Comparative and Superlative Constructions
Comparatives are often used with a conjunction or other grammatical means to indicate with what the comparison is being made, as with than in English, als in German, etc. In Russian this can be done by placing the compared noun in the genitive case. With superlatives, the class of things being considered for comparison may be indicated, as in the best swimmer out of all the girls.
Languages also possess other structures for comparing adjectives and adverbs; English examples include as...as and less/least....
Read more about this topic: Degree Of Comparison
Famous quotes containing the words comparative and/or superlative:
“If you believe that a nation is really better off which achieves for a comparative few, those who are capable of attaining it, high culture, ease, opportunity, and that these few from their enlightenment should give what they consider best to those less favored, then you naturally belong to the Republican Party. But if you believe that people must struggle slowly to the light for themselves, then it seems to me that you are a Democrat.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962)
“You say there is no religion now. ‘Tis like saying in rainy weather, there is no sun, when at that moment we are witnessing one of his superlative effects.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)