163. Among the variously derived adjectives now in our language there are some which may always be recognized as native English. These are adjectives irregularly compared.
Most of them have worn down or become confused with similar words, but they are essentially the same forms that have lived for so many centuries.
The following lists include the majority of them:—
| LIST I. | |||
| 1. | Good or well | Better | Best |
| 2. | Evil, bad, ill | Worse | Worst |
| 3. | Little | Less, lesser | Least |
| 4. | Much or many | More | Most |
| 5. | Old | Elder, older | Eldest, oldest |
| 6. | Nigh | Nigher | Nighest, next |
| 7. | Near | Nearer | Nearest |
| 8. | Far | Farther, further | Farthest, furthest |
| 9. | Late | Later, latter | Latest, last |
| 10. | Hind | Hinder | Hindmost, hindermost |
| LIST II. | |||
| These have no adjectivepositive:— | |||
| 1. | [In] | Inner | Inmost, innermost |
| 2. | [Out] | Outer, utter | Outmost, outermost Utmost, uttermost |
| 3. | [Up] | Upper | Upmost, uppermost |
| LIST III. | |||
| A few of comparative form but notcomparative meaning:— | |||
| After | Over | Under | Nether |
Remarks on Irregular Adjectives.
List I.
164. (1) The word good has no comparative or superlative, but takes the place of a positive to better and best. There was an old comparative bet, which has gone out of use; as in the sentence (14th century), "Ich singe bet than thu dest" (I sing better than thou dost). The superlative I form was betst, which has softened to the modern best.