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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison


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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #1 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 4:02 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Hello Teachers,

What kind of adjectives which cannot be used in comparison?

Thanks in advance

Jupiter
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #2 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:18 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

1...Your sentence is not a good one; omit 'which'.
2...My initial answer is that the simple base form of adjectives, for example 'happy', cannot be used for making a comparison, while the comparative forms (happier) and superlative forms (happiest) can be used.
I hope that I have understood your question correctly. Did I?
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #3 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:42 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Oh oh, I have to change my answer! Simple adjectives like 'happy' can also be used when making a comparison. 'I am not as happy today as I was yesterday.' 'She is even less happy than I am.'
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #4 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:37 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Hi Jupiter

Like Canadian45, I'm not sure I understand your question.

A thought that comes to mind is the fact that certain words don't work very well as comparatives only because of the meaning of the word itself.

Take the word unique, for example. Unique means one of a kind. How can something be "more unique" than something else? It's not logical.

Amy
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #5 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:57 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Hi jupiter

Adjectives that express 'absolute degree' of something cannot be used in comparison. Like hilarious or brulliant.
There are lots of such adjectives in English.
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #6 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:58 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Hi Jupiter

To carry on with my "unique idea" Wink here are some more examples of "absolute adjectives":

- dead
- even
- equal
- perfect
- complete
- finished
- Danish


Amy
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #7 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:49 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Tamara wrote:
Adjectives that express 'absolute degree' of something cannot be used in comparison. Like hilarious or brilliant.
There are lots of such adjectives in English.

And yet they are (used in comparison, I mean) -- I do it all the time (and I know I'm not the only one)! Smile

Yankee wrote:
- Danish

Not being able to use ‘Danish’ or any other demonym as a comparative is also debatable. Actually, people often do it. Take the example of a foreigner who has adapted to their host country in such a way that people tell him, ‘You are more Danish/English/Spanish, etc. than I am/we are!
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #8 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 10:40 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

What about round?

A table can be round or can not be round..The other table can not be rounder than this one.

Tom
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #9 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 10:45 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Yes, Conchita, people do that, colloquially. 'The most brilliant (mistakes Smile)', etc

I've only transferred to Jupiter what my (standard English) tutor told me. Smile
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #10 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 10:47 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Hi Conchita

I agree with you that the so-called "absolute adjectives" are sometimes used comparatively -- especially in more informal English. They are also sometimes used ironically. One of my favorite examples comes from Orwell:
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." Very Happy

Amy
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #11 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 11:08 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Tom wrote:
What about round?

A table can be round or can not be round..The other table can not be rounder than this one.

Tom


Hi Tom,

I'd say that could fall into the same category. But, it's tough to categorize "absolute adjectives" absolutely.

For example, if I said "Jack's beer belly is rounder than Bill's beer belly", that would most likely mean that Jack's beer belly is bigger or more pronounced. Laughing

Conchita,
My inclusion of Danish was intended to indicate a person's national origin. That's something that generally either is or isn't. But I also agree with your comments.

Amy
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Just a stupid question :) #12 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 11:13 am   Just a stupid question :)
 

Yankee wrote:
My inclusion of Danish was intended to indicate national origin. That's something that generally either is or isn't. It's tough to have degrees of national origin.

Isn't it, Amy?

Let's suppose one person has only two Danish grandparents (out of four Smile ), whereas the second one - three Danish grandparents. Can't the comparative 'more Danish than' be normally used to express the fact?
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #13 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 11:27 am   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Yes, Tamara. There is often a mixing of cultures. But then people often/usually say something such as "Irish-American".

Will you all be happier if I delete Danish? Sheesh. Rolling Eyes Be my guest and talk about being "more Danish than" as much as you want. I'm well aware that it happens sometimes, and if you can't see my point about national origin, that's also OK. I'm going to give up trying to clarify it now. Crying or Very sad
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Sheesh! #14 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:01 pm   Sheesh!
 

Yankee wrote:
Will you all be happier if I delete Danish? Sheesh. Rolling Eyes Be my guest and talk about being "more Danish than" as much as you want. I'm well aware that it happens sometimes, and if you can't see my point about national origin, that's also OK. I'm going to give up trying to clarify it now. Crying or Very sad

Cheer up, Amy! Smile After all, haven't we got ourselves a nice little discussion here?

Yankee wrote:
Sheesh. Rolling Eyes

I like that interjection! There's a similar sounding one in French, written 'chiche', with a different meaning: 'I dare you!' and 'Bet you I will!'.
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Adjective which cannot be used in comparison #15 (permalink) Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:10 pm   Adjective which cannot be used in comparison
 

Hi Conchita

I'm sitting here contemplating what would happen if someone were born directly on top of a national border. Would we have to calculate what percentage of the mother's body was physically in each country when referring to percentage of national origin of the baby? Laughing

Amy
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