The comparative form of “pretty” is prettier. It’s used to compare two things, indicating that one possesses more beauty or attractiveness than the other. For example: “This flower is prettier than that one.” Understanding comparative and superlative forms in English, as well as their Latin roots, can greatly enhance your understanding of language.
Forming Comparative and Superlative Adjectives in English
In English, we typically add “-er” to an adjective to form the comparative and “-est” to form the superlative. However, for longer adjectives, we use “more” for the comparative and “most” for the superlative.
| Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| pretty | prettier | prettiest |
| beautiful | more beautiful | most beautiful |
| tall | taller | tallest |
| expensive | more expensive | most expensive |
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives in Latin
Latin, the root of many English words, forms comparatives and superlatives differently. Most Latin adjectives use the ending “-ior” for masculine and feminine comparative forms and “-ius” for the neuter comparative. The superlative often ends in “-imus,” “-ima,” and “-imum” for masculine, feminine, and neuter, respectively. For instance:
- Pulcher (beautiful):
- Comparative: pulchrior (m/f), pulchrius (n) – meaning “more beautiful”
- Superlative: pulcherrimus (m), pulcherrima (f), pulcherrimum (n) – meaning “most beautiful”
It’s important to note that these Latin forms decline like third declension nouns, except for the nominative singular.
Irregular Adjectives in Latin and English
Both English and Latin have irregular adjectives that don’t follow the standard rules for forming comparatives and superlatives. Some common examples include:
| English Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| good | better | best |
| bad | worse | worst |
| little | less | least |
| much/many | more | most |
| Latin Adjective | Comparative | Superlative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| bonus, -a, -um | melior, -ior, -ius | optimus, -ima, -imum | good, better, best |
| magnus, -a, -um | maior, -ior, -ius | maximus, -ima, -imum | great, greater, greatest |
Comparative and Superlative Adverbs
Adverbs, which describe how actions are performed, also have comparative and superlative forms. English often uses “more” and “most” before the adverb. Latin generally uses the neuter accusative singular of the comparative adjective (often ending in “-ius”) for the comparative adverb. The superlative adverb in Latin often ends in “-issime,” “-errime,” or “-illime.”
The Role of “Quam” in Latin Comparisons
The word “quam” plays a crucial role in Latin comparisons:
- With Comparative: “Quam” means “than.” (e.g., “maior quam” – greater than)
- With Superlative: “Quam” signifies “as…as possible.” (e.g., “quam maximus” – as great as possible)
Conclusion
Understanding the comparative form of “pretty” and the broader concepts of comparative and superlative forms in both English and Latin enhances language skills. Recognizing the patterns and irregularities in these forms provides a deeper appreciation for the nuances of language and its historical development.
