Adjectives: Comparative Degree

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In English, the comparative is marked by adding “-er” to an adjective, as in “faster” and “taller.” One may also say “more tall” or — when not actually comparing two things — “rather tall.” Likewise, Greek may use μᾶλλον, “more,” with a positive degree adjective, as in:

μᾶλλον δεινός more clever

But often it uses a comparative marker added to the adjective base.

Greek has several comparative markers. The first set is generally used for 1st and 2nd declension adjectives; the second for 3rd declension adjectives. However, there is a fair amount of inconsistency. This makes predicting final forms difficult, though in many instances the same adjective may sometimes use the first set and other times the second. First and foremost, what matters is that you can recognize a comparative.

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(1) Bases that end in vowels regularly add /τερο/ for the masculine and neuter comparative and /τερα/ for the feminine:

δεινό/τερα/Lø > δεινοτέρη; δεινό/τερο/ς > δεινότερος; δεινό/τερο/ν > δεινότερον

more clever (feminine; masculine; neuter)

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The ο/ of the base lengthens to ω/ if the syllable before it is light:

σοφό/τερα/Lø > σοφωτέρη; σοφό/τερο/ς > σοφώτερος; σοφό/τερο/ν > σοφώτερον

wiser (feminine; masculine; neuter)

A light syllable ends in a short vowel (σο-φό/). A heavy syllable ends in everything else — a long vowel, diphthong, or consonant (δει-νό/). Greek does this to avoid an excessive string of light syllables.

Adjectives with bases ending in -σ/ also use the /τερο/ comparative marker (for instance ἀληθέσ/τερο/ς > ἀληθέστερος “truer, more true, rather true”).

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(2) Bases that end in consonants add /Jον/ or /ῑον/. These are actually two unrelated suffixes that happen to look very similar. When combined with a consonant, J behaves as expected. For instance, ἔλαχ/Jον/ > ἔλασσον/, “less.” The alternate marker /ῑον/ explains forms where ι is present and forms its own syllable (for instance, βέλτ/ιον/, “better”).

PIE had a third comparative suffix, /ιοσ/. This is the prevailing suffix used in Latin, as in melius, “better.” Greek uses it, too, usually when /α immediately follows (including as a result of /Ṇ). Intervocalic σ subsequently drops, and vowels contract. So while one may encounter ἐλάχ/Jον/α > ἐλάσσονα, “less,” one may also encounter ἐλάχ/Jοσ/α > *ἐλάσσοα > ἐλάσσω instead.

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How to Compare Things

English compares things with the word “than”:

     The thief is more clever than Rhampsinitus.

Greek uses ἤ (meaning “than”) or a genitive of comparison:

     ὁ φὼρ δεινότερός ἐστι ἥ Ῥαμψινίτος.
     ὁ φὼρ δεινότερός ἐστι Ῥαμψινίτου.
     The thief is more clever than Rhampsinitus.

Moreover, we could use a dative to indicate the degree of difference between the things compared, or to emphasize the difference between them:

     ὁ φὼρ πολλῷ δεινότερός ἐστι Ῥαμψινίτου.
     The thief is much more clever than Rhampsinitus.

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Vocabulary for this lesson (see here for the full lexicon)