Elementary Arabic Morphology 1

Comparatives, Superlatives, and Epithets

  1. What are comparatives and superlatives?

  2. How are comparatives and superlatives formed?

  3. What is an epithet?

  4. Comparatives and superlatives are a form that denotes something being compared. For example: یُوسفُ ﺃکبَرُ من ﺇبراهیمَ (Yūsif is bigger than Ibrāhīm)

  5. Comparatives and superlatives are only formed from triliteral verbs having the form;ﺃفعَلَ. For example: ﺃکرَم ﺃصدَق (more truthful, more generous)

  6. An epithet is a form taken from intransitive verbs that denote a fixed state. It has many forms, for example: ﺃسوَد عَطشان ظَریف ضَخم بَطَل (black, brave, big, elegant, thirsty)