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LESSON XVIII (CONTINUED).
41
Adjectives.
Comparatives.
The comparative degree is known, sometimes, only by the context.
- chí-nõ-lia̍p tien-chu, tî-lia̍p ta̍t-chîⁿ,
- of these two gems, which one is worth money, i.e. worth the more money?
- chí-sòi--kâi ta̍t-chîⁿ,
- this small one is valuable, i.e. the more valuable.
- sĩ-lṳ́ tōa, a-sĩ i tōa,
- are you large (old) or is he large (old), i.e. is he the older, or are you the older?
- i sĩ-tōa,
- he is the older.
- chí-chiah-chûn mé hṳ́--kâi,
- this boat is fast (er than) that one.
Ṳ́ and pí, to compare, are often used in forming comparatives. Kèng, jú, iáu, iâⁿ, and kùe signify more; su and chua̍h signify less.
- kèng-hó,
- better,—kèng-m̄-hó, worse.
- kèng-tōa,
- larger,—kèng-sòi, smaller.
- kèng-tōiⁿ,
- more solid,—kèng-phàⁿ, more spongy.
- kèng-ũ,
- still more,—kèng-bô, still less.
- kèng-tie̍h,
- more correct,—kèng-m̄-tie̍h, more incorrect.
- kèng-mé,
- more rapid,—kèng-mān, more slow.
- kèng-gâu,
- more wise,—kèng-ngà, more foolish.
- kèng-õi,
- more able,—kèng-bõi, more unable.
- ṳ́-i kèng-hó-thóiⁿ,
- as compared with him, better looking.
- jú-hñg,
- more distant,—jú-kṳ̃n, more near.
- jú-mêng-pe̍h,
- more manifest,—jú bô-mêng-pe̍h, more not manifest.
- jú-kng,
- more light,—jú-àm, more dark.
- jú-ha̍h-sim,
- more to his mind,—jú-m̄-ha̍h-ì, more not to his idea,
- jú-ha̍h kui-kṳ́,
- more in accord with custom.
- jú-m̄-ha̍h kui-kṳ́,
- more not in accord with custom.
- jú-kèng chai-kuan,
- more careful.
- jú-chhut-la̍t jú-bô-ēng,
- the more he laid out strength the more it was of no use.
- m̄-jû chièⁿ-seⁿ,
- there is nothing like this way, i.e. this way is better.
- iáu-oh-chò,
- rather more hard to do. iáu-kōi-chò, more easy.
- iáu-khin se-su,
- a little more light,—iáu-tãng, more heavy.
- sin iáu-khuah,
- the mind is broader.
