Adjective Degrees
Adjectives in Arcadia can express different degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, and elative.
Positive Degree
The positive degree is the base form of the adjective, used to describe a quality without any comparison.
- save marias juvi.
- translation: Maria is young.
Comparative Degree
The comparative degree is used to compare two nouns. In Arcadia, it can be a comparative of equality, superiority, or inferiority.
-
Superiority:
- meaning: The first noun has the quality to a greater extent than the second noun.
- synthetic:
-eli - analytic: veli
-
Equality:
- meaning: The first noun has the quality to the same extent as the second noun.
- synthetic:
-ali - analytic: vali
-
Inferiority:
- meaning: The first noun has the quality to a lesser extent than the second noun.
- synthetic:
-oli - analytic: voli
| Form | Arcadia Synthetic | Arcadia Analytic | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superiority | save marias juveli to adame | save marias veli juvi to adame | Maria is younger than Adam |
| Equality | save marias juvali to adame | save marias vali juvi to adame | Maria is as young as Adam |
| Inferiority | save marias juvoli to adame | save marias voli juvi to adame | Maria is older than Adam |
Superlative Degree
Arcadia doesn't have a proper superlative degree. This is a feature of the language. The superlative meaning is essentially covered by the comparative degree, when compared to a group of nouns.
| Form | Arcadia Synthetic | Arcadia Analytic | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superiority | save marias juveli tole asék amighe | save marias veli juvi tole asék amighe | Maria is the youngest among her friends |
| Equality | save marias juvali tole asék amighe | save marias vali juvi tole asék amighe | Maria is as young as her friends |
| Inferiority | save marias juvoli tole asék amighe | save marias voli juvi tole asék amighe | Maria is the oldest among her friends |
Elative Degree
The elative degree is used to indicate that the noun has the quality to the greatest or least extent, in an absolute form, without comparison to other nouns. Both of them have a synthetic and an analytic form.
-
Superiority:
- meaning: The noun has the quality to the greatest extend.
- synthetic:
-ili - analytic: vili
-
Inferiority:
- meaning: The noun has the quality to the lowest extend.
- synthetic:
-uli - analytic: vuli
| Form | Arcadia Synthetic | Arcadia Analytic | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superiority (absolute) | save marias juvili | save marias vili juvi | Maria is the youngest possible |
| Inferiority (absolute) | save marias juvuli | save marias vuli juvi | Maria is the least young possible |