( 262 )

The superlative is formed by adding сáмый, ‘most,’ to the positive.

Сáмый прекрасный,
Сáмый лёгкий,
Сáмый добрый,

To respect, to revere,

To peck,

Harmful, вредный.

Polite, учтительный.

Precious, драгоценный.

Envy, зависть, f.

Gambling, игра.

Raspberry, малина.

Strawberry, клубника.

A blessing,

Your obedient servant.

Your most obedient servant.

A bird of prey.

Younger brother.

Eldest son.

Most beautiful.

Lightest.

Kindest.

Уважать, почитать

Клевать.

Famous, знаменный.

Good tempered, благоправный.

Obedient, послушный.

Conscience, собственность, f.

A favourite, любимецъ.

Gooseberry, крыловникъ.

Currant, смородина.

Блáго.

Вашъ покорный слуга.

Вашъ покорный штаб слуга.

Хищная птица.

Младший братъ.

Старший сын.

## EXERCISE LXX.

What are these stone-masons building?—They are building a house for the richest and most liberal merchant in the town.—Has he a good garden?—His garden is the finest in the town.—Which is the prettiest animal? The horse is the prettiest and most useful of our domestic animals.—Where is your friend?—She is sitting on the bench in the garden.—What are you sitting upon?—I am sitting on a chair and the little dog is lying at my feet.—Which is the most harmful passion? Gambling is the most harmful passion, and envy is the vilest.—Where are you going?—I am going to the cleverest and most experienced doctor in the town, because

( 263 )

health is man's most precious treasure.—Yes, my friend, health and a tranquil conscience are the greatest blessings. Do you see that youth, whom all his friends respect? Yes; he is the politest and most diligent of all the pupils. The hare is the most timid animal.—What is that hanging on the nail?—A beautiful picture is hanging on the nail.—Which is the pleasantest season of the year?—Spring is the pleasantest, and summer is the warmest season.—The eagle is the largest and strongest of all birds of prey.—The highest mountains are in Switzerland, and the largest rivers in America.—Can all birds fly?—Most birds fly, but there are birds which cannot fly.—Can the ostrich fly?—No, the ostrich is a bird which cannot fly, but only walk.—Whither are these pigeons flying?—They are flying to their nests. Who is our best friend?—A good book is our best, truest and most sincere friend, and also our pleasantest companion. Do you hear what they say?—I am listening, but I do not hear, because I am sitting too far from them.—The most faithful friend is not as true as the Bible, and the cleverest companions are not as witty and wise as the fables of the famous fabulist Æsop.—The Volga is the largest river in Russia.—The longest day and the shortest night is on the twenty-first of June; the shortest day and the longest night is on the twenty-first of December.

## EXERCISE LXXI.

Will all the lady pupils go with us to the theatre to-day? No, we take with us the most diligent only.—What does this woman trade in?—She trades in fruit.—What fruit has she?—She has most excellent raspberries, large (крúнчий) plums, pears, apples, and fresh gooseberries.—Is it

( 264 )

true that the elephant is the most sagacious animal?—Yes,
it is true.—Did you bring some gold?—I only brought
some silver.—I advise you to bring some gold, or it will
be impossible to buy that expensive horse.—Did the cook
buy some fruit and some wine?—He bought some of the
best wine, and some most excellent fruit.—Are you standing
or sitting?—I am sitting, and not standing.—Are they
sitting also?—No, they are not sitting, but standing.—The
cleverest people are not always the richest or happiest, and
the richest people are not always the most liberal.—Where
did you spend the last spring and winter?—We spent the
most agreeable season in Italy, and the coldest in Egypt.
To whom did you give those French books?—I gave them
to your eldest brother.—Did you also give something to
my youngest brother?—No, I gave nothing to your youngest
brother.—What does he advise you (to do)?—He advises
me to take lessons.—Have your brothers many sparrows?
They have pigeons only, they have no sparrows.—Who pecks
the cherries in the garden?—The sparrows peck them, and
I advise you to send the gardener there, or you will not
have any cherries at all.—Of what do boys build their little
houses?—They build them of cards.—Whom do you now
rely upon?—I do not rely now upon any body, but formerly
I relied upon my friends.—What does the merchant advise
his clerk to do?—He does not advise him, he orders (him).
What does he order him to do?—He orders him to take
the money to the richest banker in the town.—Did he take
it to him?—Yes he has taken it already.—What does the
nurse advise the children to do?—She advises them not
to eat unripe fruit.—Do your children obey their nurse?
They always obey her; my children are very obedient.

( 267 )

Тоблестый, thick; comparative тобле.
Простой, simple; comparative прорще.

### OBS. 4.—The following indeclinable comparatives in e
are formed from the declinable comparatives, and not from
the positive degree.

<table><tr><td>Великій, great; comparative</td><td>declinable большій.<br>indeclinable бОЛЬШЕ.</td></tr><tr><td>Малый, small; comparative</td><td>declinable мěньшій.<br>indeclinable мěньше.</td></tr><tr><td>Хоровій, good; comparative</td><td>declinable лучшій.<br>indeclinable луčше.</td></tr><tr><td>† Красный, fair; comparative крӑше.</td><td></td></tr></table>

### OBS. 5.—From the comparatives большій and мěньшій,
are derived the adjectives

Большой, 'large,' and меньшой, 'small.'

Большой is used also instead of великий, when it denotes
a size, as: большой домъ, 'a large house,' instead of великий
домъ.

The comparative of the following adjectives and adverbs
must not be confounded:

<table><thead><tr><th>Adjectives.</th><th>Adverbs.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Longer, больше.</td><td>Longer (time), больше.</td></tr><tr><td>More distant, дальше.</td><td>Farther, дálje.</td></tr><tr><td>Thinner, тоньше.</td><td>Thinner, тонце.</td></tr><tr><td>Larger, больше.</td><td>More, больше.</td></tr><tr><td>Smaller, меньше.</td><td>Less, мěше.</td></tr></tbody></table>

### OBS. 6.—The comparative of all other adverbs is exactly
the same as that of the indeclinable adjectives they are
derived from.

<table><tr><td>I was here longer than you.</td><td>Я былъ здѣсь дѣлѣе пѣжели вы.</td></tr><tr><td>This war was longer than that one.</td><td>Эта война была дѣльше той.</td></tr><tr><td>We went farther.</td><td>Мы пошли дálje.</td></tr></table>

( 268 )

That forest is more distant from
here than that river.

I have more books than he.

This book is larger than that.

I have less money than he.

These tables are smaller than those.

The ice is thinner than it was last
year.

My paper is thinner than yours.

A little larger,

A little smaller,

Тотъ лѣсъ дальше отсюда пѣжели та
рѣкá.

У менѣ бѣлѣе книгъ чѣмъ у него.

Эта книга бѣольше той.

У менѣ менѣе дѣнегъ чѣмъ у пего.

Эти столѣи менѣе чѣхъ.

Ледъ топѣе чѣмъ въ прополомъ гоѣў.

Мой бумага топьше. Вашей.

Побѣлѣе.

Помѣпѣе.

### OBS. 7.—The preposition по is added to the indeclinable comparative when the object compared is not mentioned, as :

A larger house is taken.

Напятъ домъ побольше

But when the object of comparison is mentioned, the comparative must be without the preposition по, as :

Your house is larger and more
roomy than ours.

Вашъ домъ бѣольше и просторнее
пашего.

### OBS. 8.—The preposition по, if used when the object of comparison is mentioned, modifies the comparative and signifies 'a little,' as :

Your book is a little better than
ours.

Ваща книга полѣчше пашей.

This horse is a little stronger than
that one.

Эта лошадь поспѣнѣе той.

As—as,

Такъ—какъ.

### OBS. 9.—In the comparative of equality такъ is usually left out in affirmative sentences.

He is as rich as Crœsus.

Онъ (такъ) богатъ какъ Крезъ.

Stronger,

Спільѣе, спільнѣй.

( 269 )

OBS. 10.—The comparative termination ѣе can be short-
ened in all adjectives into ѣй.

The—the, ЧѣМЪ—ТѣМЪ.

OBS. 11.—‘The,’—‘the’ before a comparative are ren-
dered чѣмъ тѣмъ.

The larger a horse is, the stronger
it is.

ЧѣМЪ бѣльше лѣшадь, тѣмъ опа
спѣлѣе.

OBS. 12.—There are qualifying adjectives which do not
admit of any comparison. To this class belong adjectives
denoting a quality of which a larger or smaller measure is
impossible, as :

Square, квадратный.
Married, женатый.
Childless, бездѣтный.
Homeless, бездомный.

Armless, безрѣкій.
Footless, безнорій.
Barefoot, босой.
Pedestrian, пѣшій, etc.

OBS. 13.—The object of comparison once mentioned need
not be repeated.

What cloth is better than German
(cloth)?

English cloth is better than Ger-
man.

Какое сукно лѣше пѣмѣцкаго?

Английское сукно лѣше пѣмѣцкаго.

As (like),

Do it as you are told and not in
your own way.

Какъ.

Дѣлайте это какъ вамъ приказы-
ваютъ. а не по своему.

OBS. 14.—There are in the Russian language only four
adjectives having the superlative with declinable termi-
nations; these are :

Largest, величайший.
Highest, высочайший.

Smallest, малѣший.
Lowest, пѣжайший.

Best of all, Іўчше всѣхъ.

( 270 )

OBS. 15.—The superlative is also formed by adding всѣхъ,
'of all,' to the indeclinable comparative.

He is the kindest of all.
She is the prettiest of all.

Опъ добрѣе всѣхъ.
Она краснѣе всѣхъ.

For,

Read the Bible, for it is the best
book.

By which road do you wish to go?
I will go by the nearest road.

{ Небо (rarely used).
{ Нотому что.

Читайте Библию, небо это самая лу-
шая книга.

By (on),

По (governs the dative).

По котóрой дорóгъ вы желáете пять?
Я пойду по близкайшей дорогѣ.

EXERCISE LXXII.

Is it agreeable to live in town in the summer?—It is
very agreeable, but to live in a village in the summer is
still more agreeable and healthier than in town.—Is it as
warm to-day as it was yesterday?—To-day is much warmer
than yesterday.—Whose daughter is more diligent and
more amiable than all the other pupils?—Our neighbour's
daughter is the most diligent and most amiable of all.—Are
all girls as charming and amiable as his sister?—His sister
is kind and amiable, but her friend is kinder and more
amiable, and their schoolmistress is the most amiable and
charming of all.—Whose house is the finest of all?—The
uncle's house, which you see on the other side of the river,
is the finest of all.—Our neighbour's dog is very pretty.
That is true, but my dog is prettier than that of the neigh-
bour.—Which horses are the dearest?—Arabian horses are
the dearest.—Where were you yesterday?—We were in the
new theatre, which is much more luxurious and more roomy
than the old one.—Are these merchant-ships as large and

( 271 )

strong as those war-ships?—No, war-ships are always larger
and stronger than merchant-ships.—Which horse is the
larger, yours or that of the Englishman?—My horse is
larger, but that of the Englishman is prettier and more
expensive than mine.—The nearer to the North, the longer
are the days in summer, and the shorter the nights.—Which
is the most expensive stone of all?—The diamond is dearer
than all other precious stones.—What country is more moun-
tainous than France?—Switzerland is more mountainous
than France, but France is larger and richer than Switzerland
Is the stag as swift as the horse?—The stag is much
swifter than the horse.—Which street is the broader, this
or that?—That is the broader, but this is the brighter, for
the houses are lower.—We have bought all this a little
cheaper than before.—Is Moscow rich?—Yes, Moscow is
one of the richest cities of Russia.—Who came here later
than you?—Everybody came earlier than I.—These trees
are higher and greener than those.—These houses are a
little higher, but those are a little more roomy.—In spring
the sky is clearer and the air is purer, more agreeable and
warmer, than in autumn.—Man can live anywhere, both in
the warmest and the coldest countries.

EXERCISE LXXIII.

Is the river Dnieper deep?—It is not everywhere equally
deep, some places are deep and others are deeper or more
shallow.—Which wine is the cheaper, the red or the white?
—The white is the cheaper, but the red is the better.—Have
you in England coal and iron?—There is more coal and iron
in England than in France.—Who is the more diligent,
your eldest or your youngest son?—My youngest son is
much more diligent and more obedient than my eldest.

( 272 )

Where does he want to go?—To the field and into the forest.—Why not into the garden?—The forest is the nearest. Old men are generally more experienced than young men. Is the cupola of this church as high as the tower of that strong castle?—The cupola of this church is not only higher than that tower, but it is also higher than all the other cupolas and towers in the city.—Which do you like the best, summer or spring?—I like summer better (more) than spring, because it is warmer in summer.—France is larger and more populous than Holland, but Russia is not only larger than France, but it is also the most populous country in Europe.—Is your woollen cloth as thin as mine?—My cloth is thicker and cheaper than yours.—A mean rich man is much poorer than a beggar.—Do you want to eat now or later?—I do not want to eat now, because I have just breakfasted.—Bring a little more firewood, for it is very cold in the room.—Is your fur coat, lined with bear-skin, light? No, it is very heavy.—Is it warm?—It is warmer than all my other fur coats.—Did you live long in Italy?—I lived there longer than my brother.—Is the autumn day as long as the winter day?—The autumn day is longer than the winter one.—Who wears sable furs?—Only wives and daughters of rich men wear sable furs.—Are sheep-skins and hare-skins cheap?—They are cheaper than all other furs. Who was always the more liberal, the rich foreigner or his poor neighbour?—The first was by far the more liberal. Has he much money?—He has less money than you, but your house is smaller than his.—Whose waistcoat is the older, yours or mine?—My waistcoat is older than yours. Is he younger than his brother?—He is older than his brother.—Is his horse cheaper than yours?—His horse is cheaper, but also older and worse than mine.

( 273 )

THIRTY-SEVENTH LESSON.

Трйдцать седьмой Урökъ.

AUGMENTATIVE AND DIMINUTIVE ADJECTIVES.

Russian qualifying adjectives, besides the three degrees of comparison, by means of certain terminations and prefixes, express abundance or want in the quality itself, and also strengthen or soften the original signification of the positive degree.

A. The augmentative degree denoting the quality as more abundant or stronger than usual is rendered :

a. By adding the prefix пре to the declinable adjectives :

Бѣлый, white; пребѣлый, quite white.

Дурной, bad; предурной, very bad.

b. By adding the terminations ехонекъ, ешенекъ or охонекъ, ошенекъ to the indeclinable adjectives :

Бѣль, white; { бѣлехонекъ, } quite white.

Сухъ, dry; { сухохонекъ, } quite dry.

OBS. 1.—The augmentative degree in adjectives is commonly rendered by adding: совсѣмъ or совершенно, 'quite, entirely,' to the apocopated adjectives, as :

Бѣлехонекъ or совершенно бѣль, quite white.

Сухохонекъ or совершенно сухъ, quite dry.

NOTE.—The augmentative adjectives never denote a coarse deformity like that expressed by augmentative substantives.

B. The diminutive degree denoting the quality as weaker

T

( 275 )

### OBS. 2.—The diminutive terminations оватый, еватый must not be confounded with the similar terminations of the positive degree of derivative adjectives, such as :

<table><tr><td>Угловатый,</td><td>Angular.</td></tr><tr><td>Ноздреватый,</td><td>Porous.</td></tr><tr><td>Виноватый,</td><td>In fault, wrong.</td></tr></table>

3. The terminations енькой, онькой cannot be added to adjectives ending in кий, preceded by a consonant and denoting a property in an inanimate object, such as: 'fragile,' ломкий; 'sonorous,' звонкий; 'slippery,' сколызкий, etc.

4. The augmentative terminations ехонекъ, ешенекъ cannot be added to derivative adjectives denoting appurtenance to an object of some parts or properties and ending in авый, атый, астый, оватый, нвый, птый, истый, овитый, ный, кий, etc., such as :

<table><tr><td>Моложавый,</td><td>Young-looking.</td></tr><tr><td>Летний,</td><td>Lazy.</td></tr><tr><td>Сердитый,</td><td>Angry.</td></tr><tr><td>Крылатый,</td><td>Winged, etc.</td></tr></table>

### OBS. 3.—All such adjectives however can take the prefix пре, both in the declinable and indeclinable form.

<table><tr><td>Премоложавый, премоложавъ,</td><td>Looking very young.</td></tr><tr><td>Прелетный, прелетивъ,</td><td>Very lazy.</td></tr><tr><td>Пресердитый, пресердитъ,</td><td>Very angry.</td></tr></table>

### OBS. 4.—Both the augmentative and the diminutive adjectives are used affirmatively only; therefore the negative particle не cannot be prefixed to them.

### OBS. 5.—Augmentative and diminutive adjectives have no degrees of comparison.

In forming the augmentative and the diminutive degrees the following euphonic changes must be observed :

( 276 )

1. The e in the termination енекъ, ехонекъ, preceded by г, к, х is changed into о:

<table><tr><td>Долгий, long; diminutive долгонький, долгонехекъ.</td></tr><tr><td>Высокий, high; ... высоконький, высоконехекъ.</td></tr><tr><td>Сухой, dry; ... сухонький, сухонехекъ.</td></tr></table>

2. The terminations ешенекъ, ошенекъ cannot be added to adjectives having з, с, ж, ч or ш before the termination, thus:

Свѣжий, fresh; augmentative свѣжехонекъ and not свѣжешенекъ.

### Obs. 6.—All other adjectives can take both the terminations ехонекъ, охонекъ and ешенекъ, ошенекъ.

<table><tr><td>Бѣлый, white; augmentative бѣлехонекъ and бѣлешенекъ.</td></tr><tr><td>Сухой, dry; augmentative сухохонекъ and сухошенекъ.</td></tr></table>

3. Adjectives in кий, preceded by the radical consonants н, д, т, з, с, г, form their augmentative or diminutive degree by adding енькой, опькой, енекъ, онекъ, ехонекъ, охопекъ to the radical consonant; the consonant к, therefore in the termination of the positive degree is left out, as:

Тонкий, thin; diminutive тоненькой, тоненекъ; augmentative тонехонекъ.
Лёгкий, light; diminutive лёгонький, легопекъ; augmentative легохонекъ.

4. In the adjective магкий, 'soft,' the consonant г is changed into к:

Магкий, diminutive макопький, маконекъ; augmentative макохонекъ.

5. The following in кий preserve the к:

<table><tr><td>Шабкий, swift; diminutive шабкопекъ; augmentative шабкохонекъ.</td></tr><tr><td>Жалкий, pitiable; ... жалкобекъ; ... жалкохонекъ.</td></tr><tr><td>Горький, bitter; ... горькобекъ; ... горькохонекъ.</td></tr><tr><td>Плоский, flat; ... плоскобекъ; ... плоскохопекъ.</td></tr></table>

( 278 )

A single man, a bachelor,
A married man,
A married woman,
A marriage,
A wedding,
To marry for love,
A money match,

To marry to, act. v.

He has married his daughter to an officer.

He married his son to an officer's daughter.

Холостой человѣкъ.

Женитый человѣкъ.

Замѣжняя женщина.

Бракъ, женитьба.

Свадьба.

Жениться по любви.

† Бракъ по расчёту.

Выдать замужъ за.

Женить на, perf. asp. оженить.

Онъ выбирать свою дочь замужъ за офицёра.

Онъ женитьє своего сына на дочерń офицёра.

## EXERCISE LXXIV.

What has this pretty little girl got in her hands?—She has got a little red handkerchief.—What kind of little gown has this little girl got?—She has got a clean, white little gown and a pair of new little shoes.—How is the water of this lake?—It was coldish yesterday, but it is rather warm to-day.—How are the clothes which your tailor brought you the day before yesterday?—They are rather wide, and the sleeves are narrowish and rather short.—The rooms of the kind little old woman are rather small and cold.—Is your servant intelligent and diligent?—He is very diligent, but rather stupid.—How is your new horse (which) you bought at the fair yesterday?—It is *very* lazy, but much stronger than my other one.—This knife is quite blunt; give me another a little sharper, if you please.—Speak to him a little louder, because he is rather deaf.—How is the bread at your baker's?—It is rather stale, sourish and rather bitter.—Can you give me a hundred roubles?—I do not

( 279 )

know; I think that will be rather difficult, but if you like,
I can give you fifty roubles now, and the other fifty roubles
afterwards.—What kind of a little house has your neighbour
got?—His new little house is small, but clean.—Is the weather
fine?—No, it is rather damp out.—Are the streets clean?
The streets are rather dirty.—How was the beer (which)
you drank at the Hotel yesterday?—The beer (which) we
drank there was rather thick, but not bad.

## EXERCISE LXXV.

When did your eldest brother get married?—He was
married last year.—Are both your brothers married?—My
eldest brother is married, but the youngest one is not yet
married.—Whom did your eldest brother marry?—He
married the daughter of the clergyman who married
them at St. Nicholas' church.—Give this little boy a pair
of boots, because the rain is pouring and it is very cold
out.—Is this boy then barefoot?—No, he is not bare-
foot, but his boots are in holes.—Where were you going
yesterday morning with your daughter?—We were going
to the wedding of my niece, who has married my clerk.—Is
it true that your other niece is also going to marry the rich
banker?—No, it is not true; my second niece was long ago
married to Captain Petrof.—Is your mistress kind, and is
her husband liberal?—We have a very kind mistress and
her husband is a very liberal man.—Is this river deep?—It
is rather deep, but it is not broad enough for large ships.
Is your coffee sweet.—My coffee is quite bitter and
thoroughly cold.—To whom did you give the pens and the
red ink?—I gave them to my youngest brother.—Do you
see those little red flowers on that little table?—I do not
see the red, but I see the little bluish flowers.—When were

( 280 )

you at the countess's house?—I have been there quite recently.—Was she at home?—No, she was not at home, she was at the wedding at the princess's house.—To whom did the princess marry her daughter?—She married her to a rich banker.—Is the countess's family large?—Yes, she has five sons and four daughters.—I thought that her family was less than mine.—No, you see her family is larger than yours.—Have you spoken to that married woman who has got married against her parent's will?—No, I spoke only with that single man.

## EXERCISE LXXVI.

Where is this busy little bee flying to?—It is flying to gather the sweet honey from the flowers.—Are your rooms clean?—Our rooms are quite clean, but the floors in the vestibule are quite dirty.—Did not your servant then wash the floors to-day?—No, our servant is very lazy.—What does this young-looking peasant say?—He says that "one who is not lazy to plough will soon be rich." To whom is this peasant going to marry his young son?—He is going to marry him to a young and pretty peasant-girl. Did you go anywhere yesterday?—I went to the theatre and to the ball yesterday.—Are they going anywhere? They are going to the field, which is quite green.—Is your handkerchief clean?—My handkerchief is quite clean, there is not a single dirty spot on it.—Whom is your niece married to?—She has married our neighbour.—Is it true that the rich banker, at whose wedding we danced, has married a poor widow?—He did not marry a widow, but a girl, the daughter of the richest banker in our town.—Who married them?—A French priest married them.