Azurian adjectival morphology (was: Azurian.)

On Thu, 30 Oct 2008, Lars Finsen wrote:
>
> Basic adjectival morphology on:
> http://www.ortygia.no/uriania/azuriansk-adjektiv-eng.html
(I've joined up your link for easier navigation.)

>
> I am slowly learning HTML. My site however is rapidly growing a need
> for navigational sidebars...
>
> LEF
You write:
"The definite and indefinite forms are different
only in the positive."

Could you please let me know what "positive" means
in this context? - "positive" usually connotes an
opposing "negative", but there doesn't seem to be
any corresponding "negative" here.  Do you perhaps
mean, um, not definite! but "certain", as in "a
good way" being certainly good?

  _____

Allow me to think in my L1 (English, Australian,
Urban Southern (Melbourne, Launceston & Adelaide)
for a moment.  This English allows the following
(C=Comparative, S=Superlative, D=with Definite
article, I=with Indefinite article):

CD: "Of those two boys, Mick is the better swimmer."
CI: "Mick is a better swimmer than John."

SD: "Of all the boys, Jimmy is the best at swimming."
but not:
SI: *"Mick is a best swimmer than the other boys."

Is this the kind of thing you have in mind when
you write on the webpage:
"The superlative only has definite forms"?
  _____

The options involved in comparisons may be different
individuals, as above; or different states of the
same individual, eg:

CI: "After training with Lynne, John became a better
swimmer [than he had been]."
SD: "John is the best at swimming he has ever been."

Would you expect Azurian to have the same flexibility
of reference?


Regards,
Yahya
  _____

Yahya Abdal-Aziz

Convener, Graphics SIG <http://groups.melbpc.org.au/~graphics>
Convener, Music SIG <http://groups.melbpc.org.au/~music>
Melbourne PC User Group <http://melbpc.org.au/>  (MelbPC)

Share my music, paintings, equation art, and thoughts on books, online at
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  _____

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