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1. When we speak of one thing excelling another we place a word or phrase either before or after the descriptive word possessing such a meaning. In Foochow Colloquial, the sign of the superlative comes before as a rule. That man is very good. 那𠆧盡好 Hiā nè̤ng cêng hō̤.
The superlative is formed:—a. By prefixing to the positive such words as, 盡 cêng, 頂 dīng, 上 siông, 極 gĭk, and the compound words, 上好 siông-hō̤ first rate, 頂好 dīng-hō̤ top good, 野好 iā-hō̤ very good, 極好 gĭk-hō̤ extremely good. b. By prefixing other words which give completeness, emphasis or intensity to the idea. 真 Cĭng truly, 恰 kák very, remarkably, too, 箬 niŏh how many, 禿 tŭk the very end, 十分 sĕk-hŭng ten candareens, wholly, entirely, 十全 sĕk-ciòng ten, complete. c. By reduplicating the adjective and sometimes following it with 着 diŏh which indicates fulness or completeness of quality. 明明着 Mìng-mìng diŏh very clear or plain; 細細着 sá̤-sá̤-diŏh very small; 高高着 gèng-gèng-diŏh very high. d. By suffixes such as, 的極 dék-gĭk, 之至 cĕ-cé, 大的極 duâi dék-gĭk extremely great, 毛理之至 mô̤ li cí-cé extremely unreasonable.
