Comparatives

## Comparatives

Relative comparative (of superiority/inferiority):

> Rule: subject + verb + glin (more) / sin (less) + adjective + sik (than) + term

Example: Mut ela glin gredu sik til = "I am bigger than you". The term of comparison (*sik* + term) can be dropped when clear from context: Mut ela glin gredu = "I am bigger" (than before, than someone known from context).

Relative superlative ("the most"): formed with the definite-article suffix -ne attached directly to glin / sin, reusing the same principle as the Saxon genitive and contracted prepositions (particle + -ne):

> Rule: subject + verb + glin-ne / sin-ne + adjective

Example: Mut ela glinne gredu = "I am the biggest" (implies a comparison group). For explicit emphasis on the group, held (all) can optionally be added: held glinne gredu = "the biggest of all".

## Elative (absolute degree)

For pure intensification, with no comparison implied ("very big", not "the biggest"), the adjective's final vowel is doubled:

> Rule: adjective + doubling of the final vowel

Example: gredu → greduu = "very big". Mut ela greduu = "I am very big". The primary stress stays fixed on the first syllable (**GRE**duu), as in the rest of the regular grammar; the doubled vowel, however, carries a lighter secondary stress (**GRE**du\`u), to make it perceptible in speech without moving the main stress — a single, explicitly declared exception, reserved for this one category.

The relative superlative and the elative therefore remain two distinct constructions, reflecting the difference between ``the biggest'' (comparing within a group) and ``extremely big'' (absolute intensification with no comparison): they are not interchangeable synonyms.