V.-Comparison.

The Comparative and Superlative Degrees are regularly formed by adding -or and -ost (1), (E. and G. -er and -est), to the indefinite form; as, leóf, leóf-or, leóf-ost dear, dear-er, dear-est (G. lieb, lieb-er, lieb-est): æ usually becomes a; as, smæl, smal-or, smal-ost, small, small-er, small-est. (G. schmal, schmäl-er, schmäl-est.) The ending or is however only adverbial; as an adjective the Comparative is formed in -re, -ra, -re, whether used definitely or indefinitely; as, (pæt) leóf-re, (se) leóf-ra, (seó) leóf-re (the) dearer; (G. das &c. lieb-re) (pet) smæl-re &c. (the) smaller; (G. das &c. schmäl-re). The Superlative has both the definite and indefinite inflections, the former in -ost, or -est, (also the adverbial form), the latter in -oste, -osta, -oste, or -este &c.; as, leóf-ost dearest, þæt leóf-oste, or leóf-este &c. the dearest; (G. das &c. lieb-ste.)

(1) Comp. the L. comparative -ior; Gr. superlative cor-os, &c.

VI.-Irregular Comparison.

The following adjectives are irregularly compared ; the change of a into e; æ into a; eá into ý, or é; ea, eo, u, into y, answers to that of the German a into ä, o into ö, u into ü: in English but few traces of this remain. The forms in -me (2) (-ma, -me) are old superlatives, afterwards used as positives, and then again compared. The words between brackets are adverbs, peculiarly formed.

neah

nearre (near, nyr) nyhst, nehst, next

(2) Comp. L. superlatives in -mum (-mus, -ma).

(3) Comp. G. lang, länger, längst; alt, älter, ältest; nahe, näher, nächst; hoch, höher, höchst; jung, jünger, jüngst; fort, fürter; sanft, sänfter, sänftest; eher, erst; gut, wohi, besser, best; mehr, meist, &c.

D

gyngest

youngest

(2) For már, to which we have returned in more; O. was mo

(3) Some of these are often formed in -weard; as, n re-weard

northern, north-ward, úfe-weard (úp-weard) upper, up-ward.

THE personal Pronouns are ic I, þú thou, hit, he, heó it, he, she. The two first are the only A. S. words

(*) Comp. έy-w, μɛ, &c. L. eg-o, me; G. ich, mir, wir, (D. wij) uns,

unser.

(5) Comp. (Dor.) TV, Tɛ ; L. tu, te ; G. du, dir, euch, &c. D. gij, &c. (6) Remark a peculiar construction with the dual-wit Scilling ne two, viz. I and Sciliing; healf þæs cinges, healí uncer Brentinges, half the king's, half mine and Brenting's.

Meh, mec (L. mihi, G. mich) and þeh, pec (G. dich) sometimes occur for me and pe: likewise the poetical úsih, úsic, and eówih, eówic for ús and eów; and uncit and incit, for unc and inc.

There being, as in English, no reflective pronoun, the personals are used instead; as, ic me reste I rest me (myself); þa þeówas wyrmdon híg, the servants were warming them (selves). Sylf self, same, declined as an adjective both definitely and indefinitely (I.), and agreeing with the pronoun or noun, gives a strong reflective sense; as, ic sylf or sylfa I myself; fram me sylfum of myself; þú sylf thou thyself; we sylfe we ourselves, &c.; seó sylfe tíd the same time.(2) Sometimes the pronoun stands in the dative before. sylf; as, (ic) me sylf I myself; him-sylf he himself. (3)

(1) Comp. o, ǹ, òv, oi, ai; L. id, is, ea, eum, ejus, ii; G. es, ihn, ihm, ihr; D. het, hij, &c.

(2) Comp. G. ich selber, wir selben, die selbe zeit, &c.

(3) Like F. moi-même, lui-même, hence seemingly my-self, thy-self, &c. self is properly no more a noun than aurog, L. ipse, or F. mémc.