The comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives are not so extensively used as in English, the meaning being often left to be gathered from the context; but should it be necessary to be explicit, the comparative degree is formed by placing the word naa, “yet;” “more,” and the superlative by placing, iyotta, “most” before the positive degree; e.g.
| positive. | comparative. | superlative. |
|---|---|---|
| Pirika, “good,” | Naa pirika, “better.” | Iyotta pirika, “best.” |
| Pon, “small,” | Naa pon, “smaller.” | Iyotta pon, “smallest.” |
“The comparative with “than” may be expressed in six different ways:—(a) with the word akkari; (b) with akkari and easkka; (c) with akkari and eitasa; (d) with akkari and mashkinno; (e) with akkari and naa; (f) with kasu no. One illustration of each method is here given with an example.
(a). The comparative with akkari. Akkari originally means “to surpass,” and may be translated by “than;” e.g. E akkari, ku nitan ruwe ne, “I am faster than you” (lit. than you, I go fast.)
(b). The comparative with akkari and eashka. Eashka means “very,” “more,” e.g. Ta akkari rep anak ne eashka poro ruwe ne; “the sea is greater than the land” (lit. than the land, the sea is more great.)
(c). The comparative with akkari and eitasa. Eitasa means “excess”:—
Toan kotan akkari, tan kotan anak ne eitasa hange no an kotan ne ruwe ne,” “this village is nearer than that” (lit. than that village, this village is a nearer village.)
(d). The comparative with akkari and mashkinno. Mashkinno means “surpassingly”; e.g.
Umma akkari, isepo mashkinno nitan ruwe ne, “a hare is swifter than a horse” (lit. than a horse, a hare is surpassingly swift of foot.)
(e). The comparative with akkari and naa; e.g.
