Chapter IV: Adjectives

A. THE DECLENSION OF ADJECTIVES.

1. {The Strong Declension.}

Sec. 55.

The MHG. adjectives are declined as strong or weak. They have three genders, and the same cases as nouns. The endings of the strong declension are partly nominal and partly pronominal. The nominal endings are: the accusative feminine singular, as {blinde} like {g[e:]be} (Sec. 48); and the genitive singular masculine and neuter, as {blindes} like {tages}, {wortes} (Secs. 43, 46). All the other endings are pronominal. The so-called uninflected form of adjectives in the nom. singular masculine and feminine and the nom. acc. neuter is a remnant of the time when adjectives and nouns were declined alike, see the Author's Hist. Germ. Grammar, Secs. 399-400. The strong declension includes three different types of adjectives, all of which are declined alike: (a) The old {a-}stems, as {blint}, infl. form {blinter}, _blind_; {bar}, _bare_, {guot}, _good_, {heilec}, _holy_, {hol}, _hollow_, {michel}, _great_, {vinster}, _dark_, and similarly with a very large number of adjectives, including the past participles of strong and weak verbs. (b) The old {ja-}stems, as {l[ae]re} (OHG. {l[a]ri}), infl. {l[ae]rer}, _empty_; {d[u:]nne}, _thin_, {enge}, _narrow_, {gr[u:]ene}, _green_, {niuwe}, _new_, {reine}, _pure_, {sch[oe]ne}, _beautiful_, {senfte}, _soft_, {wilde}, _wild_, and many others, including the present participles of strong and weak verbs. The {ja-}stems only differ from the {a-}stems in having {-e} in the uninflected form and umlaut in the stem-syllable when it is capable of it. (c) The old {wa-}stems, as {bl[a]} (OHG. {bl[a]o}, {bl[a]}), infl. form {bl[a]wer}, _blue_; {gar} (OHG. {garo}), infl. form {garwer} (see Secs. 9,1, 36), _ready_; {gr[a]}, _grey_, {val}, _fallow_, {g[e:]l}, _yellow_, {kal}, _bald_, &c., all of which have {w} in the inflected forms.

The adjectival {i-} and {u-}stems had come to be declined like the {ja-}stems in the prehistoric period of the language, but a few remnants of such adjectives have survived in MHG. in forms without the final {-e} beside those with it, as {bereit}, {bereite}, _ready_, {dic}, {dicke}, _thick_, {g[a]ch}, {g[ae]he}, _quick_, {gr[i]s}, {gr[i]se}, _old_, _grey_, {h[e]r}, {h[e]re}, _high_, _noble_, {rasch}, {resche}, _quick_, {r[i]ch}, {r[i]che}, _noble_, {sw[a]}, {sw[ae]re}, _heavy_, {was}, {wasse}, _sharp_.

SING.
_Masc._ _Neut._ _Fem._

Nom. blinder, _blind_ blinde[z] blindiu
Acc. blinden blinde[z] blinde
Gen. blindes blindes blinder(e)
Dat. blindem(e) blindem(e) blinder(e)

PLUR.

Nom. blinde blindiu blinde
Acc. blinde blindiu blinde
Gen. blinder(e) blinder(e) blinder(e)
Dat. blinden blinden blinden

On the loss of the {-e} in {blindem(e), blinder(e)}, see Sec. 9, 2. Umlaut caused by the {-iu} occurs in the nom. sing. feminine and nom. acc. pl. neuter of {al}, _all_, and {ander}, _other, second_, as {[a:]lliu}, {[a:]ndriu}. This rarely happens in other words.

SING.
_Masc._ _Neut._ _Fem._

Nom. micheler, _great_ michel(e)[z] micheliu
Acc. michel(e)n michel(e)[z] michel(e)
Gen. michel(e)s michel(e)s michelre,
micheler
Dat. michelme, michelme, michelre,
michel(e)m michel(e)m micheler

PLUR.

Nom. michel(e) micheliu michel(e)
Acc. michel(e) micheliu michel(e)
Gen. michelre, michelre, michelre,
micheler micheler micheler
Dat. michel(e)n michel(e)n michel(e)n

Like {michel} are inflected monosyllabic adjectives ending in {-l}, {-r} with a short stem-vowel, and polysyllabic adjectives ending in {-el}, {-en}, {-er}, as {bar}, _bare_, {hol}, _hollow_; {zw[i]vel}, _doubtful_, {eigen}, _own_, {tougen}, _secret_, {ander}, _other, second_, {bitter}, _bitter_, {vinster}, _dark_; {[e:]ben}, _even_, {[u:]bel}, _evil, bad_, &c. See Sec. 9, 1,2.

2. {The Weak Declension.}

Sec. 56.

The weak declension of adjectives agrees exactly with that of the nouns.

SING.

_Masc._ _Neut._ _Fem._

Nom. blinde, _blind_ blinde blinde
Acc. blinden blinde blinden
Gen. blinden blinden blinden
Dat. blinden blinden blinden

Plural {blinden} for all cases and genders.

B. THE COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES.

Sec. 57.

The comparative was formed by means of the suffix {-er(e)} = OHG. {-iro}, {-[o]ro}, and the superlative by means of the suffix {-est(e)} = OHG. {-isto}, {-[o]sto}. On the loss of the medial or final {e} in such forms as {tiurre}, _dearer_, {tiurste}; {minner}, {minre}, _less_, {minnest}, {min(ne)ste}, see Sec. 9, 3. Most monosyllables have umlaut in the comparative and superlative either exclusively or have mutated beside unmutated forms. The cause of these double forms is in a great measure due to the two OHG. double suffixes: comp. {-iro}, {-[o]ro} and superl. {-isto}, {-[o]sto} having fallen together in {-er(e)} and {-est(e)} in MHG., as {elter}, _older_, {ermer}, _poorer_, {j[u:]nger}, _younger_, {gr[oe][z]er}, _greater_, {h[oe]her}, _higher_, beside {alter}, {armer}, {junger}, {gr[o][z]er}, {h[o]her}; superl. {eltest}, {ermest}, {j[u:]ngest}, {gr[oe][z]est}, {h[oe]hest}, beside {altest}, {armest}, {jungest}, {gr[o][z]est}, {h[o]hest}. Adjectives which have umlaut in the positive regularly preserve it in the comparative and superlative.

The comparative is declined weak, but the superlative is declined strong and weak.

Sec. 58.

The following adjectives form their comparative and superlative from a different root than the positive:--

guot, _good_, be[zz]er, be[zz]est, beste (Sec. 23).
[u:]bel, _bad_, wirser, wirsest, wir(se)ste.
l[u:]tzel, _little_, minner, minre (Sec. 9, 3), minnest, min(ne)ste.
michel, _great_, m[e]rer, m[e]r(r)e, meiste.

Sec. 59.

The following adjectives are defective:--

[e]rer, [e]rre, [e:]rre, _former_, [e]rest, [e]rste, _first_.
hinder, _hinder_, hinderste, _hindmost_.
ober, _upper_, oberste, _uppermost_.
le[zz]este, leste (Sec. 23), _last_.
vorder, _former_, vorderste, _foremost_.

C. FORMATION OF ADVERBS FROM ADJECTIVES.

Sec. 60.

1. By adding {-e} (= OHG. {-o}) to the adjective when this does not already end in {-e}, as {[e:]ben}, _even_, {h[o]ch}, _high_, {lanc}, _long_: adv. {[e:]bene}, {h[o]he}, {lange}; {edele} (OHG. {edili}), _noble_, {[u:]bel} (OHG. {ubil}), _evil_: adv. {edele} (OHG. {edilo}), {[u:]bele} (OHG. {ubilo}).

2. Dissyllabic adjectives ending in {-e} and containing a mutated stem-vowel change it to the corresponding unmutated vowel, when used as adverbs, as {sch[oe]ne} (OHG. {sc[o]ni}), _beautiful_, {herte}, _hard_, {senfte}, _soft_, {s[u:]e[z]e}, _sweet_, {sw[ae]re}, _heavy_: adv. {sch[o]ne}, {harte}, {sanfte}, {suo[z]e}, {sw[a]re}.

3. By adding {-l[i]che} or {-l[i]chen} to the adjective, as {ganz}, _whole_, {vl[i][z]ec}, _diligent_: adv. {ganzl[i]che(n), vl[i][z]ecl[i]che(n)}.

4. The comparative and superlative degrees of adverbs are the same as the corresponding uninflected forms of the adjectives without umlaut:--

Adjective lanc, _long_ lenger lengest.
Adverb lange langer langest
(OHG. lang[o]r) (OHG. lang[o]st).

Sec. 61.

The following are irregular:--

wol, _well_ ba[z], _better_ best(e), _best_.
wirs, _worse_ wirsest, wirste, _worst_.
min, minner, minre, _less_ minnest, minste, _least_.
m[e], m[e]r, m[e]re, _more_ meist, meiste, _most_.
[e], _formerly_ [e]r(e)st, [e]rste, _first_.

Sec. 62.

D. NUMERALS.

CARDINAL. ORDINAL.
ein, -er, -e[z], -iu, _one_ [e]rste
zwei, _two_ ander
dr[i], _three_ dritte
vier, _four_ vierde
f[u:]nf (finf), _five_ f[u:]nfte, finfte
s[e:]hs, _six_ s[e:]hste
siben, _seven_ sibende, -te
ahte, _eight_ ahtede, ahte
niun, _nine_ niunde, -te
z[e:]hen, _ten_ z[e:]hende, -te
einlif (eilif), _eleven_ ei(n)lifte, eilfte
zwelf, _twelve_ zwelfte
dr[i]z[e:]hen, _thirteen_ dr[i]z[e:]hende
vierz[e:]hen, _fourteen_ vierz[e:]hende
f[u:]nfz[e:]hen, _fifteen_ f[u:]nfz[e:]hende
s[e:]h(s)z[e:]hen, _sixteen_ s[e:](h)sz[e:]hende
sibenz[e:]hen, _seventeen_ sibenz[e:]hende
ah(t)z[e:]hen, _eighteen_ ah(t)z[e:]hende
niunz[e:]hen, _nineteen_ niunz[e:]hende
zweinzic (_or_ -zec), _twenty_ zweinzigeste
dr[i][z]ic " _thirty_ dr[i][z]igeste
vierzic " _forty_ vierzigeste
f[u:]nfzic " _fifty_ f[u:]nfzigeste
s[e:]hszic " _sixty_ s[e:]hszigeste
sibenzic " _seventy_ sibenzigeste
ah(t)zic " _eighty_ ah(t)zigeste
niunzic " _ninety_ niunzigeste
z[e:]henzic _hundred_ z[e:]henzigeste
_or_ hundert _or_ hundertste
zwei hunt _two hundred_ zweihundertste
_or_ hundert
t[u]sent _thousand_ t[u]senste
zwei t[u]sent _two thousand_ zweit[u]sentste

Sec. 63.

{Ein} follows the strong declension, when used as a numeral. The dat. {einme} is generally contracted to {eime} (Sec. 9, 3). When {ein} is used in the sense of _alone_, it follows the weak declension. On the inflexion of {ander}, _second_, see Sec. 55. {Zwei} and {dr[i]} are declined as follows:--

_Masc._ _Neut._ _Fem._

Nom. Acc. zw[e]ne zwei zw[o], zwuo, zw[a]
Gen. zwei(g)er (Sec. 35) zwei(g)er zwei(g)er
Dat. zwein, zweien zwein, zweien zwein, zweien

Nom. Acc. dr[i], dr[i]e driu dr[i], dr[i]e
Gen. dr[i](g)er (Sec. 35) dr[i](g)er dr[i](g)er
Dat. dr[)i]n, dr[i]en dr[)i]n, dr[)i]en dr[)i]n, dr[i]en

Sec. 64.

The other cardinals up to twelve are sometimes inflected; when such is the case the endings are:--

_Masc. and Fem._ _Neut._

Nom. Acc. -e -iu
Gen. -er -er
Dat. -en -en

{hundert} and {t[u]sent} are neuter nouns.