Page:An Ainu-English-Japanese dictionary (including a grammar of the Ainu language).djvu/650

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
92
AN AINU GRAMMAR.
§ III. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.

The comparative and superlative degrees of adjectives are not so extensively used as in English, the meaning being often left to be gathered from the context; but should it be necessary to be explicit, the comparative degree is formed by placing the word naa, “yet; “more,” and the superlative by placing, iyotta, “most” before the positive degree; e.g.

positive. comparative. superlative.
Pirika, “good,” Naa pirika, “better.” Iyotta pirika, “best.”
Pon, “small,” Naa pon, “smaller.” Iyotta pon, “smallest.”

“The comparative with “than” may be expressed in six different ways:—(a) with the word akkari; (b) with akkari and easkka; (c) with akkari and eitasa; (d) with akkari and mashkinno; (e) with akkari and naa; (f) with kasu no. One illustration of each method is here given with an example.

(a). The comparative with akkari. Akkari originally means “to surpass,” and may be translated by “than;” e.g. E akkari, ku nitan ruwe ne, “I am faster than you” (lit. than you, I go fast.)

(b). The comparative with akkari and eashka. Eashka means “very,” “more,” e.g. Ta akkari rep anak ne eashka poro ruwe ne; “the sea is greater than the land” (lit. than the land, the sea is more great.)

(c). The comparative with akkari and eitasa. Eitasa means “excess”:—

Toan kotan akkari, tan kotan anak ne eitasa hange no an kotan ne ruwe ne,” this village is nearer than that” (lit. than that village, this village is a nearer village.)

(d). The comparative with akkari and mashkinno. Mashkinno means “surpassingly”; e.g.

Umma akkari, isepo mashkinno nitan ruwe ne, “a hare is swifter than a horse” (lit. than a horse, a hare is surpassingly swift of foot.)

(e). The comparative with akkari and naa; e.g.