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Latin from scratch course › #14: Degrees of adjectives and adverbs › #14.30: Superlative degree

Latin from scratch #14.30: Superlative adjectives

In the thirtieth class of the Latin from Scratch course, we’ll study the syntax and morphology of superlative adjectives.

Contents

  • Syntactic structures of the superlative degree
  • Morphology of synthetic superlative adjectives
    • Irregular superlatives

I explain everything in the following video (⏳ 05m 50s ⌛):

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Syntactic structures of the superlative degree

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In Latin we have two structures for the superlative degree of adjectives: the absolute superlative and the relative superlative.

The absolute superlative expresses a quality in a very high degree, higher than normal, and it requires no complements. We can translate it as “very + adjective“.

The relative superlative, on the other hand, expresses a quality in the highest degree possible within a group, so it requires a complement (in genitive, or with inter or apud + accusative, or e/ex or de + ablative). We can translate it as “the Xest / most X in + complement“.

Morphology of synthetic superlative adjectives

We form them with the following suffixes, depending on the root of the base adjective:

  • -issimus, ‑a, ‑um (normally) → altissimus
  • -rimus, ‑a, ‑um (nominative singular masculine in ‑er) → miserrimus
  • -limus, ‑a, ‑um (nominative singular masculine in ‑lis) → facillimus

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Morphologically, both superlatives are the same, so the only way to know if we have an absolute or relative superlative is by the context, mostly by the presence or absence of the complement.

Irregular superlatives

There are a few adjectives whose superlative form is irregular:

  • bonus, bona, bonum → optimus, ‑a, ‑um
  • malus, mala, malum → pessimus, ‑a, ‑um
  • magnus, magna, magnum → maximus, ‑a, ‑um
  • parvus, parva, parvum → minimus, ‑a, ‑um
  • multus, multa, multum → plurimus, ‑a, ‑um

Before classical Latin, and also in authors such as Sallust, it is normal to find the suffix as ‑issumus, ‑a, ‑um (also maxumus, etc.).

Now that we know comparative and superlative adjectives, let’s go study the formation of adverbs from adjectives and their degrees.

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Next: Superlative adjectives →

Paco Álvarez

About Paco Álvarez

I’m Paco Álvarez, a Spanish classical philologist. For years I’ve been teaching Latin and Greek online to Spanish students. When I saw there was nothing like my AcademiaLatin.com for English-speaking Latin lovers, I decided to create it myself, and that’s how LatinFromScratch.com was born.

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Course content

  1. Quick start
  2. Introduction
  3. Cases and their functions
  4. The five declensions
  5. First declension
  6. Verbal conjugation
  7. Present tense
  8. Second declension
  9. 2-1-2 adjectives
  10. Imperfect past tense
  11. Future tense
  12. Third declension nouns
  13. Third declension adjectives
  14. Perfect past tense
  15. Adverbials of place
  16. Fourth declension
  17. Fifth declension
  18. Pluperfect tense
  19. Possessives
  20. Personal pronouns
  21. Apposition
  22. Predicative complement
  23. Present subjunctive
  24. Imperfect subjunctive
  25. Perfect subjunctive
  26. Perfect future indicative
  27. Pluperfect subjunctive
  28. Syntax of cum
  29. Syntax of ut & ne
  30. Comparison of adjectives
  31. Superlative adjectives
  32. Adverbs from adjectives
  33. Demonstratives
  34. Relative clauses
  35. Passive voice
  36. Deponent verbs
  37. Relative time
  38. Participles: morphology
  39. Participles: syntax
  40. Infinitives
  41. Compounds of sum
  42. Irregular verbs
  43. Imperative

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