don't know. It's rather expensive, and anyway,I shouldn't think they have enough tickets left for Saturday evening.

M. : Oh yes, you're right. I was forgetting it was for Saturday. Well then, why don't we have a party?

J. : That's it. That's what we should do. Have a party. We just have to get enough food and drink, and then we can invite all our friends. That way we can have a real ceiebration.

M. : We'd better ask Carol first if she agrees.

C. : That's fine by me. Especially if you're going to make all the arrangements!

Alte notiuni

■ Alte modalitati de a face sugestii:

how about?

would you care for (a drink, a walk etc.)?

what would you say to (a drink etc.)?

shall we?

shall we leave now?

I wondered whether we could

don't you think we could

would it be convenient to you if we

2 - Limbaj elevat:

I venture to suggest would you object to + -ing

3 - Limbaj familiar:

I say, why don't we let's give it a try

4 - Observati constructiile:

would you mind + -ing

would you mind closing the door?

in schimb: I wouldn't mind + -ing

spre deosebire de: do you mind if I smoke/do you mind my smoking?

do you feel like going to

do you feel like a drink ?

(fam.)

5 - Retineti expresiile:

don't you think we should

may I suggest that

I was just thinking we could/might

ATENTIE!

l'd better, I had better mai bine as urmate de infi-

l'd rather, I would rather as prefera sa nitivul fara to

to suggest, to recommend, to demand, to insist, urmate de that, introduc un verb la infinitiv fara to (cf. conjunctivului romanesc):

I suggest that he come I recommend that she do it

I demand that it be done I insist that he