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. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Good or well Evil, bad, ill Little Old Nigh Near Far Late Better Worse Less, lesser Elder, older Nigher Nearer Later, latter Hinder LIST II. These have no adjective positive: 1. [In] Inner Inmost, innermost Outmost, outermost Utmost, uttermost Upmost, uppermost LIST III. A few of comparative form but not comparative meaning: After Over Under Nether Best Worst Least Most Eldest, oldest Nighest, next Nearest Latest, last Hindmost, hindermost

Much or many More

Farther, further Farthest, furthest

10. Hind

2. [Out] Outer, utter 3. [Up] Upper

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 wasbetst, which has softened to the modern best. (2) In Old English, evil was the positive to worse, worst; but later bad and ill were borrowed from the Norse, and used as positives to the same comparative and superlative. Worser was once used, a double comparative; as in Shakespeare, O, throw away the worser part of it.Hamlet. (3) Little is used as positive to less, least, though from a different root. A double comparative, lesser, is often used; as, We have it in a much lesser degree.Matthew Arnold. Thrust the lesser half by main force into the fists of Ho-ti. Lamb.

(4) The words much and many now express quantity; but in former times much was used in the sense of large, great, and was the same word that is found in the proverb, "Many a little makes a mickle." Its spelling has been micel, muchel, moche, much, the parallel form mickle being rarely used. The meanings greater, greatest, are shown in such phrases as, The more part being of one mind, to England we sailed.Kingsley. The most part kept a stolid indifference.Id. The latter, meaning the largest part, is quite common. (5) The forms elder, eldest, are earlier than older, oldest. A few other words with the vowel o had similar change in the comparative and superlative, as long, strong, etc.; but these have followed old by keeping the same vowel o in all the forms, instead of lenger, strenger, etc., the old forms. (6) and (7) Both nigh and near seem regular in Modern English, except the form next; but originally the comparison was nigh, near, next. In the same way the word high had in Middle English the superlative hexte. By and by the comparative near was regarded as a positive form, and on it were built a double comparative nearer, and the superlative nearest, which adds -est to what is really a comparative instead of a simple adjective. (8) These words also show confusion and consequent modification, coming about as follows: further really belongs to another series,forth, further,first. First became entirely detached from the series, and furthest began to be used to follow the comparative further; then these were used as comparative and superlative of far. The word far had formerly the comparative and superlative farrer, farrest. In imitation of further, furthest, th came into the others, making the modernfarther, farthest. Between the two sets as they now stand, there is scarcely any distinction, except perhaps further is more used than farther in the sense of additional; as, for example, When that evil principle was left with no further material to support it.Hawthorne. (9) Latter and last are the older forms. Since later, latest, came into use, a distinction has grown up between the two series. Later and latest have the true comparative and superlative force, and refer to time; latter and last are used in speaking of succession, or series, and are hardly thought of as connected in meaning with the word late. (10) Hinder is comparative in form, but not in meaning. The form hindmost is really a double superlative, since the m is for -ma, an old superlative ending, to which is added -ost, doubling the inflection. Hind-er-m-ost presents the combination comparative + superlative + superlative.

List II.
165. In List II. (Sec. 163) the comparatives and superlatives are adjectives, but they have no adjective positives. The comparatives are so in form, but not in their meaning. The superlatives show examples again of double inflection, and of comparative added to double-superlative inflection. Examples (from Carlyle) of the use of these adjectives: "revealing the inner splendor to him;" "a mind that has penetrated into the inmost heart of a thing;" "This of painting is one of the outermost developments of a man;" "The outer is of the day;" "far-seeing as the sun, the upper light of the world;" "the innermost moral soul;" "their utmost exertion."

-Most added to other words.

166. The ending -most is added to some words that are not usually adjectives, or have no comparative forms. There, on the very topmost twig, sits that ridiculous but sweet-singing bobolink.H. W. Beecher. Decidedly handsome, having such a skin as became a young woman of family in northernmost Spain.De Quincey. Highest and midmost, was descried The royal banner floating wide.Scott.

List III.
167. The adjectives in List III. are like the comparative forms in List II. in having no adjective positives. They have no superlatives, and have no comparative force, being merely descriptive. Her bows were deep in the water, but her after deck was still dry.Kingsley. Her, by the by, in after years I vainly endeavored to trace.De Quincey. The upper and the under side of the medal of Jove.Emerson. Have you ever considered what a deep under meaning there lies in our custom of strewing flowers?Ruskin. Perhaps he rose out of some nether region.Hawthorne. Over is rarely used separately as an adjective.