Page:A Danish and Dano-Norwegian grammar.djvu/104

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90
ETYMOLOGY.

mere vindende Væsen a more prepossessing manner. (But a few participles which have come to be used completely as adjectives may form comparative and superlative: lærdere more learned; fuldkomnere more perfect).

Some adjectives do not form any comparative and superlative on account of their signification; such are evig eternal, udödelig immortal etc.


INFLECTION AND USE OF THE COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE.


188. The comparative has only the form ending in -e: den bedre Del the better part; et större Hus a larger house. When used as a substantive it may take the genitive -s: det gode er det bedres Fiende the good is the enemy of the better.

Note. Observe the use of the comparative to denote a pretty high degree. En ældre Herre an elderly gentleman; et större Forretningshus quite a large business house; mindre less is used as a less emphatic negative than ikke not, or a negative prefix. Det var en mindre smuk Fremgangsmaade that was not a very nice way of doing.

189. The superlative has as a rule the definite form when connected with a noun: Den bedste Mand the best man. Det smukkeste Töi the nicest cloth. But it occurs also in the indefinite form: jeg har störst Lyst til ikke at gjöre det I feel most inclined not to do it [but: jeg har den störste Lyst (af Verden) til ikke at gjöre det I have the greatest mind not do it]. When used as a predicate the superlative as a rule is in-declinable, but may also take the definite article, and accordingly the definite form. Dette Hus er störst this house is largest. Disse Bær er bedst these berries are the best. But also: dette Hus er det störste this house is the largest.