Opti, did you mean to write ". . . versus '-er' and '-est'"?"More" and "Most" versus "ed" and "er"
reph said:Opti, did you mean to write ". . . versus '-er' and '-est'"?
"-ed" is a past-tense ending.
Tish Davidson said:And please, my pet peeve. Never use more or most with the word "unique."
I hear this misues in advertising all the time and it drives me crazy. Unique is one of a kind. Something can't be more one of a kind or the most one of a kind.
reph said:-Er and -est seem awkward when used on adjectives that aren't very common. "Greasier hamburgers" sounds all right to me; "fattier hamburgers" doesn't. But it may be just my ear.
They would if the first one had the hyphen it needs to avoid ambiguity.Strongbadia said:"They have more fatty hamburgers than McDonald's"
"They have fattier hamburgers than McDonald's"
They are both seem correct to me, but they do not mean the same thing.
Apparently not. Fowler's Modern English Usage has a long entry "-er and -est, more and most," which sets forth several "remarks" that "are not offered as precise rules, but as advice that, though generally sound, may on occasion be set aside." Fowler lists categories of words for which -er and -est are preferred and categories of words for which "more" and "most" are preferred or mandatory. I don't agree with all his classifications. For instance, he says "cruel" and "pleasant" prefer -er and -est, and "awkward" and "brazen" "can take -er and -est without disagreeably challenging attention."Optimus said:I'm wondering if there is a standardized rule.
Optimus said:Not any particular word.
It's just sometimes I'm unsure of which to use, so I'm wondering if there is a standardized rule.
reph said:They would if the first one had the hyphen it needs to avoid ambiguity.
"They have more fatty hamburgers than McDonald's": They have a larger number of fatty hamburgers.Strongbadia said:A Hyphen? How are you reading the first sentence? I do not see where it needs a hyphen.
reph said:"They have more fatty hamburgers than McDonald's": They have a larger number of fatty hamburgers.
"They have more-fatty hamburgers than McDonald's": Their hamburgers are more fatty. Their hamburgers are fattier.