[ CHAPTER XVII.]
Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs.
Adjectives.
[96.]
(1) Adjectives are regularly compared by adding -ra for the comparative, and -ost (rarely -est) for the superlative:
| Positive. | Comparative. | Superlative. |
|---|---|---|
| earm, poor | earmra | earmost |
| rīce, rich | rīcra | rīcost |
| smæl, narrow | smælra | smalost |
| brād, broad | brādra (brǣdra) | brādost |
| swift, swift | swiftra | swiftost |
(2) Forms with i-umlaut usually have superlative in -est:
| Positive. | Comparative. | Superlative. |
|---|---|---|
| eald, old | ieldra | ieldest |
| lǫng, long | lęngra | lęngest |
| strǫng, strong | stręngra | stręngest |
| geong, young | giengra | giengest |
| hēah, high | hīerra | hīehst |
(3) The following adjectives are compared irregularly:
| Positive. | Comparative. | Superlative. |
|---|---|---|
| gōd, good | bętra | bętst |
| lȳtel, little, small | lǣssa | lǣst |
| micel, great, much | māra | mǣst |
| yfel, bad | wiersa | wierst |