Comparison of adjectives
In English, many adjectives are compared by adding the suffixes er and est with the definite article the:
| absolute | comparative | superlative |
|---|---|---|
| fast | faster | the fastest |
| late | later | the latest |
Another way of comparing adjectives is with more and the most:
| absolute | comparative | superlative |
|---|---|---|
| achievable | more achievable | the most achievable |
| advanced | more advanced | the most advanced |
In dal'qörian, both of these constructions are rendered with the prefix te with words beginning with a consonant, and tev with those beginning with a vowel:
| absolute | comparative | superlative |
|---|---|---|
| araciev-late | tev'araciev-later | di tev'araciev-the latest |
| bracödrädn-achievable | te'bracödrädn-more achievable | di te'bracödrädn-the most achievable |
Comparative sentence patterns
There are three types of comparative sentence: positive, comparative and superlative.
Positive sentences are those such as:
- The pie is not as nice as it was yesterday.
- One picture is as nice as the next.
- It’s as good as it gets!
In dal'qörian, these are formed with the word säsa which goes before the adjective:
- séÞa epnij säsa stæ’quraläla ädiáda. The pie is not as nice as yesterday. (In comparative sentences, adverbs of time do not begin the sentence. See Adverbs)
- sia gä’létr di vaÞriámn,, ön sia säsa gé’älig söcasendras. She told the truth and was as honest as possible.
Using the intensifier esti with säsa also renders the equivalent of just as...as, which is slightly more emphatic:
- binä säsa esti sæadörädn diöra. I’m just as surprised as you.
Comparative sentences are those such as:
- I’m more intelligent than you.
- The train is faster than the car.
- It was less noticeable than yesterday.
These are simply formed with the comparative form of the adjective and nas-than:
- binä tev’ilalägra nas diöra. I'm more intelligent than you.
- Sahán ni tev’éagöra evédrátsi nas Sösan. Shane is a better driver than Susan.
- tiÞ gé’natinträdn stæmériÞ nas ädiáda. It was less noticeable than yesterday.
Sentences such as: "You are getting taller and taller. The wind is blowing stronger and stronger etc, (where the adjectice is compared with itself), are formed with the adverb brát-still (brát is also used as the conjunction but) and the comparative:
- diö vädenária brát te’viténa. You are getting taller and taller. (lit: You are becoming still taller).
- di ateméj löbria brát te’herecöl. The wind is blowing stronger and stronger. (lit: The wind is blowing still stronger).
Superlative sentences are those such as:
- I’m the best guitar player.
- This is the happiest I’ve seen her.
- ...and worst of all, she said I wasn’t attractive!
The first two examples are formed as in English:
- binä di tev’éagöra gæatéjátsi. I'm the best guitar player.
- séÞa di te’qurnöra,, taÞ binä gä’ábravisör siöra. This is the happiest I've seen her.
As in the third example, the form adj + of all is formed by adding the adverbial suffix as/ni to the comparative adjective:
- minäla, te ména, gä’ábra-eƒragör di iáda,, brát tev’éagöras, ména, lintöni Tradiáda, mösárax nöreÞár. We’ve been given the day off but best of all, we don’t have to go back until Wednesday. (mösárax-must not in dal'qörian renders the English equivalent of do not have to, see Verbs)
