limiting adverb the positive may also express comparison of
equality or inequality : ^Ttefc Slumen finb frf)on, nber jene fiub
n'.iBerorbetitlirf) fcf)on, these flowers are beautiful, but those arer
extraordinarily beautiful= }ene finb fdiBnev ol8 btefe. Comp. ::
1)0^, jiemlid) ^oi), fe^r ifoi], and ^immelf)0^, high, pretty high,,
very high, as high as heaven ; ^eKbvaim unb bunfelbvann, light;



42 COJirARATIVE STUDY OF GEEMAJf.
brown and dark brown ;• f^Bn, beautlfulj and mefft oIS fd^on,
more than beautiful; biefe 93 lumen finb eben fo fc^ijn tote {ene,
these flowers are just as beautiful as those (see below ) ;
bicfeS ^a\x9 ifi ntc^t fo ait, ai§ (mie) ienea» this house is not so old
as that one (see below ) . A difference in comparison may
be expressed by different adjectives : !5)tefe§ Stnb ift p6fc^, oBer
ieneS ifl vetjenb (= ^6d)fl anjte^enb), this child is pretty, but that
one is lovely (charming). So with: gut, good, and bortrefftid),
excellent, etc. The adjective with trte^v may be omitted : 3'cf)
6tn elenb, aber er ifl cS tio^ tnc^r, I am miserable, but he is still
more so, etc., etc.
Comparison with Adjectives (and Participles):,

Comparison is either derivative (suffix), i. e. expressed by-
means of ei- (r) for the comparative, and eft (ft) for the super-
lative; or periphrastic, i. e. expressed by means of the ele-
;ments (adverbs) , me^r — , more — ,. niinber — , less — , etc, A
1 quality may be added to an object either absolutelj-, i. e. with-
• out comparison, or relatively, i. e. bj' comparison with one or
■more objects.
Relative Degrees or grades express : • " ^

1) Equality: btefer ®orten ift e6en fo f^ott toieberS^rige; this
^garden is just as beautiful as yours.
