Re: I came in late.

On Sat, 24 Jul 1999, Jim Grossmann wrote:

> Hi, all,
>
> I came in late.    Do all languages with adjectives allow the comparison of
> attributive adjectives?
>
> Thanks to any and all who reply,
>
> Jim
>
I've been looking around for information, but I couldn't find anything
directly relating to this. Somewhere in the attics of my mind hovers a
quote about some C19 Englishman who dismissed 'primitive' languages for
not having comparatives, but that's all. I should try and do an analysis
of all the grammars I've got at home to find if there are any exceptions,
but short of that, I've got to admit that I don't know ;-).

Corbett (_Typology and universals_, 1990) has an interesting reference:

  Stassen, Leon. 1985. _Comparison and universal grammar_. Oxford:
  Basil Blackwell

Intuitively I'd say yes, though.

Boudewijn Rempt  | http://www.xs4all.nl/~bsarempt