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LESSON 5
DEGREES OF COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES
In this lesson you will:
•Become familiar with the degrees of comparison.
•Learn how to form the comparative degree.
•Learn how to form the superlative degree.
This lesson is divided into the following sections:
I.Introduction: Degrees of comparison. II. The comparative degree.
III. The superlative degree.
IV. Exercises.
V.Vocabulary
I. INTRODUCTION: DEGREES OF COMPARISON
The adjectives are gradable. This means that the person or thing referred to can possess more or less of the quality mentioned. The usual way to indicate the amount of a quality in Latin is by adding specific suffixes to the word’s stem.
There are three degrees of comparison of adjectives in Latin:
•Positive degree: The positive degree expresses a quality of thing or person for itself, without comparing to a similar quality of other things or persons. It is the basic form of adjective, by which it is presented in the dictionaries: longus, a, um; frontālis, e.
•Comparative degree.
•Superlative degree.
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II. THE COMPARATIVE DEGREE
The comparative degree expresses a higher quality of thing or person as compared with the same quality of other things or persons. It is formed by adding the suffixes –ĭor for masculine & feminine and –ĭus for neuter to the stem of adjectives (obtained from the genitive form without its ending).
The dictionary form of the adjectives has two components:
1.Nominative singular masculine & feminine form with the suffix –ĭor;
2.Suffix –ĭus of the Nominative singular neuter form.
E.g.: anterĭor, ĭus
You should remember the adjectives in comparitive degree used in the anatomical terminology:
Masculine & |
Neuter |
Genitive form |
English |
Dictionary |
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feminine |
form |
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anterior |
anterius |
anteriōris |
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anterior |
anterior, ius |
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posterior |
posterius |
posteriōris |
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posterior |
posterior, ius |
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superior |
superius |
superiōris |
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upper, |
superior, ius |
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superior |
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inferior |
inferius |
inferiōris |
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lower, inferior |
inferior, ius |
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major |
majus |
majōris |
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great, greater, |
major, jus |
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major |
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minor |
minus |
minōris |
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small, lesser, |
minor, us |
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minor |
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Examples of different English translations of the comparative degree: |
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1) |
Lat. Tubercŭlum majus (humĕri) - |
Eng. Greater tubercle of humeri |
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2) |
Lat. Forāmen occipitāle magnum - |
Eng. Great occipital foramen |
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3) |
Lat. Nervus petrōsus major - |
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Eng. Greater petrosal nerve |
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4) |
Lat. Nervus occipitālis major - |
Eng. Greater occipital nerve |
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5) |
Lat. Nervus auriculāris magnus - |
Eng. Great auricular nerve |
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The stem of the adjectives in the comparative degree coincides with the Nominative masculine & feminine form terminated by –ior. The comparative degree is declined on the pattern of the 3rd declension. The Genitive singular form in the comparative degree is formed by adding the ending –is to the stem.
E.g.: stem - superior + Genitive ending of the 3rd declension –is = superiōris for masculine & feminine & neuter.
The adjectives in the comparative degree are placed on the last position:
E.g.: nervus cutaněus brachĭi laterālis inferĭor – inferior lateral cutaneous nerve of the arm
III. THE SUPERLATIVE DEGREE
The superlative degree expresses a highest quality of thing or person as compared with the same quality of other things or persons.
You should remember the adjectives in superlative degree used in the anatomical terminology:
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Latissĭmus, a, um |
broadest |
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Longissĭmus, a, um |
longest |
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Maxĭmus, a, um |
greatest |
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Minĭmus, a, um |
least |
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Suprēmus, a, um |
supreme |
The dictionary form of the adjectives in the superlative degree coincides with the dictionary form of the 1st group adjectives and consists of three components:
1.adjective in the masculine form;
2.the feminine ending;
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3. the neuter ending.
The superlative degree is declined on the pattern of the 1st and 2nd declensions, i.e. the adjectives have the masculine & neuter genitive ending –i, and the feminine genitive ending –ae.
VI. EXERCISES
1. Make up the dictionary form of the adjectives:
brevior (shorter); longior (longer); minor (small, minor); major (great, greater, major); anterior (anterior); posterior (posterior); superior (upper, superior); inferior (lower, inferior); simplicior (simpler).
2. Translate into Latin and make up grammatical agreement of the following nouns:
lower (sinus, part, spine); small (tubercle, opening, fossa); anterior (sulcus, tubercle, crest, opening, ligament); posterior (arch, surface, ligament); higher (process, opening, slit); great (sulcus, wing, head); small and great (horn).
3. Make up Genitive singular forms, find the stem:
major, jus (great, major); albior, ius (white); minor, us (small, minor); latior, ius (wider); inferior, ius (lower); simplicior, ius (simpler); superior, ius (upper, superior); longior, ius (longer); brevior, ius (shorter); posterior, ius (posterior); anterior, ius (anterior).
4. Make up Genitive singular forms:
tubercŭlum obturatorium posterius (posterior obturative tubercle); processus superior (superior process); incisūra ischiadĭca major (greater ischiadic slit); forāmen superius (superior opening); ramus superior (superior branch); arcus posterior (posterior arch); incisūra superior (superior slit); labium inferius (lower lip); facies posterior (posterior surface); cornu majus et minus (small and great
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horn); caput majus (greater head); ligamentum posterius (posterior ligament); sulcus major (greater sulcus), ala major (greater wing).
5. Make up grammatical agreement of following adjectives with nouns:
tubercŭlum thyr(e)oidě... superi... (superior thyroid tubercle); fissūra orbitāl...
inferi... (lower orbital fissure); linea glutē... anteri... (anterior gluteal line); forāmen ethmoidāl... anter... (anterior ethmoidal opening); spīna tympanĭc...
min... (small tympanic spine); processus articulār... inferi... (lower articular process); plexus hypogastrĭc.. superi... (superior hypogastric network); ligamentum longitudināl... anteri... (anterior longitudinal ligament).
6. Translate into Latin:
a)small tubercle; small horn; small pelvis
b)anterior arch; anterior plate; anterior leg
c)superior angle; superior surface; superior lip
7. Make up Genitive singular forms:
facies anterior (anterior surface); angŭlus inferior (lower angle); cornu majus
(greater horn); ganglion superius (superior ganglion (nerve node)); pelvis minor
(small pelvis); tubercŭlum majus (greater tubercle); arcus posterior (posterior arch); radix anterior (anterior root).
8. Determine the case of each word and the part of speech:
facies anterior partis petrōsae; linea temporālis superior; fovea articulāris processus articulāris superiōris; ala minor ossis sphenoidālis; arcus dentālis inferior; processus articulāris superior vertebrae lumbālis; ramus dexter venae portae; muscŭlus palpebrae superiōris; crista tubercŭli majōris; sulcus nervi petrōsi majōris; caput superius muscŭli pterygoiděi laterālis; tubercŭlum mediāle