Dalecarlian adjective comparations

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Adjectives can be comparated and there are three steps:

positive, comparative and superlative.

We use:<p> positive, when the adjectives describes something without comparing with anything. Examples:

bátn ir tung, ('the boat is heavy')
bókiñ ir tung, ('the book is heavy')
vatnið ir tungt, ('the water is heavy')

comparative, when something is compared to something else. Examples:

bátn ir tyngera, ('the boat is heavier')
bókiñ ir tyngera, ('the book is heavier')
vatnið ir tyngera, ('the water is heavier')

superlative, when something is compared to something else, and it's the best. Examples:

bátn ir tyngst, ('the boat is heaviest')
bókiñ ir tyngst, ('the book is heaviest')
vatnið ir tyngst, ('the water is heaviest')

Comparative is not conjugated, when the adjective is indefinite.
When the comparative is definite, one uses the definite superlative form instead.<p>

Superlative is not conjugated, when the adjective is indefinite.
When the superlative is definite, it is weakly conjugated like sjóki.<p>

ome examples of what is said about comparative and superlative above:

Comparative Indefinite

ein lengera kall, ('a taller man')
eiñ lengera kelling, ('a taller woman')
eit lengera trí, ('a taller tree')<p> fleir lengera kaller, ('many taller men')
fleir lengera kellinger, ('many taller women')
fleiriñ lengera trí, ('many taller trees')<p>

Superlative Indefinite

kalln ir lengst, ('the man is tallest')
kellingiñ ir lengst, ('the woman is tallest')
trít ir lengst, ('the tree is tallest')<p> kallañer irå lengst, ('the men are tallest')
kellingañer irå lengst, ('the women are tallest')
tríniñ irå lengst, ('the trees are tallest')<p>

Comparative/Superlative Definite

han-þar lengsti kalln, ('the taller/tallest man')
hoñ-þar lengsta kellingiñ, ('the taller/tallest woman')
heð-þar lengsta trít, ('the taller/tallest tree')<p> þeir-þar lengsta kallañer, ('the taller/tallest men')
þeir-þar lengstu kellingañer, ('the taller/tallest women')
þeir-þar lengstu tríniñ, ('the taller/tallest trees')<p>

(In the combined form of the definite adjective, the final vowel is as usual not pronunced)

Contents 1 Comparation Group 1 - Generic 2 Comparation Group 2 - Umlauted 3 Comparation Group 3 - Irregular 4 Comparation Group 4 - From Adverbs 5 Comparation Group 5 - More, Most

Comparation Group 1 - Generic

In this group, one just adds -era and -est to obtain the comparative and superlative, respectively.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative	English
sjók	sjókera	sjókest	'sick'
frek	frekera	frekest	'friendly'
full	fullera	fullest	'full, drunk'
digr	digrera	digrest	'thick, fat'
skrukkin	skrukknera	skrukknest	'wrinkled, shrunk'
gåmål	gamblera	gamblest	'old'
vanlin	vanligera	vanligest	'usual, customary'
hvass	hvassera	hvassest	'sharp'
gróf	grófera	grófest	'coarse, thick'
mjâr	mjâera	mjâest	'thin'
bein	beinera	beinest	'direct'

Comparation Group 2 - Umlauted

In this group, the stem vowel is i-umlauted and some adjectives are syncopated, in the comparative and superlative (i.e., stúr is comparated as stǿrra - stǿst, not stúrera - stúrest).

Positive	Comparative	Superlative	English
tung	tyngera	tyngst	'heavy'
stúr	stǿrra	stǿst	'big'
hág	hǽgera hǿgera [9:`GE'rA]	hǽgest hǿgest [9:`GEst]	'high'
lág	lǽgera lǿgera [l\9:`GE'rA]	lǽgest lǿgest [l\9:`GEst]	'low'
lang	lengera	lengst	'long, tall'
ung	yngera	yngst	'young'

Comparation Group 3 - Irregular

Irregular declension, where the positive stem on one side and the stem of both comparative and superlative on the other are different words.

Positive	Comparative	Superlative	English
klein	verra	vest	'troublesome, laborious'
dálin	sembera	semst	'bad, ill'
bra	bettera	best	'good'
bra	vildera	vildest	'good'
mikin	meir	mjast	'much, great'
lítin	minna	minst	'little'

Comparation Group 4 - From Adverbs

Some adjectives, which are made from adverbs, only exist in comparative and/or superlative:

Adverb	Comparative	Superlative	English
út	ýter-	ýst	'out'
inn	-	innest	'in'
upp	-	yfst	'up'
fram	-	fremst	'forward'
aft [Att]	-	aftest [Att`Est]	'back'
fyrr [f9rr]	-	fóst	'before'
gjenna [dZIE`nnA]	helder	helst	'willingly'

Comparation Group 5 - More, Most

In comparative and superlative are respectively meir ('more') and mjast ('most') put infront of positive, especially in many adjectives, that end with -aþ and -end(is) and many compounds:

Positive	Comparative	Superlative	English
båkåð	meir båkåð	mjast båkåð	'baked'
málað	meir málað	mjast málað	'painted'
lifendis	meir lifendis	mjast lifendis	'alive'
skåkåð	meir skåkåð	mjast skåkåð	'shaken'
skuldað	meir skuldað	mjast skuldað	'accused'
ventað	meir ventað	mjast ventað	'expected'
skjáfend	meir skjáfend	mjast skjáfend	'trembling'

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