Handsomer Or More Handsome: Comparison Of Adjectives—Dr Ganiu Bamgbose

The words that are infused into expressions, in order to describe nouns and pronouns are designated as adjectives. On the heels of this definition, let us consider three sentence structures:

1. Funmi is tall.
2. She is an intelligent lady.
3. I love big-budget movies.

Having perused the above-mentioned expressions, you will realise that ‘tall’, ‘intelligent’ and ‘big-budget’ are adjectives that were incorporated within the sentence structures to qualify ‘Funmi’, ‘lady’ and ‘movies’, respectively.

Adjectives: Ganiu Bamgbose, PhD:

Remarkably, one essential feature of adjectives is a comparison and there are three degrees namely: positive, comparative and superlative. The positive form describes a single entity (they are adjectives in their original forms), the comparative state compares two phenomena, while the superlative form compares three or more items. As a sequel to that, adjectives are fundamentally classified into three for the purpose of comparison. These three categories are regular adjectives, irregular adjectives and non-gradable adjectives. Accordingly, this treatise will shed light on these three classifications and their accompanying technicalities.

For starters, regular adjectives derive their comparative and superlative forms from the addition of ‘er/est’ or ‘more/most’. Monosyllabic words; that is, words that can be pronounced in a single-breath effort, attract only the ‘er/est’ inflection. Prime examples of adjectives in this category include: tall (taller, tallest), thin (thinner, thinnest), brave (braver, bravest), large (larger, largest) and tough (tougher, toughest). Polysyllabic words (words with three or more syllables), on the other hand, attract the ‘more/most’ inflection. This department comprises adjectives such as beautiful (more beautiful, most beautiful) and intelligent (more intelligent, most intelligent). Other textbook examples are: attractive, sophisticated, complicated, dangerous, comfortable, generous, interesting, industrious, prosperous, sensitive and valuable.

Furthermore, disyllabic (two-syllable) words are complex with regard to the comparison. The reason is that they could admit the ‘er/est’ inflection and/or the ‘more/most’ inflection. As a general rule, disyllabic words that end in ‘le’ (humble, simple, feeble, noble and subtle) ‘er’ (clever) and ‘y’ (dirty, angry, happy, healthy, hungry, noisy, pretty, rosy, naughty, smelly, gloomy, early, heavy, lovely and whatnot) attract ‘er/est’. In sharp contrast, two-syllable adjectives such as careful, foolish, pleasant, useful and learned to attract ‘more/most’. Intriguingly, though, we have a sprinkling of disyllabic adjectives that could attract both ‘er/est’ and ‘more/most’ inflexions. To consolidate this justification, the adjective, ‘polite’, is a case in point:

4. Ms Davidson is the most polite individual I have met hitherto (correct).
Ms Davidson is the politest individual I have met hitherto (correct).

In equal measure, other characteristic examples are wicked (wickeder/more wicked, wickedest/most wicked), stupid (stupider/more stupid, stupidest/most stupid), handsome (handsomer/more handsome, handsomest/most handsome), simple (simpler/more simple, simplest/most simple) and common (commoner/more common, commonest/most common).

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Closely trailing the aforementioned category are irregular adjectives. As the name connotes, the comparative and superlative forms of these adjectives are obtained through unconventional methods that require mastery on the part of language users. Quintessential examples consist of: good (better, best), bad/ill (worse, worst), far (farther/further, furthest), many/more (much, most) and little (less, least).

The last class of adjectives are those that are regarded as non-gradable, extreme or absolute. On the strength of their nomenclatures, these are adjectives that are absolute in themselves or cannot be graded/measured. In other words, they portray no middle ground. As a consequence, these adjectives cannot be heightened or intensified by comparative and superlative forms. For a much clearer perspective, when an animal is ‘dead’, it cannot be ‘more dead’ or ‘most dead’ than other deceased creatures. Hence, ‘dead’ is patently non-gradable. In a similar vein, when something is ‘preferred’, it is liked or desired more than any other thing. On account of the foregoing, suffice it to say:

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5. Texas is Ibrahim’s more preferred holiday destination (incorrect).
Texas is Ibrahim’s preferred holiday destination (correct).

6. Aeons ago, gold was the most preferred means of exchange (incorrect).
Aeons ago, gold was the preferred means of exchange (correct).

In the light of this revelation, it is as plain as day that ‘preferred’ cannot be graded or heightened with comparative and superlative forms. Further to this, while I can declare that something is ‘more/most important,’ — because ‘important’ is gradable — it is downright inadmissible to assert that something is ‘more/most essential’. The rationale behind the foregoing is that ‘essential’ is a stronger or non-gradable form of ‘important’ and it is obviously immeasurable. Other representative examples of non-gradable adjectives are perfect, unique, married, pregnant, freezing, hideous, positive, enormous, gorgeous, immaculate, astonished, exorbitant, devastated, alive, hilarious, positive, ravenous, magnificent and exhilarating. Another distinguishing feature of non-gradable adjectives is that, by and large, they cannot be modified or intensified by the following adverbs: very, so or too. For exactitude’s sake, they are often modified with ‘absolutely’, ‘completely’, ‘totally’, ‘really’, ‘utterly’ and ‘quite’. I shall adduce some statements to buttress this viewpoint.

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7. The tuition fees of some schools on Lagos Island are very exorbitant (incorrect).

The tuition fees of some schools on Lagos Island are quite exorbitant (correct).

8. Our fingerprints are so unique (incorrect).
Our fingerprints are totally/absolutely unique (correct).

9. I am very positive that Shina will be appointed as CEO (incorrect).

I am quite/absolutely positive that Shina will be appointed as CEO (correct).

10. Accountability and transparency are very critical to the success of the publishing concern (incorrect).

Accountability and transparency are really critical to the success of the publishing concern (correct).

11. Aminat appeared very gorgeous at the beauty contest (incorrect).

Aminat appeared utterly/absolutely gorgeous at the beauty contest (correct).

12. Moses’ submissions are very correct (incorrect).

Moses’ submissions are absolutely/completely/perfectly/quite correct (correct).

As I bring this treatise to an inevitable conclusion, it is incumbent upon me to call the vast readership’s attention to one widespread grammatical anomaly in Nigeria: the use of double comparisons. This solecism involves the erroneous application of both ‘er/est’ and ‘more/most’ inflections to intensify gradable adjectives. Such incongruities include: more better, more taller and most happiest, as often heard in sentences such as:

13. Prevention is more better than cure, so start eating a lot of fruit and vegetables (incorrect).

Prevention is better than cure, so start eating a lot of fruit and vegetables (correct).

14. My brother is more taller than his friend (incorrect).

My brother is (much) taller than his friend (correct).

15. They are the most happiest couple I have ever known (incorrect).

They are the happiest couple I have ever known (correct).

It bears mentioning that context fourteen is evidence that ‘much’ could be used to intensify comparative forms with the ‘er’ inflection. Hence, it is grammatically appropriate to say: ‘much better’, ‘much bigger’ and ‘much clearer’.

By reason of these elucidations, it goes without saying that adjectives are essential words in language use, and they should be accurately deployed by everyone who desires to communicate coherently and consummately.

(c) 2020 Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB).