CHAPTER XI.
THE SUPERLATIVE DEGREE.
[§ 326]. The history of the superlative form, accurately parallel with what has been stated of the comparative, is as follows:—
In Sanskrit there is, 1. the form tama, 2. the form ishta; the first being the commonest. The same is the case in the Zend.
Each of these appears again in the Greek. The first, as τατ (tat), in λεπτότατος (leptotatos); the second, as ιστ (ist), in οἴκτιστος (oiktistos). For certain reasons, Grimm thinks that the tat stands for tamt, or tant.
In Latin, words like intimus, extimus, ultimus, preserve im; whilst venustus, vetustus, and robustus, are considered as positives, preserving the superlative form -st.
Just as in inferus and nuperus, there was the ejection of the t in the comparative ter, so in infimus, nigerrimus, &c., is there the ejection of the same letter in the superlative tim.
This gives us, as signs of the superlative, 1. tm; 2. st; 3. m, t being lost; 4. t, m being lost.
Of the first and last of these, there are amongst the true superlatives, in English, no specimens.
Of the third, there is a specimen in the Anglo-Saxon se forma, the first, from the root fore, as compared with the Latin primus, and the Lithuanic pirmas.
The second, st (wise, wisest), is the current termination.
Of the English superlatives, the only ones that demand a detailed examination are those that are generally despatched without difficulty; viz., the words in most; such as midmost, foremost, &c. The current view is the one adopted by Rask in his Anglo-Saxon Grammar (§ 133), viz., that they are
compound words, formed from simple ones by the addition of the superlative term most. Grimm's view is opposed to this. In appreciating Grimm's view, we must bear in mind the phenomena of excess of expression; at the same time we must not depart from the current theory without duly considering the fact stated by Rask; which is, that we have in Icelandic the forms nærmeir, fjærmeir, &c., nearer, and farther, most unequivocally compounded of near and more, and of far and more.
Let especial notice be taken of the Mœso-Gothic forms fruma, first; aftuma, last; and of the Anglo-Saxon forms forma, aftema, aftermost; ufema, upmost; hindema, hindmost; midema, midmost; innema, inmost; ûtema, outmost; siðema, last; latema, last; niðema, nethermost. These account for the m.
Add to this, with an excess of expression, the letters st. This accounts for the whole form, as mid-m-ost, in-m-ost, &c. Such is Grimm's view.
Furthermost, innermost, hindermost.—Here there is a true addition of most, and an excess of inflection, a superlative form being added to a word in the comparative degree.
Former.—Here, as stated before, a comparative sign is added to a word in the superlative degree.
[§ 327]. The combination st occurs in other words besides those of the superlative degree; amongst others, in certain adverbs and prepositions, as among, amongst; while, whilst; between, betwixt.—Its power here has not been well explained.