COMPARISON, in grammar, and as applied to adjectives (q.v.), is that which marks the degree in which the quality is attributed to the object, as compared with other objects. There arc three degrees of comparison. The positive indicates the quality generally, without comparison; the comparative, a higher degree of the quality than is attributed to other things; and the superlative, the highest degree that is attributed to any of the things under consideration. There are two ways of expressing these degrees. 1. By an inflection or change on the word; as, hard, harder, hardest; happy, happier, happiest. This mode prevails almost exclusively in Greek and Latin. 2. By an additional word, as more happy, most happy. This may be called logical C. the other, grammatical. In French, with the exception of a few irregular adjectives, all adjectives follow the logical method. In English, the logical method is preferred in every case where the grammatical would produce a word difficult or harsh in the pro nunciation. This is generally the case in English when the simple adjective is of more
than one syllable; hut it is not always so. Thus, cdrnester, prialenter, would make harsh combinations; not so politer, disereeter, hdppier. The difference is, that in ecirnester, priulenter, the accent being on the first syllable, two unaccented syllables of discordant character are thrown together; in politer, discreeter, the unaccented syllables are sepa rated; and in hcippkr, though they come together, they are of a kind readily to coalesce. Thus, the laws of euphony—which mean, the ear and organs of speech consulting their own convenience—determine tins point, as they do much else in language. In general, it is only adjectives of quality that admit of C.; and even adjectives of quality cannot be compared when the quality does not admit of degrees; as, a circular spacea, a gold ring, a universal wish.
Adverbs (q.v.)are compared exactly like adjectives.