Degrees: two ways of their formation

The comparative and the superlative degrees are formed in two ways:

a) by the inflexions -er [ǝ ], -est [ist] (synthetic forms):

long – long er, (the) long est;

b) by adding more and most (analytical forms):

difficult – more difficult, (the) most difficult.

Adjectives in the superlative degree always imply limitation, and thus a noun with an adjective in the superlative degree has the definite article. Here we must say that it remains somewhat doubtful whether the article belongs to the noun defined by the adjective in the superlative degree, or whether it makes part and parcel of the superlative form itself. Grammarians say that the definite article can be said to have a tendency to become an appendix of the superlative form itself, rather than of the noun to which the adjective in the superlative degree is an attribute. This appears to be quite incontrovertible in the few cases where the definite article is joined to the superlative degree of an adverb, so that there is no noun to which и might belong.

Example: “The world hears most of the former, and talks of them the most, but I doubt whether the latter are not the more numerous”.

“The most” is bound to be an adverb. So we must draw the conclusion that the article has here become an integral part of the adverb’s superlative form. Such instances are rare, but they do at least show that there is a tendency for the article to become an integral part of the superlative form, whether of an adjective or of an adverb.

Thus, the forms of the superlative degree are usually used with definite article. The phrase “most adjective”, on the other hand, may be used with the indefinite article. In that case it expresses a very high degree of quality of a property without implying any comparison.

Examples: “It is the most interesting book I have ever read (a part of the analytical form of the superlative degree of the adjective “interesting”)”.

“It is a most interesting book' (an adverbial modifier of degree to the attribute “interesting”, a most interesting = very interesting)”.

The basic meaning of the superlative is that of a degree of a property surpassing all the other objects mentioned or implied. However, there are cases when the meaning is different and merely a very high degree of a property is meant without any comparison with other objects possessing that property.

It is with the greatest pleasure that...

Here the thing is not compared but is regarded as possessing a certain quality in a very high degree. In such cases the definite article is sometimes omitted.

This meaning of the form is usually described as the elative. If seems to have a peculiar stylistic colouring, being essentially uncolloquial. The following adjectives form their degrees of comparison by the inflexion -er [ǝ ], -est [ist]:

2) all adjective of one syllable: large, larg er, (the) larg est. Slow, slow er, (the) slow est;

3) adjectives of two syllables ending in -y, -er, -ow, -ble: happy, happi er, (the) happi est; clever, clever er, (the) clever est; narrow, narrow er, (the) narrow est; able, abl er, (the) abl est;

4) adjectives of two syllables which have the stress on the last syllable: complete, complet er, (the) complet est; concise, concis er, (the) concis est.

All other adjectives form their degrees of comparison analytically by adding more, (the) most: famous, more famous, (the) most famous; productive, more productive, (the) most productive.

In compound adjectives the first element is compared by means of the inflexions -er, -est as long as the elements preserve their separate meaning; well-known, bett er -known, (the) best -known.

But forms with more and most are also used: kind-hearted, more kind hearted, (the) most kind-hearted.

However, the process of erosion of synthetic forms is going on in the adjective. The continued loss of inflexions is seen in the comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives, where -er, -est are being replaced by forms with more and most. Thus synthetic forms are being replaced by analytical forms. Some adjectives have two forms of degrees of comparison:

Common – common er – (the) common est

Common – more common – (the) most common

Adjectives “fussy, quiet, cruel, clever, simple, keen, plain” were normally compared with -er, -est before the war. Nowadays, all these adjectives frequently have analytical forms of comparison.

Quiet – more quiet – (the) most quiet. Well-informed – more well-informed – (the) most well-informed.