[Split] [Solved] Comparative adverbs in English


Neelix

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Note: This post is completely Offtopic, feel free to ignore it.

2) I stronger suspected that a software left my Pandora in this state. (Offtopic: I don't know how to use strong as a comparative adverb in correct English)
I normally wouldn't comment on this sort of thing, (as much as I may sometimes like to) but since you brought it up...

I think you just want the regular adverb, "strongly." The correct form of the phrase would be "I strongly suspected."

Stronger is the correct comparative form, but it doesn't fit here because you are not comparing the strength of your suspicion with anything else.

I would also argue against the use of the phrase "a software." Software is normally used as an adjective or a collective noun, but not as a singular noun. When referring to a single program one might refer to it as a "piece of software" or a "software package."

- Neelix
 
Note: This post is completely Offtopic, feel free to ignore it.

2) I stronger suspected that a software left my Pandora in this state. (Offtopic: I don't know how to use strong as a comparative adverb in correct English)
I normally wouldn't comment on this sort of thing, (as much as I may sometimes like to) but since you brought it up...


I think you just want the regular adverb, "strongly." The correct form of the phrase would be "I strongly suspected."


Stronger is the correct comparative form, but it doesn't fit here because you are not comparing the strength of your suspicion with anything else.


I would also argue against the use of the phrase "a software." Software is normally used as an adjective or a collective noun, but not as a singular noun. When referring to a single program one might refer to it as a "piece of software" or a "software package."


- Neelix
I literally wanted to shape something like "I strongerly suspected" (an adverb in its comparative form). In German this construction is possible ("ich verdächtigte stärker"), as we have no compulsory distinction between an adjective and an adverb. In German one can voluntarily say "in an <adjectiveXunchanged> fashion" or add the suffix "-weise" to the adjective, but it is not necessary! Therefore it might be hard in English to use both the comparative and an adverb.

He is good. He is better.

He does well. He does …   ? (My instinctive guess: He does better)

I had a strong suspicion. I had a stronger suspicion.

I strongly suspected. I … suspected.  ??? (I have no guess)
 
He is good. He is better.

He does well. He does …   ? (My instinctive guess: He does better)
That would be correct.
I had a strong suspicion. I had a stronger suspicion.

I strongly suspected. I … suspected.  ??? (I have no guess)
The answer to this one is actually described on the page you linked:

Other times the words more and less will need to precede the adverb to form the comparative. This is the case with adverbs that end in –ly.
In this case the correct form for the comparative adverb would be "I more strongly suspected."

- Neelix
 
@Neelix: thanks for your grammar excourse.

@Moderator: Could you please move the grammar related messages (1 2 3 and this very post) into a new thread entitled "[solved] Comparative adverb in English?" into the section Offtopic General talk. Or if this is too much effort, simply erase them. Thanks!
 
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In Dutch the situation is similar to German: adjectives can be used as adverbs without changing the word form, also in the comparative or superlative case.

An interesting example is "goedkoop" ("cheap", or literally "goodbuy"). You can say both "Dat is goedkoop" (that is cheap) and "Hij kocht het goedkoop" (he bought it cheaply). The comparative forms of this adjective are interesting though: old people will still say "beterkoop" and "bestkoop" (literally "betterbuy" and "bestbuy"), but those words are outdated now, and the correct modern words are "goedkoper" and "goedkoopst" (literally "goodbuyer" and "goodbuyst").
 
I literally wanted to shape something like "I strongerly suspected" (an adverb in its comparative form). In German this construction is possible ("ich verdächtigte stärker"), as we have no compulsory distinction between an adjective and an adverb. In German one can voluntarily say "in an <adjectiveXunchanged> fashion" or add the suffix "-weise" to the adjective, but it is not necessary! Therefore it might be hard in English to use both the comparative and an adverb.

He is good. He is better.

He does well. He does …   ? (My instinctive guess: He does better)
Weller would be fine here.

I had a strong suspicion. I had a stronger suspicion.

I strongly suspected. I … suspected.  ??? (I have no guess)
That one is even harder to figure out, but I'd suggest either Stronglier or Mightily.

D.
 
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As a fallback, a bunch of expletives usually serves to emphasise a greater level of suspicion.
 
@Neelix: thanks for your grammar excourse.
You're welcome. :)    I'm glad I could help.  

I do have to ask though did you mean discourse?  I'm not familiar with the word excourse and onelook.net was unable to find it in any of the online dictionaries it searches.

- Neelix
 
In Dutch the situation is similar to German: adjectives can be used as adverbs without changing the word form, also in the comparative or superlative case.

An interesting example is "goedkoop" ("cheap", or literally "goodbuy"). You can say both "Dat is goedkoop" (that is cheap) and "Hij kocht het goedkoop" (he bought it cheaply). The comparative forms of this adjective are interesting though: old people will still say "beterkoop" and "bestkoop" (literally "betterbuy" and "bestbuy"), but those words are outdated now, and the correct modern words are "goedkoper" and "goedkoopst" (literally "goodbuyer" and "goodbuyst").
Language. I love it.

(Incidentially, it is also a virus)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/8bhldlJ0Aus?feature=oembed
 
@Neelix: It was a typo, supposed to be excursion, in this context meaning "to steer off the main topic".

But of course in the consequence we started a discourse ;-)
 
I literally wanted to shape something like "I strongerly suspected" (an adverb in its comparative form). In German this construction is possible ("ich verdächtigte stärker"), as we have no compulsory distinction between an adjective and an adverb. In German one can voluntarily say "in an <adjectiveXunchanged> fashion" or add the suffix "-weise" to the adjective, but it is not necessary! Therefore it might be hard in English to use both the comparative and an adverb.


He is good. He is better.


He does well. He does …   ? (My instinctive guess: He does better)
Weller would be fine here.

>>I had a strong suspicion. I had a stronger suspicion.


I strongly suspected. I … suspected.  ??? (I have no guess)
That one is even harder to figure out, but I'd suggest either Stronglier or Mightily.


D.
Unless, I am mistaken and my education is at a much lower level than anyone else's here, or perhaps English is now under the control of non-native speakers, you may safely ignore all of these suggestions by Dunny!
 
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Unless, I am mistaken and my education is at a much lower level than anyone else's here, or perhaps English is now under the control of non-native speakers, you may safely ignore all of these suggestions by Dunny!
You are correct.
 
Unless, I am mistaken and my education is at a much lower level than anyone else's here, or perhaps English is now under the control of non-native speakers, you may safely ignore all of these suggestions by Dunny!
You are correct.
Gunrock's post was correctlier, and more importantly much nicelierer too.

D.
 
On this issue, I trust in Neelix and gunrock rather than Dunny.

Dunny, nevertheless thanks for your humorist interlude.
 
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