Comparatives versus Superlatives
In a series of posts Virtus will provide tips and advice covering many aspects of publishing. This series will be an ongoing selection of language tips, covering areas that many authors find difficult or confusing. These will be short and to the point.
Virtus Publishing Language Tip #15: Comparatives versus Superlatives
An issue I see often concerns confusion over the use of words such “larger” versus “largest.” The issue involves comparatives (“larger”) versus superlatives (“largest”).
Comparative adjectives are words used when comparing two things. Let’s look at the definition from The Chicago Manual of Style (edited for style and content). (As always, the end of quoted material is marked by this symbol: ∎.)
From The Chicago Manual of Style, section 5.8.4:
A comparative adjective expresses the relationship between a specified quality shared by two things, often specifying which has more of that quality {a cheaper ticket} {a happier ending}. The suffix ‑er usually signals the comparative form of a common adjective having one or two syllables {light–lighter} {merry–merrier}. An adjective with three or more syllables takes more instead of a suffix to form the comparative {intelligent–more intelligent} {purposeful–more purposeful}. ∎
Here we use a comparative:
The salsa parade was a smaller event on the street that day.
There was at least one other parade and this one seemed smaller than the other. This is pretty straightforward and easy to understand.
The confusion usually arises when more than two things are being compared, in which case (and only in which case) a superlative should be used.
From The Chicago Manual of Style, section 5.8.5:
A superlative adjective expresses the relationship between at least three things and denotes an extreme of intensity or amount in a particular shared quality {the biggest house on the block} {the bitterest pill of all}. The suffix ‑est usually signals the superlative form of a common adjective having one or two syllables {lighter–lightest}. An adjective with three or more syllables takes most instead of a suffix to form the superlative {quarrelsome–most quarrelsome} {humorous–most humorous}. ∎
A lot of errors with superlatives also involve articles (a, an, the) when there is only one of something.
If we discuss the concept of the “nicest car,” there can only be one “nicest”: Such a context would always require a definite article. There can only truly be one nicest car, one strongest man, one largest football stadium. So in the context of article usage, superlatives would take the definite article “the”:
The nicest car I saw that day was a 1957 Pontiac Chieftain.
But what if there is uncertainty? Or, what if you were talking about a group of similar items?
Although it seems as if it would be incorrect based on the strictest interpretation of CMS 5.85, it’s perfectly fine to say this:
The 1957 Pontiac Chieftain was one of the nicest cars I saw that day.
You could also say this:
The 1957 Pontiac Chieftain one of the nicer cars I saw that day.
Here, we which switch to using a comparative, but the statement isn’t as authoritative, specific, or precise.
Going back to the parade, a more precise way of discussing that would be
The salsa parade was the smallest event on the street that day.
But we can only use the superlative if we’re sure that the statement is correct.
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