COMPARISON OF ADVERBS.
288. Many adverbs are
compared, and, when compared, have the same inflection as adjectives.
The following, irregularly compared, are often used as
adjectives:—
| Positive. |
Comparative. |
Superlative. |
| well |
better |
best |
| ill or badly |
worse |
worst |
| much |
more |
most |
| little |
less |
least |
| nigh or near |
nearer |
nearest or next |
| far |
farther, further |
farthest, furthest |
| late |
later |
latest, last |
| (rathe, obs.) |
rather |
|
289. Most monosyllabic
adverbs add -er and -est to form the comparative and superlative,
just as adjectives do; as, high, higher, highest;
soon, sooner, soonest.
Adverbs in -ly usually have more and
most instead of the inflected form, only occasionally having -er
and -est.
Its strings boldlier swept.—Coleridge.
None can deem harshlier of me than I deem.—Byron.
Only that we may wiselier see.—Emerson.
Then must she keep it safelier.—Tennyson.
I should freelier rejoice in that absence.—Shakespeare.
Form vs. use.
290. The fact that a word
ends in -ly does not make it an adverb. Many adjectives have the same
ending, and must be distinguished by their use in the sentence.
Exercise.
Tell what each word in ly modifies, then whether it
is an adjective or an adverb.
1. It seems certain that the Normans were more cleanly
in their habits, more courtly in their manners.
2. It is true he was rarely heard to speak.
3. He would inhale the smoke slowly and tranquilly.
4. The perfectly heavenly law might be made law on
earth.
5. The king winced when he saw his homely little
bride.
6.
With his proud, quick-flashing
eye,
And his mien of kingly state.
7.
And all about, a lovely sky of
blue
Clearly was felt, or down the leaves laughed
through.
8. He is inexpressibly mean, curiously jolly, kindly and
good-natured in secret.
291. Again, many words
without -ly have the same form, whether adverbs or adjectives.
The reason is, that in Old and Middle English, adverbs
derived from adjectives had the ending -e as a distinguishing mark;
as,—
If men smoot it with a yerde smerte [If men smote
it with a rod smartly].—Chaucer.
This e dropping off left both words having the same
form.
Weeds were sure to grow quicker in his
fields.—Irving.
O sweet and far from cliff and scar The
horns of Elfland faintly blowing.—Tennyson.
But he must do his errand right.—Drake
Long she looked in his tiny face.—Id.
Not near so black as he was painted.—Thackeray.
In some cases adverbs with -ly are used side by
side with those without -ly, but with a different meaning. Such are
most, mostly; near, nearly; even,
evenly; hard, hardly; etc.
Special use of there.
292. Frequently the word
there, instead of being used adverbially, merely introduces a sentence,
and inverts the usual order of subject and predicate.
This is such a fixed idiom that the sentence, if it has
the verb be, seems awkward or affected without this "there
introductory." Compare these:—
1. There are eyes, to be sure, that give no more
admission into the man than blueberries.—Emerson.
2. Time was when field and watery cove With modulated
echoes rang.—Wordsworth. |
