Chapter+21


 * Chapter 21 The adjective (bijvoegelijk naamwoord)**

An adjective describes a person a thing etc. Most adjectives can be used with or without a following noun: He is still a gorgeous man. He is still gorgeous. Some however can only be used without a following noun.
 * 21.1 Adjectives without a following noun**

How are you ? I am quite well, thank you. I’m feeling unwell today.
 * Well ( in good health, not ill) and unwell

He was ill for seven weeks. When ‘ziek’ is used before a noun it is translated by sick: The sick child was taken to hospital. Not: the ill child When sick is used without a following noun, it means upset in the stomach: The movements of the bus made her feel sick.
 * Ill

He didn’t seem content with her behavior. Not: a content smile Contented can always be used: He didn’t seem contented with her bahavoir. He looked at her with a contented smile.
 * Content (tevreden)

Are you afraid / asleep / alone? Not: An alone/ afraid / awake person. Note that alert can be used with or without a following noun: He was arrested by an alert undercover agent. An undercover agent should always be alert.
 * Afraid, alive, alone, asleep, awake, aware

Trappen van vergelijking are the comparative (vergrotende trap) and the superlative (overtreffende trap). In English there are two ways to form the degrees of comparison of adjectives. Pretty- prettier- prettiest Soft- softer- softest Mythical- more mythical- most mythical
 * 21.2 Degrees of comparison**
 * -er and –est
 * More and most

1. When two persons or things are compared, Dutch uses a superlative, while English may have the comparative in formal English or the superlative in informal English. Which of these two scarves is the cheaper / the cheapest? Jaap was the more intelligent/ the most intelligent of the twins. But always: The great part of (Dutch: grootste) The latter half of (Dutch: laatste)

2. A superlative without ‘the’ can be used in the meaning of ‘very’ This is a most annoying newspaper. She has not been most kind. This superlative is called the absolute superlative.

As to the choice between the two the following rules should be observed: Great-greater-greatest Large-larger-largest
 * 21.3 Er/est or more/most?**
 * Adjectives of one syllable take –er/-est

Decent-more decent- most decent Polite-more polite-most polite The following adjectives of two syllables take –er/-est or more/most:
 * Adjectives of two syllables take -er/est OR more and most.....

Noble nobler/more noble nobler/ most noble Funny funnier/ more funny funniest/ most funny Clever cleverer/ more clever cleverest/ most clever For adjectives ending in Y the comparative with –er/-est is MUCH more common. You can say for about 98% that for two-syllable adjectives ending in Y, -er/est is grammatical and more/most is not. (This is your teacher speaking!)
 * Adjectives ending in a consontant + le, er, ow, y some:

Polite politer/more polite politest/ most polite
 * Adjectives with the stress on the second syllable

Pleasant pleasanter/more pleasant pleasantest/most pleasant When in doubt it is safest to use more/most with two syllable adjectives because this is always correct.
 * Adjectives civil, common, cruel, pleasant, quiet, stupid

3. Adjectives of three or more syllables take more/most

Valuable more valuable most valuable Comfortable more comfortable most comfortable

Adjectives of this type that are derived from adjectives of two syllables, form their comparative and superlative in the same way as adjectives of two syllables:

Unhappy unhappier/more unhappy unhappiest/ most unhappy Impolite impoliter/ more impolite impolitest/ most impolite

Simplified ! One syllable = -er/-est More than one syllable = more/most


 * 21.4 Spelling-changes before er/est**

Before the endings –er/-est the same spelling changes occur as before the ending –ed

When y is preceded by a consonant it becomes i
 * Y becomes i

Dry – drier- driest Happy- happier- happiest

But: grey- greyer- greyest

Exceptions are: Shy-shyer-shyest (but also: shier-shiest Sly-slyer-slyest

A final consonant is doubled when it is preceded by one stressed vowel letter: Big- bigger- biggest
 * Doubling of the final consonant

But: cheap- cheaper- cheapest (preceded by two vowel letters) Stupid- stupider- stupidest (stress on the first syllable)

Note: cruel- crueler- cruellest

When the adjectives ends in –e only R and ST are added:
 * Adjectives ending in –e

Severe- severer- severest


 * 21.5 Irregular degrees of comparison**

The following adjectives have irregular degrees of comparison i.e they do not take –er/-est or more/most.

· Good/well Good better best Well better best Well-known better-known best-known

· Bad worse worst · Ill worse worst · Little money less money the least money Note that before plural nouns few is used: Few books fewer books fewest books

In modern English however, a lot of people use less/ the least instead of fewer/ the fewest, especially in informal style. Some people consider this to be incorrect:

There were less spectators than last time. Less is especially common in no less than and less and less:

He visited no less than fifteen pubs in one night. Less and less people spend their holidays at home.

· Much more most · Many more most · Far farther/further farthest/furthest With reference to distance both can be used. When the meaning is ‘additional’, only further can be used.

Cornwall is farther/ further away than I thought. (distance) Could you give me any further information? (additional, extra)

· Old older/elder oldest/eldest Elder and eldest are used before the words son, daughter, brother, sister and child. Her eldest son studies French.

· Late later/latter last/latest

The use of the various forms is as follows: Later refers to time. It was later than I thought.

Latter is mainly used in the meaning of the second of two people or things just mentioned. The first thing or person may be indicated as ‘the former’.

He was talking to Betty and Jane. The latter was drinking a cocktail. (de laatstgenoemde) Of Hemmingway and Robert Frost, the former is more famous than the latter.

Last means final: The last train for Amsterdam leaves now. Latest means most recent: The latest fashion/news.


 * 21.5 Irregular degrees of comparison**


 * Adjectives that don’t take -er, -est, more or most in comparison:**

good **-** better - best Well - better - best (= not ill) Well-known - better-known - best-known Bad - worse - worst Ill - worse - worst Little money - less money - the least money Much - more - most Many - more - most Old - older/elder - oldest/eldest Late - later/latter - last/latest


 * Little:**

Before plural nouns **few** is used:

(uncountable nouns take **little - less - the least**)
 * few** books - **fewer** books - **the fewest** books

With plural nouns less can be used in these two forms:


 * No less than**/**Less and less**


 * Far**

With reference to distance both farther/farthest and further/furthest can be used. When the meaning is additional only further can be used:

London is **farther/further** away than we thought Could you give me any **further** information?


 * Old**

Elder/eldest is used before the words son, daughter, brother, sister and child.

My **elder brother** is three years older than I am. Her **eldest daughter** studies English.


 * Late**

Later refers to time.

It was **later** than I thought.

With latter ( de laatstgenoemde) we mean the second of two people or things just mentioned.

She was talking with Thomas and Peter. **The latter** was drinking a beer.

Last means final.


 * The last** train for Amsterdam leaves at 12.00

Latest means most recent.


 * The latest** fashion


 * 21.6 Adjectives used as nouns**

Adjectives can be used as nouns to denote the whole class of people having the same quality:


 * the rich/the blind/the poor/the unemployed**

To denote individuals the adjective must be followed by a noun such as man, woman, people, person:


 * A blind person/man/woman**

When the adjective is used on its own with reference to things it must be followed by a noun. Most of the time this is the noun ‘thing’


 * The best thing** is to leave at once
 * The curious thing** is that she did not tell me anything.

The adjective ‘worst’ can sometimes be used without a following noun.

If **the worst** comes to **the worst.**
 * The worst** is over.
 * The worst** of it is that I could’ve have stopped her.


 * 21.7 Adjectives denoting nationalities**


 * A.** The adjectives British, English, Flemish, Welsh, Irish, French, Dutch and Spanish can be used to denote the whole nation or a special group of people representing the whole nation.

For individuals the words **man/woman** must be added. For Britain the word **Briton** is used.

The police arrested two **Britons**.
 * The Irishmen** we met on the boat were football supporters.


 * B.** The adjective Swiss and adjectives ending in -ese such as Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese and Portuguese can be used to denote the whole nation or individuals.

John married **a Swiss**.
 * The Swiss** are known for their precision instruments.


 * C.** With all the other nationalities the plural of the noun denoting an inhabitant is used to denote the whole nation.

An Austrian The Austrians A German The Germans An Italian The Italians
 * Inhabitant** **The whole Nation**


 * See the rest of the list in your textbook


 * 21.8 One/ones after adjectives**

In Dutch an adjective can be used without a following noun. In this case in English one/ones has to be used.

Een grote auto is minder A big car is less economical zuinig dan een **kleine**. than a **small one**.

One/ones can be omitted after a comparative and a superlative.

Of all the motorbikes, this is the most expensive **(one)**.

One/ones is not used after own.

Is that car your **own**?


 * 21.9 Nouns used as adjectives**


 * A.** Nouns denoting materials can be used as adjectives.

An **iron** bar. A **gold** watch.

Exceptions: **Wood/woollen/earthen**

Gold is used in a literal sense, golden in a figurative sense. Sometimes golden means made of gold.

A **golden** wedding A **gold** ring

Silken is mostly used in a figurative sense, otherwise silk is used.

Her **silken** hair A **silk** dress


 * B.** Place names can also be used as adjectives.

The **London** **traffic** The **Amsterdam canals**

Paris has the adjective Parisian, which is used in the sense of ‘of or from Paris’

The latest **Parisian fashion**


 * 21.10 Hoe langer hoe/hoe… hoe/des te**


 * A. ‘**Hoe langer hoe’ is translated by two comparative forms linked with ‘and’.

Het weer werd **hoe langer hoe** The weather got **worse and**
 * slechter**. **worse**.


 * B.** ‘Hoe…hoe’ is translated by two comparatives preceded by ‘the’.


 * Hoe langer** ik praatte, **hoe** **The longer** I talked, **the more tired**
 * moeier** ik werd. I was getting.

better.
 * C.** Des te beter So much the better/ All the

Zijn vergrijp is **des te** His offence is **(all) the more** hem vertrouwde. Trusted him.
 * erger** omdat iedereen **serious** because everybody



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