Degrees of Comparison

Introduction to Adjectives and Comparison

ଓଡ଼ିଆ: ଏହି ବିଭାଗରେ ଆମେ ବିଶେଷଣ ଏବଂ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ତୁଳନା ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣିବା। ବିଶେଷଣଗୁଡ଼ିକ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ବା ବସ୍ତୁର ଗୁଣ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରନ୍ତି।

Adjectives (ବିଶେଷଣ) are words that describe nouns (ବିଶେଷ୍ୟ) or pronouns (ସର୍ବନାମ). They tell us more about the quality (ଗୁଣ), quantity (ପରିମାଣ), or characteristic (ବୈଶିଷ୍ଟ୍ୟ) of a person, place, animal, or thing. For example, in "a tall boy," 'tall' is an adjective describing the boy. When we compare two or more people or things based on a quality, we use different forms of adjectives, known as Degrees of Comparison (ତୁଳନାର ମାତ୍ରା). [[1]]

The Three Degrees of Comparison

ଓଡ଼ିଆ: ତୁଳନାର ତିନୋଟି ମୁଖ୍ୟ ମାତ୍ରା ଅଛି: ପଜିଟିଭ୍, କମ୍ପାରେଟିଭ୍, ଏବଂ ସୁପରଲେଟିଭ୍। ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକଟି ଭିନ୍ନ ଭିନ୍ନ ତୁଳନା ପାଇଁ ବ୍ୟବହୃତ ହୁଏ।

There are three degrees of comparison for adjectives:

1. Positive Degree (ପଜିଟିଭ୍ ଡିଗ୍ରୀ): This is the base form of the adjective. It describes a quality without any comparison. It is used when no comparison is made, or when comparing equals. For example: "Rina is tall." [[1]]

2. Comparative Degree (କମ୍ପାରେଟିଭ୍ ଡିଗ୍ରୀ): This degree is used to compare two people or things. We usually add '-er' to the adjective and use 'than' after it. For example: "Lata is taller than Sita." [[1]]

3. Superlative Degree (ସୁପରଲେଟିଭ୍ ଡିଗ୍ରୀ): This degree is used to compare three or more people or things, showing that one possesses the quality to the highest extent. We usually add '-est' to the adjective and use 'the' before the superlative form. For example: "Lata is the tallest of all girls in her class." [[1]]

Forming Comparative and Superlative Degrees

ଓଡ଼ିଆ: ବିଶେଷଣର ତୁଳନାତ୍ମକ ଓ ସର୍ବୋଚ୍ଚ ରୂପ ଗଠନ କରିବାର କିଛି ନିୟମ ଅଛି, ଯେପରି '-er'/' -est' ଯୋଡ଼ିବା କିମ୍ବା 'more'/'most' ବ୍ୟବହାର କରିବା।

We form the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives in several ways:

• For most short adjectives (one or two syllables): Add '-er' for the comparative and '-est' for the superlative. [[3]]

  | Positive | Comparative | Superlative | | :------- | :---------- | :---------- | | strong | stronger | strongest | | tall | taller | tallest | | cheap | cheaper | cheapest |

  Example: Steel is stronger than wood. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. [[3]]

• For longer adjectives (two or more syllables): Use 'more' before the adjective for the comparative and 'most' for the superlative. [[3]]

  | Positive | Comparative | Superlative | | :-------- | :-------------- | :-------------- | | famous | more famous | most famous | | beautiful | more beautiful | most beautiful | | confident | more confident | most confident |

  Example: Shephali is more confident. Tendulkar is the most famous cricketer of India. [[3]]

• For adjectives ending in a consonant + 'y': Drop the 'y' and add '-ier' for the comparative and '-iest' for the superlative. [[3]]

  | Positive | Comparative | Superlative | | :------- | :---------- | :---------- | | heavy | heavier | heaviest | | dirty | dirtier | dirtiest | | easy | easier | easiest |

  Example: A car is heavier than a bike. Ashok is the funniest boy in our class. [[3]]

• Irregular Adjectives: Some adjectives have irregular forms that do not follow the standard rules. You must memorize these. [[3]]

  | Positive | Comparative | Superlative | | :------- | :---------- | :---------- | | good | better | best | | bad | worse | worst | | far | farther/further | farthest/furthest | | little | less | least | | much/many| more | most |

  Example: Rama is better than her brother. This is the best thing I can do. [[3]]

Comparing Equals and Double Comparatives

ଓଡ଼ିଆ: ସମାନ ଗୁଣ ଥିବା ବସ୍ତୁକୁ ତୁଳନା କରିବା ପାଇଁ 'as...as' ବ୍ୟବହାର କରାଯାଏ। ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ ଦର୍ଶାଇବା ପାଇଁ 'double comparatives' ବ୍ୟବହାର କରାଯାଏ।

• Comparing Equals: To show that two people or things have equal characteristics, we use the structure 'as + adjective + as'. For negative comparisons, we use 'not as + adjective + as' or 'not so + adjective + as'. [[5]]

  Example: Bibhu is as fat as Sudhir. Subodh is not as tall as Raja.

• Double Comparatives: We use repeated comparatives (e.g., 'fatter and fatter', 'more and more beautiful') to show that something is continuously changing or in a process of change. [[5]]

  Example: I am getting fatter and fatter. She looks more and more beautiful day by day. [[5]]

  Another form of double comparative shows a dependent change: 'The + comparative, the + comparative'. [[7]]

  Example: The older I get, the wiser I become. The higher you go, the cooler you feel. [[7]]

Important Notes

ଓଡ଼ିଆ: କମ୍ପାରେଟିଭ୍ ସହିତ 'very' ବ୍ୟବହାର କରନ୍ତୁ ନାହିଁ ଏବଂ ଗୋଟିଏ ବାକ୍ୟରେ ଦୁଇଟି କମ୍ପାରେଟିଭ୍ କିମ୍ବା ସୁପରଲେଟିଭ୍ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରନ୍ତୁ ନାହିଁ।

• We cannot use 'very' before a comparative degree. Instead, use 'much' or 'far'. For example, say "He is much older than me," not "He is very older than me." [[4]]
• We cannot use two comparatives or two superlatives together for emphasis. For example, say "This man is stronger than him," not "This man is more stronger than him." Similarly, say "He is the strongest man," not "He is the most strongest man." [[4]]

Worked Example:

Complete the passage using adjectives in their appropriate degrees. (from context [[4]])

"The Capital Secondary School is the (famous) one because it has the (high) pass rate. Besides, it is the (old) school in the city."

• Solution:

  • "The Capital Secondary School is the most famous one because it has the highest pass rate. Besides, it is the oldest school in the city."

  Explanation: 'famous' is a longer adjective, so it takes 'most' for superlative. 'high' and 'old' are short adjectives, taking '-est' for superlative, preceded by 'the' as they compare to all other schools. [[3]]