Qualitative adjectives have degrees of comparison: positive(original form), comparative(comparative) and excellent(superlative). Grammar category degrees of comparison acts as a grammaticalized core of the functional-semantic category of graduality, the meaning of which is realized by multi-level linguistic means. The meaning of the degrees of comparison lies in the fact that the comparative degree conveys the intensity of a feature compared to the same feature in another object .
Scientific discussion
From Aristotle to the present, words that convey gradual value (measures, degrees, magnitudes of a sign, process, phenomenon, object), have been the object of study by many researchers 3 . M. V. Lomonosov in his "Russian Grammar" considered the degree of comparison of the category subjective assessment. Russian grammarians of the 19th century. these aspects are brought together. Two categories of quality grades have been established − non-relative(old, old, old) and relative(the oldest of ..., one is older than the other) .
Without naming the presented phenomena by the term gradient, which is used by modern scientists, linguists have described a number of linguistic phenomena that correspond to the very essence of graduality. All theories and descriptions of various quality levels from historical point of view represented an important perspective in the study of gradients. Starting from the XV century. in Russian there are all kinds of forms with a graduated meaning.
Attribute, procedurality, objectivity in a certain way (to a greater or lesser extent) correlate with the concepts degree, measure. Most of the words of the modern Russian language express changeable and measurable ( qualitative) sign: degrees of comparison (adjectives); formations with suffixes magnifying and diminutive (nouns); ways of verbal action with the meaning of measure; gradual oppositions in the lexical system of the language; gradational syntactic constructions; using gradation as a stylistic method. As graduated and graduated units, such words are considered that, due to their semantic and grammatical features, are capable of expressing one or another degree (measure) of the manifestation of a feature: “In everyday language, “compare” means to express one’s attitude, “evaluate”, “measure”, guided by our feelings and our passions."
Graduality– functional-semantic category with the meaning measures, degrees of manifestation sign, process, phenomenon, state, expressed by multi-level linguistic means. Comparative degree ( comparative) denotes such a variable feature that can manifest itself in an object to a greater or lesser extent than in another object. Wed: This question more difficultthe previous one. – This question more difficult,than the previous one. excellent degree ( superlative) denotes such a variable feature that manifests itself in an object to a greater or lesser extent than in another object: This is most difficulttopic under study. - This is the most difficulttopic under study.
Comparative and superlative forms can be simple(synthetic) and complex(analytical).
Simple the form comparative degree has indicators - suffixes -her(s), -e: tall – highere(alternating s//w at the root of the word + truncation of the stem - suffix -ok-), strong – strongher (strong-her) etc. From adjectives good, bad, small suppletive forms of comparative degree are formed: good is better, bad is worse etc. The simple superlative degree is formed by adding suffixes -eysh-, - aish-: highaishwow, strongeyshuy etc. For example: Leo Tolstoy is a geniuseyshuy fromwriters of the 20th century.
Complex the form comparative degree is formed by additional words more/less+ positive degree: more (less)high (kind).
Complex the form excellent degrees are formed in several ways:
- a) with the help of an additional (auxiliary) word (particles) most: most difficult, highest etc.;
- b) with the help of additional (auxiliary) words most, least: least difficult etc.;
- c) the combination "simple form comparative degree + pronoun in the genitive case Total(or all)": the most difficult (of all) and etc.;
- d) the combination "amplifying particle all + simple form of the comparative degree": The pain in my heart became allhote(M. Sholokhov).
In a sentence, a simple form usually performs a function predicate, and the composite can be like predicate, so definition. Wed: She is was more beautifulhow he imagined her(L. Tolstoy).
A complex form of comparative and superlative degrees is formed from almost all qualitative adjectives. The simple form has limitations.
Forms of a simple comparative degree are not formed from adjectives:
- – with an absolute qualitative value: bald, blind, lame, mute, barefoot, deaf etc.;
- – based on [ sh"], [well]: poor, hefty and etc.;
- - with suffix -sk-: friendskoh, enemyskuy etc.;
- - from some verbal adjectives with a suffix -to-: padtouh, movetouh, shattouy etc.;
- - with suffix -ov-/-ev-: badovoh, boevoh etc.;
- - with suffix -l-: unyloh, mouthlth etc.;
- - from individual adjectives that stand apart for historical reasons, for example proud, young and etc.
Simple superlative forms are not formed from adjectives:
- - with suffix -sk-: friendskuh, tragicskoh, enemyskuy etc.;
- - with suffix -k-: bastardtoooh, thundertoooh, ringingtouy etc.;
- - with suffix -ov-/-ev-: rowovoh, stroevoh, boevoh and etc.;
- - from adjectives proud, young etc.
excellent degree has two types of meaning:
- 1) manifestation of a sign in the highest degree compared to other items superlative): oldest ofworkers etc.;
- 2) expression extreme degree manifestations of a trait regardless of other objects (regardless of the large measure of the trait - elative): Got into stupidestposition, it raresthappening etc.
AT grammatical regarding complex shapes comparative and excellent degrees are no different from positive(initial) degree. Simple forms of the comparative degree are invariable, cf .: House(s) (pine(s), building(s)) higher,how...
Syntactic(syntagmatic) conditions the use of morphological heterogeneous formations in the Russian language is characterized by the following features.
1. Expressing the relative degree of presence of a feature, adjective in comparative or excellent degree is used as a gradual syntactic member - predicate or definitions. Wed:
So, reasoning, Selifan wandered at last into the most remote abstraction. Perhaps this prompted him another, more significant reason more serious, closer to the heart ... But the reader will learn about all this gradually and in due time, if only he has the patience to read the proposed story, which is very long, having after that to move apart wider and more spacious as it approaches the end that crowns the case (N. Gogol).
These are complex, analytical formations. The exponent is the word more(comparative degree) and words most or most(in superlatives). Superlative most stylistically neutral, and the word most is bookish. Wed:
Most typical cases; most simple question. - Disdainful of the prudent comfort of castling, he sought to create the most unexpected, the most bizarre correlation of figures (V. Nabokov).
2. Adjectives in comparative degrees, acting as definitions, can express the result of a subjective assessment.
The nuance of the meaning of a subjective assessment can be conveyed by lexical means, for example: elderly person (as opposed to old). Combined with the word more The adjective is used both in full and in short form: this question is more important: important(compound form); this question is more important: more important(simple form). short form more important conveys a state conceivable in time: At the moment this question more important.
Typical for the Russian language is a simple (synthetic) form of the comparative degree in -her, -her, -ee. It is homonymous with the form of the comparative degree of the adverb. Wed: he is modest(adv.); his demands are more modest(adj.).
excellent the degree of the adjective, acting as a nominal predicate, has three forms similar to the forms of the comparative degree: this question is the most (important): most (important): more important than all (everything). If the superlative expresses quality inanimate or animate object, then preference is given to the forms "most + full form of the adjective":
This suitcase the heaviest; His job the best.- Vronsky is one of the sons of Count Kirill Ivanovich Vronsky and one of the very best examples of gilded youth (L. Tolstoy).
- 3. Comparative degree in a function predicate-predicate is used in special comparative constructions in which the object of comparison is expressed in one way or another. It is formed in two ways:
- 1) by combining a simple form of a comparative degree with a genitive comparison: Wilson is more important than other birds(V. Mayakovsky);
- 2) by combining the compound form of the comparative degree, consisting of the word more and the short form of the positive degree, and the union Than: Wilson is more important than any other bird.
The first method should be considered the most common, because the use of "forms of the comparative degree is not limited to simple morphological rules. The types of formation and functioning of the degrees of comparison in the Russian language should be studied and assimilated in close connection with the syntactic and semantic conditions of their use" .
All qualitative-evaluative and most qualitative adjectives form degrees of comparison, expressing different degrees of quality. But in some cases they do not have degrees of comparison due to their semantics: adjectives like dumb, barefoot etc. designate absolute quality and logically do not allow a comparative or superlative degree. It is important to note that the comparative and superlative degrees denote different meanings as opposed to meaning positive degrees:
"She's in two meetings at once..."
(V. Mayakovsky)
Forms of the comparative degree with a prefix smarter, more fun, cheaper etc.), acting as a predicate, acquire a shade of "softened" comparative degree: He is younger than me; He will be smarter than all of us. -
And the man, from he was quick-witted,
He set off on a bear,
He planted a horn in her
What taller navel, lower liver
- (meaning "slightly higher/lower").
- (A. Pushkin)
Adjective forms in -her, -e, -she with prefix on- indicate the predominance of some quality in one of the compared objects: (book) more interesting; (boy) smarter etc.
Combined with the genitive case of definitive pronouns Total or all(which, but in essence, have become formants, indicators of superlatives) the comparative degree acquires the meaning of the superlative. Such stable combinations carry the meaning of the highest degree of quality by comparative opposition anything to other items in the aggregate and not from the same category. This is a complex form of the elative, which is not combined with the forms on -eysh-, -aysh-. For example:
Most of all, he was struck by the fact that from Monday he would be Luzhin (V. Nabokov); And the geese screamed, / Disappearing in the sky, / What is dearest of all / The native side ... (M. Isakovsky).
All three degrees are a gradation series: rough: rougher: roughest; coarse: coarser: coarsest etc.
In russian language comparative degree is often used to mean excellent. This usage distinguishes genitive of the second element with a comparative degree. It can also be used with superlatives: the best, the richest. In some cases, you can notice the "limited" meaning of superlatives - it is better (...) all others except one (two...).
Based on the system of degrees of comparison of Otto Jespersen, which excludes from consideration the superlative degree as a kind of comparative, we single out the degrees of graduation:
- 1.Superiority (>) more dangerous (better) than...
- 2. Equality(=) with just as dangerous (good) as...
- 3. lower degree(less dangerous (good) than... etc.
It's obvious that first and third steps are closely related because
in both cases is expressed inequality. There are two ways of expressing with the opposite meaning, which make it possible to change the relationship of the first and third steps to the reverse: worse than = less good than. Based on this, the following can be established equality: older than = less young than. Wed:
Levin himself did not remember his mother, and his only sister was older than him, so that in the house of the Shcherbatskys, for the first time, he saw that very environment of the old noble, educated and honest family, which he was deprived of by the death of his father and mother (L. Tolstoy).
Comparison Levin's sister is older than him does not mean that Sister is old and the comparative degree can therefore mean lesser degree than positive in the expression Sister is old. Similar offer Sister older than Levin says nothing about Levin's old age; on old age Levin will be implied if you add the adverb more: The sister is even older than Levin. We see that this use of the word more is not self-evident.
When negating a step superiority (1) Sister is not as old as Levin get the value either equality(2) or lower degree(3). When negating a step equality(2) get the value lower degree (3): less old than; younger than. Wed: And as old as V. The objection to this statement would be: Oh no, not as old as B, but much older.
There are designs proportional fit, in which the determining element represents a period of time, but does not have an explicit expression. In such sentences, the following meanings and features of their expression are revealed:
a) repetition of the comparative degree form:
Became getting darker and darker (= the longer it has continued, the darker became). He became more and more impatient; Heartache getting hotter(M. Sholokhov);
b) formant all together with the comparative degree forms a superlative degree: He said increasingly unintelligible.
V. V. Vinogradov pointed out that adjectives in - the most / - the most can have three meanings in modern Russian:
1) regardless of the large measure (limiting degree) attribute (elative value):
He is the smartest person; The weather is wonderful. - He began to tear out leaves and flowers in his hearts and sneezed from the smallest dust (V. Nabokov).
Some forms of the superlative degree break away from the paradigm and act in the meaning of the elative, i.e. in the sense of an absolutely greater degree of quality: the greatest scientist(does not mean the greatest) ,
- 2) excellent degrees: the truest of friends, the greatest poet,
- 3) comparative degree (meaning almost lost in modern Russian, but left traces in phraseology): upon closer inspection.
The most common is the use of forms on -most / -most in an elative sense. Such forms in free combinations are evaluative. Wed:
I got into the stupidest position; This is the rarest case, etc. - This is the smartest, the most decent and the most talented man (N. Gogol); But nothing of the kind happened, he listened calmly, and when his father, who was trying to pick up most curious, most attractive(= "evaluative character") details, said, among other things, that, as an adult, he would be called by his last name, the son blushed, blinked, leaned back on the pillow, opening his mouth and shaking his head ... (V. Nabokov).
Gradual-evaluative value of the superlative form on -most / -most implemented in combination with the preposition from:the most ingenious of (musicians), oldest of (employees) etc. For example:
And as in my wagon ... there was a bed with clothes and linen, then in my misfortunes I honored myself happiest of mortals (A. Pushkin).
The elative value is very close to the category of subjective evaluation. Elative forms express a gradual meaning and serve to express the ultimate degree of quality without indicating a relationship to other objects: Tiny specks of dust floated in the air; Found a rare specimen.
Therefore, the formal means of expressing the meanings of measure and degree (gradation) in the field of qualitative adjectives (and qualitative adverbs) is morphological a level concerning the properties of morphemes and cases of analytic formation. As a grammaticalized core gradualism the category corresponding to it degrees of comparison - comparative, superlativeandelative
- Cm.: Kolesnikova S. M. The semantics of gradualness and ways of its expression in modern Russian. M., 1998; Her own. Functional-semantic category of gradualness in modern Russian. M., 2010. S. 78-86.
- See additional: Falev I. A. On the question of degrees of comparison in modern Russian // Language and thinking. Issue. 9. M.; L. 1940; Nikulin A.S. Degrees of comparison in modern Russian. M.; L., 1937; Knyazev Yu.P. On the semantics of degrees of comparison of adjectives // Uchenye zapiski Tartu gos. university T. 524: Problems of intrastructural functional description of language. Tartu, 1980; Kolesnikova S. M. Degrees of comparison of adjectives and the intensity of the feature expressed by them // Russian language at school. 1998. No. 5.
- Wed: Galich G. G. Gradual characteristics of qualitative adjectives, verbs and nouns of the modern German language: author. dis.... cand. philol. Sciences. L., 1981; Kharitonchik Z. A. Turansky I. I. Semantic category of intensity in modern English. M., 1990; Novikov L. A. Antonymy in Russian. M., 1973; Arutyunova N. D. Language and the human world. M., 1999; Apresyan Y.D. Lexical semantics. Synonymous means of language. M., 1974; Wolf E. M. Functional semantics of evaluation. M., 1985; Ubin I.I. Lexical Means of Expressing Intensity (on the Material of Russian and English Languages): Abstract of the thesis. dis.... cand. philol. Sciences. M., 1974; Turansky I.I. Semantic category of intensity in English. M., 1990; Vorotnikov Yu. L. Degrees of quality in modern Russian. M., 1999; Norman V. Yu. Gradation in Russian // Qnantitat und Graduierungals kognitiv-semantische Kategorien. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz verlg, 2001, pp. 381-403. Sapir E. Graduation: a semantic study // New in foreign linguistics. M., 1986. S. 43; Khalina N.V. Category of gradualness in word and text. Barnaul, 1993; Krzhizhkova E. Quantitative determination of adjectives in Russian (lexico-syntactic + analysis) // Syntax and norm. M., 1974. S. 122-144; Bolinger D. Degree words. Paris: Mouton, 1972; Studia gramatyezne Bulgarian-Polish. T. 3: Ilosc, gradaeja, osoba. Wroclaw, 1989; Kolesnikova S. M. Graduality: linguistic description (on the basis of the Russian language) // Akademiai Kiado. Budapest, 2011; Repashi D., Sekey G. On Graduality in Comparative Aspect // Vestnik MGOU. Ser. "Russian Philology". Issue. 5. M., 2010. S. 110-117; Kolesnikova S. M. Functional-semantic category of gradualness in modern Russian // Modern Nyelvoktatas: A Magyar Alkalmazott Nyelveszek es Nyelvtanarok Egyesfiletenek folyoirata. XVI. 2010. S. 116-118; Sjostrom S. Spatial relations: Towards a theory of spatial verbs, prepositions, a pronominal adverbs in Swedish. Goteborg: Dept. of linguistics, 1990.
- Kartsevsky S. O. Comparison // Questions of linguistics. 1976. No. 1. S. 112.
- Isachenko A.V. The grammatical structure of the Russian language in comparison with Slovak. Bratislava, 1965. S. 201.
- Cm.: Espersen O. Philosophy of Grammar: Per. from English. M., 1958.
This topic is very simple, it lends itself easily even to those who have recently started learning English. If you already know a few adjectives in English, then after studying the material in this article, you can easily form degrees of comparison.
But first, let's figure out how many degrees of comparison there are and why they are needed.
There are three degrees of comparison of adjectives. First degree - positive. It's a simple adjective as you learn it: interesting, beautiful, good etc.
Next degree - comparative. If you have two objects, and you compare them on one or another basis, then you will talk about it in a comparative degree: bigger, smaller, more interesting, more beautiful etc.
And the third degree that adjectives can have is excellent. When you compare several items on any basis, one of them will be superior to others. We say about him that he is the most: the most interesting, the biggest, the best.
In English, everything is exactly the same: there are three degrees of comparison, which are formed according to their own rules.
The first degree is positive. This is a common adjective. For example, let's remember some adjectives in English that you probably know:
Small - small
big - big
easy - easy, simple
interesting - interesting
popular - popular
If we describe one thing without comparing it with anything else, then a simple adjective is used, without suffixes. But as soon as the second object appears, for comparison, it becomes necessary to use comparative degree.
To form it, you need to look at the adjective: how many syllables it has, how long it is. It depends on the way you will use in the formation of the degree. If the adjective is short (1-2 syllables), then you need to add a suffix to it - er:
Small (small) - smaller (smaller)
big (big) - bigger (more)
easy (simple) - easier (easier)
If your adjective is long (more than two syllables), then if you load it with another suffix, it will be unrealistic to pronounce it. Therefore, to form the comparative degree of such adjectives, the word is used more(more), which is placed before the adjective, just like in Russian:
Interesting - more interesting (more interesting)
popular - more popular (more popular)
If you are comparing two objects or phenomena in a sentence, then you will also need the word than(than) to indicate what you are actually comparing and against:
My room is smaller than my brother "s. - My room is smaller than my brother's.
His dog is bigger than mine. - His dog is bigger than mine.
This rule is easier than that one. - This rule is easier than that one.
Detectives are more interesting than historical novels. - Detective stories are more interesting than historical novels.
Is Lady Gaga more popular than Madonna? Is Lady Gaga more popular than Madonna?
Now let's move on to superlatives. If you have several items in front of you that you need to compare, choose one on some basis, then you need to use not a comparative, but an excellent form.
How you form this degree will depend on how many syllables your adjective has. If the adjective is short (1-2 syllables), then the suffix is added - est:
Small - the smallest
big - the biggest
easy - the easiest
If the adjective is long (more than two syllables), then the superlative degree should be formed using the word most(most):
Interesting - the most interesting
popular - the most popular
Prepositions IN and OF.
It was already mentioned above that when you compare two objects, then in comparison you need to use the word than (than).
Prepositions are used with adjectives in the superlative degree. in and of. The choice of preposition is determined by what you are comparing and what information comes after the comparison.
If you are talking about a place (country, city, world), then use the preposition in:
This is the oldest building in our town. - This is the oldest house in our city.
He is the most popular singer in the country. - He is the most popular singer in the country.
What is the highest mountain in the world? - What is the highest mountain in the world?
The preposition is also used when talking about a group of people, an organization:
I am the youngest pupil in the class. - I am the youngest student in the class.
Pretext on used when talking about a period of time:
Today is the longest day of the year. - Today is the longest day of the year.
It was the happiest day of my life. - It was the happiest day of my life.
The article the.
You ask why the article is used in examples with the word most the. We remember that this article is used to indicate something specific, known to the interlocutors. When it comes to superlatives, we single out one item from the group as the only or unique of its kind and it becomes defined:
He is the cleverest boy in the class. - He is the smartest boy in the class. (There is only one smartest student in the class)
This is the oldest house in the town. - This is the oldest house in the city. (There is only one oldest house in the city)
I want to draw your attention to the fact that the article the is not always used with superlative adjectives. If adjectives are preceded by a word that answers the question Whose? / Whose? (or a noun in ), then the article the is not needed:
This is my smallest bag. - This is my smallest bag.
She is Maria "s youngest daughter. - She is the youngest daughter of Mary.
Spelling changes.
When forming the comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives, you must remember that adding suffixes in English is often accompanied by changes in spelling.
With adjectives, there are two main rules to remember:
1. If a short adjective ends in -y, then when adding a suffix, -y changes to i and a suffix is added:
Easy (simple) - easier - the easiest
noisy (noisy) - noisier - the noisiest
busy (busy) - busier - the busiest
2. If a short adjective ends in a consonant preceded by a stressed vowel (closed stressed syllable), then the last consonant is doubled:
Big (big) - bigger - the biggest
fat (fat) - fatter - the fattest
If the adjective ends in two consonants, or in a consonant preceded by a combination of vowels, then nothing is doubled, but the necessary suffix is simply added:
Strong (strong) - stronger - the strongest
cold (cold) - colder - the coldest
weak (weak) - weaker - the weakest
Exceptions.
In English, there are exception adjectives, the comparative and superlative degrees of which are not formed according to the rule, without adding suffixes:
good - better - the best- good / better / the best
bad - worse - the worst- bad / worse / worst
far-farther-the farthest- distant / farther / farthest
little - less - the least- small/smaller/smallest
To compare two objects in English, you can also use the construction as...as (not as...as), with which adjectives in the positive degree are used. Read more about this design.
Try to avoid common mistakes, remember that if you have already added a suffix to the adjective, then you do not need to use the words more or most.
Now you can easily compare objects, people and phenomena and talk about it in English. To consolidate the material covered, remember as many adjectives as possible and try to form degrees of comparison from them, and it will be even more effective to make sentences with them. Leave comments, ask questions, success in learning English!
Adjectives in Russian. They are indispensable when it is necessary to compare one characteristic of an object or phenomenon with another. Let's try to understand the intricacies of this topic.
Adjective
Before you start studying the topic "Degrees of comparison of adjectives in Russian", you need to find out how this part of speech differs from all others. And she really has a lot of features. It is hard to imagine our speech without this colorful, graceful group. With the help of adjectives, we describe appearance (short, handsome, unsightly), character (kind, grouchy, difficult), age (young, old). However, not only human qualities, but many other things can be represented with their help. For example, not a single work of art is complete without the use of adjectives. And even more so the lyrics. Thanks to this part of speech, stories, poems, novels acquire expressiveness and figurativeness.
It helps to form such artistic means as epithets (dazzling beauty, wonderful morning), metaphors of a stone heart), comparisons (looks like the happiest; the sky is like an azure watercolor).
A distinctive feature of adjectives is their ability to form short forms. The latter always play the role of a predicate in a sentence, which gives this part of speech another advantage - to give any text dynamics.
What is a degree?
Anyone who studies the Russian language faces this question. The degree of comparison of adjectives is a characteristic that helps to compare one object with another.
For example, we have two balls in front of us. They are exactly the same, only one of them is slightly different in size. We need to compare them with each other and conclude: one ball more another. We can approach this issue from a different angle and note that one ball smaller than the second one. In both cases, we used a word that characterizes the degree of comparison of these objects.
Now let's add to our objects one more of the same, but much larger. We need to distinguish it from others. How are we going to do it? Of course, use comparison. Only now you need to indicate that the third ball is different from the first and second at once. In this case, we say that he the largest among them.
It is for this that we need. We will describe each of their types in detail below.
comparative
When we have an adjective in front of us, which no one compares with anything, then it is characterized by a positive degree. But if one object needs to be compared with another, then we will use the comparative degree of the adjective.
It has two subspecies. The first is called simple, or suffixal. This means that the word used in this degree has a suffix characteristic of it.
For example: This table chic. Neighbor's table smarter ours.
In the first case, the adjective is in the positive degree. In the second, the suffix "her" was added to it and with the help of this they compared one table with another.
The second type is the composite degree. As the name implies, its formation does not occur with the help of morphemes, but with the use of special words.
For example: This project is very successful. The last project was more successful.
The word "more" helps us compare one project to another.
Another example: We have valuable information. The previous one turned out less valuable.
Now, with the help of the word "less", we indicated a sign that manifested itself to a lesser extent.
It is worth remembering that the degrees of comparison of adjectives in the Russian language, regardless of varieties, are formed only from neither possessive nor relative ones possess this ability.
Superlatives
In some situations, we need not only to compare one object or phenomenon with another, but to distinguish it from all similar ones. And here we will also come to the aid of the degree of comparison of adjectives in Russian. This degree of comparison is called excellent, which already implies the highest limit.
Like comparative, it has two varieties.
With the help of suffixes, a simple degree is formed.
For example: Ivanov the strongest of all the athletes on the team.
The word "strong" with the suffix -eysh- formed and singled out the athlete Ivanov among other members of the team.
Next example: New tulle the most beautiful from what I have seen.
In this case, the auxiliary word "most" gave this sentence the same meaning as in the previous example. This form is called composite.
Sometimes it can be accompanied by the prefix nai- to enhance: the most beautiful.
Peculiarities
In some cases, the forms of degrees of comparison of adjectives have exceptions.
These include the words "good" and "bad". When we begin to compare objects with their help, we will encounter some difficulties.
For example: We have good evening. Let's try to form a chain of degrees of comparison.
In a simple comparison, we will see that the word "good" does not exist. He is replaced by "better". And for the word "bad" let's choose "worse". Such a phenomenon in Russian is called suppletivism of the foundations. This means that the word needs to change dramatically in order to form a comparative degree.
Conclusion
Thus, we managed to find out not only the basics, but also some nuances on the topic "Degrees of comparison of adjectives in Russian".
Now this rule will not cause you any difficulties, since it is quite simple.
Adjectives and adverbs in many languages of the world have degrees of comparison. In English these are Positive Degree, Comparative Degree and Superlative degree, in Polish - rywny, wyższy, najwyższy, in French - le positif, le comparatif, le superlatif. The Russian language was no exception, it has a positive, comparative and superlative degree of adjectives. How do they differ and what are their forms?
Degrees of comparison: types, table
The ability to form degrees of comparison is possessed by adjectives and adverbs formed from them.There are three of them:
- Positive.Comparative.Excellent.
What adjectives form degrees of comparison?
As you know, all adjectives in the Russian language are divided into several categories.
- Qualitative - they mean the signs that an object or a living being can have in different degrees: sweet, sweeter, the sweetest. Relative - they call the signs of an object or a living being in their relation to circumstances, actions or other persons, things: a telephone call, a wooden building. Possessive - testify to the belonging of something to someone: Pushkin's stanza, father's parting words.
Adverbs that come from the qualitative category of adjectives can also form degrees of comparison: peppy - peppy (more peppy).
Comparative degree of adjectives in Russian
Before proceeding to consider the comparative degree, it is worth mentioning a little about the positive. This is the name of the initial degree of comparison (boring). In fact, it is considered a degree of comparison only formally. But the next is the comparative degree of the adjective (more boring, more boring). It serves to show that a certain object or person has a given quality in more / less quantity than someone / something else. For example: "This tea is stronger (stronger) than the one we drank yesterday."Information about comparative forms
In the above example, you can see that the comparative degree in Russian can be formed in the following ways: with the help of suffixes or by adding an additional word (in this example, it is “more”). It turns out that we can distinguish 2 forms of the comparative degree of adjectives in Russian: simple and compound, or, as it is sometimes called, complex.Ways to form a simple shape
There are several ways to form it.- With the help of suffixes -ee, -ee, -e, -she added to the base: peppy - more peppy. However, it is worth remembering that if suffixes of the comparative degree of adjectives -e, -she are used, then alternation of consonants at the root of the word may occur, and suffixes -k, -ok, -ek can be abolished altogether. For example: narrow - narrower, voiced - louder. Sometimes a simple form can be formed by adding all the same -her, -her, -e, -she, as well as the prefix on-. For example: soon - quickly, quickly - quickly. Adjectives formed in this way, as a rule, are the lot of colloquial speech. Sometimes the comparative degree of adjectives in Russian is formed using a different stem of the word: bad - worse.
complex shape
Unlike a simple one, it is formed not with the help of suffixes or prefixes, but by adding the words "more" or "less" to the adjective in a positive degree. For example: "Rembrandt was a more brilliant artist than most of his contemporaries, but he was truly appreciated years after his death." Adjectives in a complex form decline in cases, change in numbers and, accordingly, in gender, while "more" and "less" remain unchanged. For example: more powerful (powerful, powerful, powerful). Both in a simple form and in a compound form, comparative adjectives in a sentence play the role of predicates or definitions: "Their relationship was closer and more sublime than that of anyone around" .Having considered the information on the comparative degree, it is now worth moving on to the study of the superlative. And it will help not to forget how the comparative degree of adjectives is formed - a table. It briefly outlines all the information about simple and complex forms and their formation.
Brief information about superlatives of comparison
It serves to demonstrate that a certain object or living being is absolutely superior to any other in a certain quality, which is represented by them in the highest measure.For example: "The house of the third piglet was the most durable and the wolf could not destroy it."
A little about superlatives
Knowledge of how the simple and complex comparative degree of adjectives is formed will help to deal with this topic. In the case of a superlative degree, both of its forms have similar names: simple and compound (complex) and are formed according to the corresponding principle.
They are formed according to the same principle:
- A simple one is formed by adding the suffixes -eysh, -aysh to the stem: caring - caring. Similarly with the comparative, the superlative can also have the stem suffix -k: low, inferior. A word formed with a simple superlative form declines in cases and changes in numbers and genders. While the comparative degree of an adjective in a simple form is devoid of this property. For example: "light". As mentioned above, in comparative form it is invariably “lighter”. But in the superlative degree - “the brightest”, it can change: “the brightest”, “the brightest”. The compound (complex) form is formed by adding the words “most”, “least” or “most” (“most”, “most”, " most") to the adjective in the positive degree. For example: the brightest, the least entertaining, the most funny. In some cases, the comparative degree of the adjective plus the word "all" may also participate in the formation. For example: "This girl completed the task the fastest in the class." As with the compound comparative, the adjective in the superlative changes in the same categories. And the additional words: "most" or "least" remain unchanged: "The wolf ran the shortest way to Grandma's house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood." However, "most" also changes: "The wolf ran the shortest way to Grandma's house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood."
Superlatives and Comparatives of Adjectives: Exercises to Consolidate Knowledge
To better remember all the material presented, it is worth practicing by doing a few fairly simple exercises.- In this task, you need to form all possible forms of degrees according to the model: attractive, more attractive, more attractive, most attractive, most attractive, most attractive of all. In this exercise, you need to choose both forms of the superlative degree for the adjective, mark the suffixes and underline the alternating letters, according to the samples. In this task, you need to find errors and explain. 1. Petrov is the best player in the whole team. 2. Things were getting worse in our firm. 3. The air in the room was getting heavier. 4. Our enterprise turned out to be more successful. 5. Natasha's shoes are cheaper than Sveta's. In this exercise, you need to compare 2 objects of different properties, according to the sample: French and German (euphonious). - French is more euphonious than German. 1. Autumn and winter (warm). 2. Masha's locker and Dima's cabinet (convenient). 3. Laptop and smartphone (expensive). 4. Vladimir and Maxim (serious). 5. Katya and Valya (beautiful). 6. Kyiv and Lvov (young).
Quality adjectiveshave degrees of comparison. They express a greater or lesser degree of quality in a given subject compared to another subject.
For example: (My house is more beautiful than your house). sometimes the comparison takes place within the same object (increase or decrease) in different periods of its development, i.e. at the present moment, compared to its past state.
For example: (Demand for a product has become higher than last year).
Adjectives have two degrees of comparison:
comparative;
excellent.
1.Comparative adjective means that some feature is manifested to a greater or lesser extent in one subject than in another.
For example: I am happier than you. Your briefcase is heavier than mine. My dog is smarter than yours.
The comparative degree is:
A) simple
B) complex
BUT) Simple comparative degree formed with suffixes:
"her" (s): For example: beautiful - more beautiful, smart - smarter, cold - colder;
"e" (with alternation of the last consonant of the stem or without alternation):
For example: big - more, short - shorter, sweet - sweeter;
"she": For example: old - older, young - younger.
Sometimes, when forming the comparative degree of an adjective, a different root is used.
Good is better, bad is worse, small is less.
Adjectives in the form of a simple comparative degree do not change and do not have endings!
B) Compound Comparative is formed from the full form of the positive degree of the adjective with the help of particles more and less.
Big - more (less) big, beautiful - more (less) beautiful.
2) Superlative adjectives.
The superlative degree shows that some feature is manifested in the given subject to the greatest extent, in comparison with the same feature in other homogeneous subjects.
This is my best game; He is the smartest boy in the class.
Superlatives are:
A) simple
B) complex
The superlative degree of an adjective can change by gender, number, and case.
(We approached the highest mountains).
BUT) simple superlatives formed with the help of suffixes "eysh", "aysh".
For example: stupidest, deepest, rarest, closest
Sometimes, when forming the superlative degree of an adjective, a different root is used.
For example: Good is the best, bad is the worst.
B) Compound Superlative is formed from the full form of the positive degree of the adjective using the particles most, most and least.
For example: Small - the smallest, the smallest, the least small, smart - the smartest, the smartest, the least smart.
Adjectives in the superlative degree, like the full forms of the positive degree of adjectives, change in gender, number and case.
Publication date: 01/28/2012 17:58 UTC
- Morphological analysis of the adjective in Russian.
- Full and short forms of adjectives. Declension and spelling of case forms of adjectives in Russian.
- The concept of an adjective. Morphological features of adjectives. Classes of adjectives in Russian.
