The degree of comparison of adjectives in Russian. The adjective name of the degree of comparison of adjective names is a simple form of the comparative degree of adjectives, the basis of the initial form -ee(s)-e-she

Adjectives in Russian. They are indispensable when it is necessary to compare one characteristic of an object or phenomenon with another. Let's try to understand the intricacies of this topic.

Adjective

Before you start studying the topic "Degrees of comparison of adjectives in Russian", you need to find out how this part of speech differs from all others. And she really has a lot of features. It is hard to imagine our speech without this colorful, graceful group. With the help of adjectives, we describe appearance (short, handsome, unsightly), character (kind, grouchy, difficult), age (young, old). However, not only human qualities, but many other things can be represented with their help. For example, none work of fiction does not do without the use of adjectives. And even more so the lyrics. Thanks to this part of speech, stories, poems, novels acquire expressiveness and figurativeness.

Helps to form artistic means like epithets (dazzling beauty, wonderful morning), metaphors of a stone heart), comparisons (looks like the happiest; the sky is like an azure watercolor).

A distinctive feature of adjectives is their ability to form short forms. The latter always play the role of a predicate in a sentence, which gives this part of speech another advantage - to give any text dynamics.

What is a degree?

Anyone who studies the Russian language faces this question. The degree of comparison of adjectives is a characteristic that helps to compare one object with another.

For example, we have two balls in front of us. They are exactly the same, only one of them is slightly different in size. We need to compare them with each other and conclude: one ball more another. We can approach this issue from a different angle and note that one ball smaller than the second one. In both cases, we used a word that characterizes the degree of comparison of these objects.

Now let's add to our objects one more of the same, but much larger. We need to distinguish it from others. How are we going to do it? Of course, use comparison. Only now you need to indicate that the third ball is different from the first and second at once. In this case, we say that he the largest among them.

It is for this that we need. We will describe each of their types in detail below.

comparative

When we have an adjective in front of us, which no one compares with anything, then it is characterized by a positive degree. But if one object needs to be compared with another, then we will use the comparative degree of the adjective.

It has two subspecies. The first is called simple, or suffixal. This means that the word used in this degree has a suffix characteristic of it.

For example: This table chic. Neighbor's table smarter ours.

In the first case, the adjective is in the positive degree. In the second, the suffix "her" was added to it and with the help of this they compared one table with another.

The second type is the composite degree. As the name implies, its formation does not occur with the help of morphemes, but with the use of special words.

For example: This project very successful. The last project was more successful.

The word "more" helps us compare one project to another.

Another example: We have valuable information. The previous one turned out less valuable.

Now, with the help of the word "less", we indicated a sign that manifested itself to a lesser extent.

It is worth remembering that the degrees of comparison of adjectives in Russian, regardless of varieties, are formed only from possessive or relative ones that do not have this ability.

Superlatives

In some situations, we need not only to compare one object or phenomenon with another, but to distinguish it from all similar ones. And here we will also come to the aid of the degree of comparison of adjectives in Russian. This degree of comparison is called excellent, which already implies the highest limit.

Like comparative, it has two varieties.

With the help of suffixes, a simple degree is formed.

For example: Ivanov strongest of all the athletes on the team.

The word "strong" with the suffix -eysh- formed and singled out the athlete Ivanov among other members of the team.

Next example: New tulle the most beautiful from what I have seen.

In this case, the auxiliary word "most" gave this sentence the same meaning as in the previous example. This form is called composite.

Sometimes it can be accompanied by the prefix nai- to enhance: the most beautiful.

Peculiarities

In some cases, the forms of degrees of comparison of adjectives have exceptions.

These include the words "good" and "bad". When we begin to compare objects with their help, we will encounter some difficulties.

For example: We have good evening. Let's try to form a chain of degrees of comparison.

In a simple comparison, we will see that the word "good" does not exist. He is replaced by "better". And for the word "bad" let's choose "worse". Such a phenomenon in Russian is called suppletivism of the foundations. This means that the word needs to change dramatically in order to form a comparative degree.

Conclusion

Thus, we managed to find out not only the basics, but also some nuances on the topic "Degrees of comparison of adjectives in Russian".

Now this rule will not cause you any difficulties, because it is quite simple.

Adjectives and adverbs in many languages ​​of the world have degrees of comparison. In English these are Positive Degree, Comparative Degree and Superlative degree, in Polish - rywny, wyższy, najwyższy, in French - le positif, le comparatif, le superlatif. The Russian language was no exception, it has a positive, comparative and superlative degree of adjectives. How do they differ and what are their forms?

Degrees of comparison: types, table

The ability to form degrees of comparison is possessed by adjectives and adverbs formed from them.
There are three of them:

Positive.Comparative.Excellent.

Each of them expresses a different level of possession of an object or a particular quality. For example: a resourceful boy (positive), but he may be more resourceful (comparative), and in a certain life situation and at all become the most resourceful (excellent).

What adjectives form degrees of comparison?

As you know, all adjectives in the Russian language are divided into several categories.

Qualitative - means the signs by which an object or creature can have in different degrees: sweet, sweeter, the sweetest. Relative - they call the signs of an object or living being in their relation to circumstances, actions or other personalities, things: phone call, wooden building. Possessive - testify to the belonging of something to someone: Pushkin's stanza, father's parting words.

Only from the first category can a comparative and superlative degree of adjectives be formed (charming - more charming, the most charming), since one cannot say: “a more wooden building” or “the most Pushkin stanza”.
Adverbs that come from the qualitative category of adjectives can also form degrees of comparison: peppy - peppy (more peppy).

Comparative degree of adjectives in Russian

Before proceeding to consider the comparative degree, it is worth mentioning a little about the positive. This is the name of the initial degree of comparison (boring). In fact, it is considered a degree of comparison only formally. But the next is the comparative degree of the adjective (more boring, more boring). It serves to show that a certain object or person has a given quality in more / less quantity than someone / something else. For example: "This tea is stronger (stronger) than the one we drank yesterday."

Information about comparative forms

In the example above, you can see that the comparative degree in Russian can be formed in the following ways: using suffixes or by adding an additional word (in this example it is "more"). It turns out that we can distinguish 2 forms of the comparative degree of adjectives in Russian: simple and compound, or, as it is sometimes called, complex.

Ways to form a simple shape

There are several ways to form it.

With the help of suffixes -ee, -ee, -e, -she added to the base: peppy - more peppy. However, it is worth remembering that if suffixes of the comparative degree of adjectives -e, -she are used, then alternation of consonants at the root of the word may occur, and suffixes -k, -ok, -ek can be abolished altogether. For example: narrow - narrower, voiced - louder. Sometimes a simple form can be formed by adding all the same -her, -her, -e, -she, as well as the prefix on-. For example: soon - quickly, quickly - quickly. Adjectives formed in this way, as a rule, are the lot of colloquial speech.Sometimes the comparative degree of adjectives in Russian is formed using a different stem of the word: bad - worse.

It is worth remembering that a simple form can not be formed from every quality adjective. It so happened historically that it is simply impossible to form it from some words. For example, from such adjectives as "tall" or "business". After all, one cannot say: "bigger" or "more businesslike." Unlike a positive one, a simple comparative degree has no ending and does not change. For example, the adjective "light" changes by gender and number: "light", "light", "light", etc. In addition, it is inflected for cases. But the comparative degree of the adjective - “lighter”, is unchanged. In this form, the words, as a rule, perform the syntactic role of the predicate: “Words of love are sweeter than honey”, and in some cases - definitions: “Make jam sweeter”.

complex shape

Unlike a simple one, it is formed not with the help of suffixes or prefixes, but by adding the words "more" or "less" to the adjective in a positive degree. For example: "Rembrandt was a more brilliant artist than most of his contemporaries, but he was truly appreciated years after his death." Adjectives in a complex form decline in cases, change in numbers and, accordingly, in gender, while "more" and "less" remain unchanged. For example: more powerful (powerful, powerful, powerful). Both in a simple form and in a compound form, comparative adjectives in a sentence play the role of predicates or definitions: "Their relationship was closer and more sublime than that of anyone around" .Having considered the information on the comparative degree, it is now worth moving on to the study of the superlative. And it will help not to forget how the comparative degree of adjectives is formed - a table. It briefly outlines all the information about simple and complex forms and their formation.

Brief information about superlatives of comparison

It serves to demonstrate that a certain object or living being is absolutely superior to any other in a certain quality, which is represented by them in the highest measure.
For example: "The house of the third piglet was the most durable and the wolf could not destroy it."

A little about superlatives

Knowledge of how the simple and complex comparative degree of adjectives is formed will help to deal with this topic. In the case of a superlative degree, both of its forms have similar names: simple and compound (complex) and are formed according to the corresponding principle.

They are formed according to the same principle:

A simple one is formed by adding the suffixes -eysh, -aysh to the stem: caring - caring. Similarly with the comparative, the superlative can also have the stem suffix -k: low, inferior. A word formed with a simple superlative form declines in cases and changes in numbers and genders. While the comparative degree of an adjective in a simple form is devoid of this property. For example: "light". As mentioned above, in comparative form it is invariably “lighter”. But in the superlative degree - “the brightest”, it can change: “the brightest”, “the brightest”. The compound (complex) form is formed by adding the words “most”, “least” or “most” (“most”, “most”, " most") to the adjective in the positive degree. For example: the brightest, the least entertaining, the most funny. In some cases, the comparative degree of the adjective plus the word "all" may also participate in the formation. For example: "This girl completed the task the fastest in the class." As with the compound comparative, the adjective in the superlative changes in the same categories. And the additional words: "most" or "least" remain unchanged: "The wolf ran the shortest way to Grandma's house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood." However, "most" also changes: "The wolf ran the shortest way to Grandma's house and got ahead of Little Red Riding Hood."

Concerning syntactic role, then adjectives in this degree, as a rule, act as predicates: "An amazing journey." Less often - definitions: "It was a story about an amazing journey." And in a complex form, they most often play the role of definitions: "He was smarter than everyone in school."

Superlatives and Comparatives of Adjectives: Exercises to Consolidate Knowledge

To better remember all the material presented, it is worth practicing by doing a few fairly simple exercises.

In this task, you need to form all possible forms degrees according to the model: attractive, more attractive, more attractive, most attractive, most attractive, most attractive of all. In this exercise, you need to choose both forms of the superlative degree for the adjective, mark the suffixes and underline the alternating letters, according to the samples. In this task, you need to find errors and explain. 1. Petrov is the best player in the whole team. 2. Things were getting worse in our firm. 3. The air in the room was getting heavier. 4. Our enterprise turned out to be more successful. 5. Natasha's shoes are cheaper than Sveta's. In this exercise, you need to compare 2 items different properties, according to the sample: French and German (euphonious). – French is more euphonious than German. 1. Autumn and winter (warm). 2. Masha's locker and Dima's cabinet (convenient). 3. Laptop and smartphone (expensive). 4. Vladimir and Maxim (serious). 5. Katya and Valya (beautiful). 6. Kyiv and Lvov (young).

By itself, the topic of comparative degrees of adjectives is quite easy. However, in order to avoid mistakes, it is worth remembering the basic rules, especially since in most European languages adjectives also have 3 degrees of comparison. Therefore, having figured out what they are in Russian, you can safely take on the study of the grammar of foreign languages.

Qualitative adjectives have degrees of comparison. This is how the language expresses that signs can have a greater or lesser degree. Tea can be sweet to a greater or lesser extent, right? And the language conveys this content.
The degrees of comparison thus convey the idea of ​​comparison. They do it systematically. Three degrees: positive, comparative, superlative.

· Positive - this means that the trait is expressed without assessing the degree: high, cheerful, warm.

· Comparative determines a greater or lesser degree: higher, more cheerful, warmer, higher, more cheerful, warmer, less high, less cheerful, less warm.

· Superlative expresses the greatest or least degree: the highest, the most cheerful, the warmest, the highest, the most cheerful, the warmest.

It can be seen from the examples that the degrees of comparison are expressed in different ways. In comparative and superlative degrees, the meaning is transmitted either with the help of suffixes: above, its merry, the highest, the most cheerful, or with the help of words: more, less, most . Therefore, comparative and superlative degrees of comparison can be expressed:

· simple forms: higher, highest,

· compound forms: higher, less high, highest.

Among the simple forms in Russian, as in other languages, for example, in English, there are forms formed from a different stem. Examples:
good, bad - positive degree
better, worse - comparative degree
best, worst - superlative
Words in simple and complex comparative and superlative degrees change differently:
Comparative degree (simple): above, below - does not change.
Comparative degree (complex): lower, lower, lower - the adjective itself changes, the change is possible by cases, numbers, and in the singular - by gender.
Superlatives (simple): highest, highest, highest - varies by cases, numbers, and in the singular - by gender, i.e. as in a positive way.
Superlatives (complex): the highest, the highest, the highest - both words change by cases, numbers, and in the singular - by gender, i.e. as in a positive way.

Adjectives in a simple comparative form in a sentence are part of the predicate:

Anna and Ivan are brother and sister. AnnaolderIvan. She used towas higher, and nowhigherIvan.

The remaining forms of comparison are both in the role of a definition and in the role of a predicate:
I approached more matureguys.
Guys were older than I thought.
I turned tothe oldestguys.
These guys are the oldest of those who are engaged in the circle.

Degrees of comparison are variable morphological trait quality adjectives. There are forms of positive, comparative and superlative degrees: new - newer - newest; warm - more/less warm - the warmest.

The initial form is a positive degree, naming a feature without correlating it with homogeneous features of other objects ( new house); from it, by adding inflectional suffixes or auxiliary words, simple and compound forms of comparative and superlative degrees are formed.

The comparative degree indicates that the indicated feature is more characteristic of this object than for another object (or for the same object, but in a different period of time): Our apple tree is taller than the neighbor's; Today this girl was more talkative than yesterday.

A simple form of the comparative degree is formed by adding the inflectional suffixes -ee / -ee, -e, as well as the unproductive suffix -she to the base of the adjective: warm - warmer, warmer (colloquial); loud - louder; thin - thinner. In the form deeper (from deep), the suffix -zhe is used. If there is a suffix -k- or -ok- at the end of the stem, then it is often truncated: low - lower; distant - farther. From adjectives, small, bad, good forms of the comparative degree are formed with a change in the root: less, worse, better. In colloquial speech, the prefix po- is often added to the simple form of the comparative degree, meaning the incompleteness of the manifestation of the attribute (`a little`): older - older, less - smaller.

Often the formation of a simple form of the comparative degree is prevented by lexical meaning the words; for example, it is not formed from adjectives with an "absolute" qualitative meaning such as deaf, bald, dead, blind, or from adjectives denoting the speaker's subjective assessment of a feature: enormous, blue.

The compound form of the comparative degree is formed with the help of auxiliary words more, less: more beautiful, less loud. The meaning of this form is broader than the meaning of forms of the louder type, since not only a greater, but also a lesser degree of intensity of the feature is expressed (the simple form of the comparative degree indicates only a greater degree of the feature).

The syntactic functions of the compound form are also wider than those of the simple form of the comparative degree. The simple form is usually part of compound predicate: This essay was more meaningful than the previous one. The compound form can perform the functions of not only a predicate, but also a definition: This time the student wrote a more meaningful essay. The compound form can be formed from almost any qualitative adjective, however, it is perceived as a somewhat bookish form and is used less frequently in colloquial speech than the simple form of the comparative degree.

The superlative degree of adjectives indicates that the attribute of the object indicated by this form is presented in its maximum manifestation, in the highest degree compared to the same attribute in other compared objects: the smartest of the students in the class, the brightest room, or this object in other periods of its existence: Today, workers received the highest salary in six months.

Superlatives can also be simple or compound. A simple form is formed by adding the inflectional suffix -eysh- to the base of the adjective: beautiful - the most beautiful or -aysh- (the last suffix is ​​added only to the bases on k, g, x): thin - the thinnest. The prefix nai- is often added to this form: the most beautiful, the thinnest. From adjectives small, bad, good shape superlatives are formed with a change in the root: lesser, worse, better.

The compound superlative form is formed in several ways:

1) adding to the form of the positive degree of the auxiliary word most: the most intelligent;

2) adding to the form of a positive degree of auxiliary words most, least: most intelligent, least capable;

3) adding to the simple form of the comparative degree of the auxiliary word everything (if the characterized object is inanimate) or all (if the characterized object is animate): The investigation conducted by a private detective was the smartest of all; The most capable of all was the student Ivanov.

The most common compound form of the most intelligent type, used as both a predicate and a definition. Forms like smartest of all / all are used only as a predicate. Forms of the most/least able type have the broadest meaning, denoting both the highest and the lowest degree of manifestation of the trait, however, these forms are used mainly in book speech (in business, scientific, newspaper and journalistic styles).

Modern Russian literary language/ Ed. P. A. Lekanta - M., 2009

Qualitative adjectives have degrees of comparison: positive(original form), comparative(comparative) and excellent(superlative). Grammar category degrees of comparison acts as a grammaticalized core of the functional-semantic category of graduality, the meaning of which is realized by multi-level language means. The meaning of the degrees of comparison lies in the fact that the comparative degree conveys the intensity of a feature compared to the same feature in another object .

Scientific discussion

From Aristotle to the present, words that convey gradual value (measures, degrees, magnitudes of a sign, process, phenomenon, object), have been the object of study by many researchers 3 . M. V. Lomonosov in his "Russian Grammar" considered the degree of comparison of the category subjective assessment. Russian grammarians of the 19th century. these aspects are brought together. Two categories of quality grades have been established − non-relative(old, old, old) and relative(the oldest of ..., one is older than the other) .

Without naming the presented phenomena by the term gradient, which is used by modern scientists, linguists have described a number of linguistic phenomena that correspond to the very essence of graduality. All theories and descriptions of various quality levels from historical point of view represented an important perspective in the study of gradients. Starting from the XV century. in Russian there are all kinds of forms with a graduated meaning.

Attribute, procedurality, objectivity in a certain way (to a greater or lesser extent) correlate with the concepts degree, measure. Most of the words of the modern Russian language express changeable and measurable ( qualitative) sign: degrees of comparison (adjectives); formations with suffixes magnifying and diminutive (nouns); ways of verbal action with the meaning of measure; gradual oppositions in the lexical system of the language; gradational syntactic constructions; using gradation as a stylistic method. As graduated and graduated units, such words are considered that, due to their semantic and grammatical features, are capable of expressing one or another degree (measure) of the manifestation of a feature: “In everyday language, “compare” means to express one’s attitude, “evaluate”, “measure”, guided by our feelings and our passions."

Graduality– functional-semantic category with the meaning measures, degrees of manifestation sign, process, phenomenon, state, expressed by multi-level linguistic means. Comparative degree ( comparative) denotes such a variable feature that can manifest itself in an object to a greater or lesser extent than in another object. Wed: This question more difficultthe previous one. – This question more difficult,than the previous one. excellent degree ( superlative) denotes such a variable feature that manifests itself in an object to the greatest or least extent than in another object: This is most difficulttopic under study. - This is the most difficulttopic under study.

Comparative and superlative forms can be simple(synthetic) and complex(analytical).

Simple the form comparative degree has indicators - suffixes -her(s), -e: tall – highere(alternating s//w at the root of the word + truncation of the stem - suffix -ok-), strong – strongher (strong-her) etc. From adjectives good, bad, small suppletive forms of comparative degree are formed: good is better, bad is worse etc. The simple superlative degree is formed by adding suffixes -eysh-, - aish-: highaishwow, strongeyshuy etc. For example: Leo Tolstoy is a geniuseyshuy fromwriters of the 20th century.

Complex the form comparative degree is formed by additional words more/less+ positive degree: more (less)high (kind).

Complex the form excellent degrees are formed in several ways:

• a) with the help of an additional (auxiliary) word (particles) most: most difficult, highest etc.;
• b) with the help of additional (auxiliary) words most, least: least difficult etc.;
• c) the combination "simple form comparative degree + pronoun in the genitive case Total(or all)": the most difficult (of all) and etc.;
• d) the combination "amplifying particle all + simple form of the comparative degree": The pain in my heart became allhote(M. Sholokhov).

In a sentence, a simple form usually performs a function predicate, and the composite can be like predicate, so definition. Wed: She is was more beautifulhow he imagined her(L. Tolstoy).

A complex form of comparative and superlative degrees is formed from almost all qualitative adjectives. The simple form has limitations.

Forms of a simple comparative degree are not formed from adjectives:

• – with an absolute qualitative value: bald, blind, lame, mute, barefoot, deaf etc.;
• – based on [ w"], [well]: poor, hefty and etc.;
• - with suffix -sk-: friendskoh, enemyskuy etc.;
• - from some verbal adjectives with a suffix -to-: padtouh, movetouh, shattouy etc.;
• - with suffix -ov-/-ev-: badovoh, boevoh etc.;
• - with suffix -l-: unyloh, mouthlth etc.;
• - from individual adjectives that stand apart for historical reasons, for example proud, young and etc.

Simple superlative forms are not formed from adjectives:

• - with suffix -sk-: friendskuh, tragicskoh, enemyskuy etc.;
• - with suffix -k-: bastardtoooh, thundertoooh, ringingtouy etc.;
• - with suffix -ov-/-ev-: rowovoh, stroevoh, boevoh and etc.;
• - from adjectives proud, young etc.

excellent degree has two types of meaning:

• 1) manifestation of a sign in the highest degree compared to other items superlative): oldest ofworkers etc.;
• 2) expression extreme degree manifestations of a trait regardless of other objects (regardless of great measure sign - elative): Got into stupidestposition, it raresthappening etc.

AT grammatical regarding complex shapes comparative and excellent degrees are no different from positive(initial) degree. Simple forms of the comparative degree are invariable, cf .: House(s) (pine(s), building(s)) higher,how...

Syntactic(syntagmatic) conditions the use of morphological heterogeneous formations in the Russian language is characterized by the following features.

1. Expressing the relative degree of presence of a feature, adjective in comparative or excellent degree is used as a gradual syntactic member - predicate or definitions. Wed:

So, reasoning, Selifan wandered at last into the most remote abstraction. Perhaps this prompted him another, more significant reason more serious, closer to the heart ... But the reader will learn about all this gradually and in due time, if only he has the patience to read the proposed story, which is very long, having after that to move apart wider and more spacious as it approaches the end that crowns the case (N. Gogol).

These are complex, analytical formations. The exponent is the word more(comparative degree) and words most or most(in superlatives). Superlative most stylistically neutral, and the word most is bookish. Wed:

Most typical cases; most simple question. - Disdainful of the prudent comfort of castling, he sought to create the most unexpected, the most bizarre correlation of figures (V. Nabokov).

2. Adjectives in comparative degrees, acting as definitions, can express the result of a subjective assessment.

The nuance of the meaning of a subjective assessment can be conveyed by lexical means, for example: elderly person (as opposed to old). Combined with the word more The adjective is used both in full and in short form: this question is more important: important(compound form); this question is more important: more important(simple form). short form more important conveys a state conceivable in time: At the moment this question more important.

Typical for the Russian language is a simple (synthetic) form of the comparative degree in -her, -her, -ee. It is homonymous with the form of the comparative degree of the adverb. Wed: he is modest(adv.); his demands are more modest(adj.).

excellent degree of an adjective acting as a function nominal predicate, has three forms similar to the forms of the comparative degree: this question is the most (important): most (important): more important than all (everything). If the superlative expresses quality inanimate or animate object, then preference is given to the forms "most + full form of the adjective":

This suitcase the heaviest; His job the best.- Vronsky is one of the sons of Count Kirill Ivanovich Vronsky and one of the very best examples of gilded youth (L. Tolstoy).

• 3. Comparative degree in a function predicate-predicate is used in special comparative constructions in which the object of comparison is expressed in one way or another. It is formed in two ways:
• 1) by combining a simple form of a comparative degree with a genitive comparison: Wilson is more important than other birds(V. Mayakovsky);
• 2) by combining the compound form of the comparative degree, consisting of the word more and short form positive degree, and union Than: Wilson is more important than any other bird.

The first method should be considered the most common, because the use of "forms of the comparative degree is not limited to simple morphological rules. The types of formation and functioning of the degrees of comparison in the Russian language should be studied and assimilated in close connection with the syntactic and semantic conditions of their use" .

All qualitative-evaluative and most qualitative adjectives form degrees of comparison, expressing different degrees of quality. But in some cases they do not have degrees of comparison due to their semantics: adjectives like dumb, barefoot etc. designate absolute quality and logically do not allow a comparative or superlative degree. It is important to note that the comparative and superlative degrees denote different meanings as opposed to meaning positive degrees:

"She's in two meetings at once..."

(V. Mayakovsky)

Forms of the comparative degree with a prefix smarter, more fun, cheaper etc.), acting as a predicate, acquire a shade of "softened" comparative degree: He is younger than me; He will be smarter than all of us. -

And the man, from he was quick-witted,

He set off on a bear,

He planted a horn in her

What taller navel, lower liver

• (meaning "slightly higher/lower").
• (A. Pushkin)

Adjective forms in -her, -e, -she with prefix on- indicate the predominance of some quality in one of the compared objects: (book) more interesting; (boy) smarter etc.

Combined with the genitive case of definitive pronouns Total or all(which, but in essence, have become formants, indicators of superlatives) the comparative degree acquires the meaning of the superlative. Such stable combinations carry the meaning of the highest degree of quality by comparative opposition anything to other items in the aggregate and not from the same category. This is a complex form of the elative, which is not combined with the forms on -eysh-, -aysh-. For example:

Most of all, he was struck by the fact that from Monday he would be Luzhin (V. Nabokov); And the geese screamed, / Disappearing in the sky, / What is dearest of all / The native side ... (M. Isakovsky).

All three degrees are a gradation series: rough: rougher: roughest; coarse: coarser: coarsest etc.

In russian language comparative degree is often used to mean excellent. This usage distinguishes Genitive second element with a comparative degree. It can also be used with superlatives: the best, the richest. In some cases, you can notice the "limited" meaning of superlatives - it is better (...) all others except one (two...).

Based on the system of degrees of comparison of Otto Jespersen, which excludes from consideration the superlative degree as a kind of comparative, we single out the degrees of graduation:

• 1.Superiority (>) more dangerous (better) than...
• 2. Equality(=) with just as dangerous (good) as...
• 3. lower degree(less dangerous (good) than... etc.

It's obvious that first and third steps are closely related because

in both cases is expressed inequality. There are two ways of expressing with the opposite meaning, which make it possible to change the relationship of the first and third steps to the reverse: worse than = less good than. Based on this, the following can be established equality: older than = less young than. Wed:

Levin himself did not remember his mother, and his only sister was older than him, so that in the house of the Shcherbatskys, for the first time, he saw that very environment of the old noble, educated and honest family, which he was deprived of by the death of his father and mother (L. Tolstoy).

Comparison Levin's sister is older than him does not mean that Sister is old and the comparative degree can therefore mean lesser degree than positive in the expression Sister is old. Similar offer Sister older than Levin says nothing about Levin's old age; on old age Levin will be implied if you add the adverb more: The sister is even older than Levin. We see that this use of the word more is not self-evident.

When negating a step superiority (1) Sister is not as old as Levin get the value either equality(2) or lower degree(3). When negating a step equality(2) get the value lower degree (3): less old than; younger than. Wed: And as old as V. The objection to this statement would be: Oh no, not as old as B, but much older.

There are designs proportional fit, in which the determining element represents a period of time, but does not have an explicit expression. In such sentences, the following meanings and features of their expression are revealed:

a) repetition of the comparative degree form:

Became getting darker and darker (= the longer it has continued, the darker became). He became more and more impatient; Heartache getting hotter(M. Sholokhov);

b) formant all together with the comparative degree forms a superlative degree: He said increasingly unintelligible.

V. V. Vinogradov pointed out that adjectives in - the most / - the most can have three meanings in modern Russian:

1) regardless of the large measure (limiting degree) attribute (elative value):

He smartest person; The weather is wonderful. - He began to tear out leaves and flowers in his hearts and sneezed from the smallest dust (V. Nabokov).

Some forms of the superlative degree break away from the paradigm and act in the meaning of the elative, i.e. in the sense of an absolutely greater degree of quality: the greatest scientist(does not mean the greatest) ,

• 2) excellent degrees: the truest of friends, the greatest poet,
• 3) comparative degree (meaning almost lost in modern Russian, but left traces in phraseology): upon closer inspection.

The most common is the use of forms on -most / -most in an elative sense. Such forms in free combinations are evaluative. Wed:

I got into the stupidest position; This is the rarest case, etc. - This is the smartest, the most decent and the most talented man (N. Gogol); But nothing of the kind happened, he listened calmly, and when his father, who was trying to pick up most curious, most attractive(= "evaluative character") details, said, among other things, that, as an adult, he would be called by his last name, the son blushed, blinked, leaned back on the pillow, opening his mouth and shaking his head ... (V. Nabokov).

Gradual-evaluative value of the superlative form on -most / -most implemented in combination with the preposition from:the most ingenious of (musicians), oldest of (employees) etc. For example:

And as in my wagon ... there was a bed with clothes and linen, then in my misfortunes I honored myself happiest of mortals (A. Pushkin).

The elative value is very close to the category of subjective evaluation. Elative forms express a gradual meaning and serve to express the ultimate degree of quality without indicating a relationship to other objects: Tiny specks of dust floated in the air; Found a rare specimen.

Therefore, the formal means of expressing the meanings of measure and degree (gradation) in the field of qualitative adjectives (and qualitative adverbs) is morphological a level concerning the properties of morphemes and cases of analytic formation. As a grammaticalized core gradualism the category corresponding to it degrees of comparison - comparative, superlativeandelative

• Cm.: Kolesnikova S. M. The semantics of gradualness and ways of its expression in modern Russian. M., 1998; Her own. Functional-semantic category of gradualness in modern Russian. M., 2010. S. 78-86.
• See additional: Falev I. A. On the question of degrees of comparison in modern Russian // Language and thinking. Issue. 9. M.; L. 1940; Nikulin A.S. Degrees of comparison in modern Russian. M.; L., 1937; Knyazev Yu.P. On the semantics of degrees of comparison of adjectives // Uchenye zapiski Tartu gos. university T. 524: Problems of intrastructural functional description of language. Tartu, 1980; Kolesnikova S. M. Degrees of comparison of adjectives and the intensity of the feature expressed by them // Russian language at school. 1998. No. 5.
• Wed: Galich G. G. Gradual characteristics of qualitative adjectives, verbs and nouns of modern German language: autoref. dis.... cand. philol. Sciences. L., 1981; Kharitonchik Z. A. Turansky I. I. The semantic category of intensity in modern English language. M., 1990; Novikov L. A. Antonymy in Russian. M., 1973; Arutyunova N. D. Language and the human world. M., 1999; Apresyan Y.D. Lexical semantics. Synonymous means of language. M., 1974; Wolf E. M. Functional semantics of evaluation. M., 1985; Ubin I.I. Lexical means expressions of intensity (on the material of Russian and English languages): Ph.D. dis.... cand. philol. Sciences. M., 1974; Turansky I.I. Semantic category of intensity in English. M., 1990; Vorotnikov Yu. L. Degrees of quality in modern Russian. M., 1999; Norman V. Yu. Gradation in Russian // Qnantitat und Graduierungals kognitiv-semantische Kategorien. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz verlg, 2001, pp. 381-403. Sapir E. Graduation: semantic research// New in foreign linguistics. M., 1986. S. 43; Khalina N.V. Category of gradualness in word and text. Barnaul, 1993; Krzhizhkova E. Quantitative determination of adjectives in Russian (lexico-syntactic + analysis) // Syntax and norm. M., 1974. S. 122-144; Bolinger D. Degree words. Paris: Mouton, 1972; Studia gramatyezne Bulgarian-Polish. T. 3: Ilosc, gradaeja, osoba. Wroclaw, 1989; Kolesnikova S. M. Graduality: linguistic description (on the basis of the Russian language) // Akademiai Kiado. Budapest, 2011; Repashi D., Sekey G. On Graduality in Comparative Aspect // Vestnik MGOU. Ser. "Russian Philology". Issue. 5. M., 2010. S. 110-117; Kolesnikova S. M. Functional-semantic category of gradualness in modern Russian // Modern Nyelvoktatas: A Magyar Alkalmazott Nyelveszek es Nyelvtanarok Egyesfiletenek folyoirata. XVI. 2010. S. 116-118; Sjostrom S. Spatial relations: Towards a theory of spatial verbs, prepositions, a pronominal adverbs in Swedish. Goteborg: Dept. of linguistics, 1990.
• Kartsevsky S. O. Comparison // Questions of linguistics. 1976. No. 1. S. 112.
• Isachenko A.V. The grammatical structure of the Russian language in comparison with Slovak. Bratislava, 1965. S. 201.
• Cm.: Espersen O. Philosophy of Grammar: Per. from English. M., 1958.