Degrees of Comparison

Like the adj-s in other languages most of OE adj-s distinguished between three degrees of comparison: positive, comparative and superlative.

The comparative degree was formed by means of the suffix –ra; the superlative suffix –est had one more variant: -ost. The suffix –ra developed from CG suffixes –isa/osa and developed into –r; the vowel –i/o was lost. The suffix est/ost developed from CG –ist. Those adj-s, which originally formed their comparative and superlative degrees by means of the suffixes –ira, -ist, had the narrowed and fronted root vowel, as –i in the suffix caused palatal mutation. Later –i was lost or weakened to –e, but the mutation root vowel survivied as an additional marker of the comarative or the superlative degrees. The adj-s which originally formed their degrees of comparissonby means of suffixes –oro/ost, had the forms without the vowel interchanges: heard-heardra-heardost

There were adj-s with alternations: blæcra- blacost

It’s a purely phonetic phenomena. Here we found the restoration of a back vowel.

OE adj-s had superlative forms of comparative and superlative degrees.

Norn. blind

Gen. blindes

pat. blindum

Ace blindne

Instr. blinde

Norn. blinde

Gen. blindra

Dat. blindum

Ace. blinde

Instr. blindum

m n f

Weak declension Strong declension

	Singular
blind	blind	blinda	blinde	blinde
blindes	blindre	blindan	blindan	blindan
blindum	blindre	blindan	blindan	blindan
blind	blinde	blindan	blinde	blindan
blinde	blindre
	Plural
blind	blinda/e	(all genders) blindan
blindra	blindra	blindra/ena
blindum	blindum	blindum
blind	blinda/e	blindan
blindum	blindum
	blind

The paradigm of adjectives was rich in forms. The same endings were found in declension of participles that were declined in Old English and agreed with the nouns they modified (for comparison we may take Ukrainian case endings that are almost the same for the adjectives and for the participles).

Qualitative adjectives had degrees of comparison (positive, comparative and superlative). The forms of the comparative and the superlative degree are made synthetically, by adding suffixes -ra and -ost/-est.

soft - softra - softost (soft)

bisec - bisecra - blacost (black)

The number of syllables in the adjective did not affect the rule – even polysyllabic adjectives may take these suffixes me oyncc) bettre oast we eac suma bee, oa oe niedbecfearfosta sTen eallum monnum to wiotonne (I think it would be better that we should increase the number of books that should be the most necessary for all the people to know)

Sometimes suffixation was accompanied by ('-mutation of a root vowel:

eald - ieldra - ieldest (old)

stronJ - strenJra - strongest (strong)

lonJ - lenJra - lenjest (long)

JeonJ- JinJra - JinJest (young)

feor - fierra - fierrest (far)

The remains of the mutated vowel now may be found only in two

adjectives: old (older/elder) and far (further/farther).

Four adjectives in Old English had suppletive degrees of comparison, that is their comparative and superlative degrees are formed by adding the suffixes to the stems of other adjectives. These adjectives have counterparts in other languages, too - in Ukrainian and Russian languages corresponding adjectives have suppletive degrees of comparison.

Jod - betera - betst, sdre, s^est (good)

yfel - wiesra - wierest (bad)

my eel - mar a - msest (much)

lytel - Isessa - Isest (little)

Compare: nozanuu - zipwuu, eenuKuu - 6uibUtuu etc.

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