411 REFERENCE · Wikibooks
Lower Sorbian/Grammar/Gradation of adjectives
Reference material by Wikibooks contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
Comparative grade
there exist following endings, used to form comparative grade of adjectives: (a) –šy, (b) –jejšy
there also exist adjectives gradated (c)irregularly and (d) descriptively
(a) adjectives with comparative ending with –šy – those, which stem ends with 1 consonant
if the last consonant of the stem is ł, n, g, ch, s, z – it's being softened (palatalised); note that groups žš, šš are being simplified into š, e.g.. běły-bělšy `white`, drogi-drošy `expensive, precious`
if the last consonant of the stem is d, t, w, b, r – it remains unchanged, e.g. swěty-swětšy `holy`
if the equal grade of adjective ends with –ki, -oki, than this ending is being omitted while forming comparative grade, e.g. wusoki-wušy `high`
(b) adjectives with a comparative grade ending with –jejšy – those, which stem ends with 2 and more consonants
if the last consonant of the stem is d, t, st, ł, tš, it's being softened (palatalised) (tš >tś), np. žołty-žołśejšy `yellow`, wótšy-wótśejšy `sharp`
in other cases the ending is added without changes, np. mudry-mudrjejšy `clever, wise`
following adjectives ending with –ki form comparating grade ending with –jejšy: (1) górki-górcejšy `bitter`, (2) wuzki-wuzčejšy `narrow`, (3) lažki-lažčejšy `light`, (4)śěžki-śežšejšy `heavy`
(c) adjectives gradated irregularly: (1) dobry-lěpšy `good`, (2) zły-goršy `bad`,
(3) wjeliki-wětšy `great`, (4) mały-měńšy `small`, (5) dłujki-dlejšy `long`
(d) descriptive gradation – by adding the adverbs lěpjej albo wěcej in front of the adjective
it's used for all adjectives ending with –ski and a significant number of those ending with –aty
as well as for the adjectives (1) cuzy `strange, alien`, (2) gorucy `hot`
Superlative grade
superlative grade – is formed by adding prefix
nej- to the comparative grade of the adjective, np. lažki-nejlažčejšy, gorucy-nejwěcej gorucy