ADVERBIA

 Adverbs: (ad-verbum; to the verb) modify primarily the action of verbs or verbal forms, but may also modify adjectives and other adverbs.

 

 DEGREE: Adverbs are derived from adjectives and thus have three degrees:

  • POSITIVE: the simple adverb, expressed in English by adding [-ly] to the adjective or by a paraphrasis such as "in the (adjective) manner." e.g. correct (adjective) becomes correct-ly (adverb); disgusting (adjective) becomes "in a disgusting manner" (adverb).
  • COMPARATIVE: this form compares one action to another in terms of the adjective from which it is derived by adding the word "more." e.g. correct (adjective) becomes "more correctly than ???" (comparative adverb); disgusting (adjective) becomes "in a more disgusting manner than ???" ( comparative adverb). May also act as an intensive form with the addition of the word "rather." e.g. correct (adjective) becomes "rather correctly" (comparative adverb); disgusting (adjective) becomes "in a rather disgusting manner" ( comparative adverb).

  • SUPERLATIVE: this form states that the action is done to the greatest possible degree. e.g. correct (adjective) becomes "most correctly"(superlative adverb); disgusting (adjective) becomes "in the most disgusting manner" (comparative adverb). May also act as an emphatic form with the addition of the word "very" or "quite." e.g. correct (adjective) becomes "very (quite) correctly" (comparative adverb); disgusting (adjective) becomes "in a very (quite) disgusting manner" ( comparative adverb).


 ADVERBIAL FORMS:
   Positive Degree  Comparative Degree  Superlative Degree
 1st & 2nd Adjective  improb-us, -a, -um  improb-ior, -ius  improb-issim-us, -a, -um
 adverb  improb-e  improb-ius  improb-issim-e
       
 3rd adjective  trist-is, -e [pote-ns]  trist-ior, -ius  trist-issim-us, -a, -um
 adverb  trist-iter [pete-nter]  trist-ius  trist-issim-e

NOTA BENE:

  • The forms of adverbs derived from the 1st & 2nd or 3rd declension adjectives differ only in the positive degree.
  • The morphological form (spelling) of the comparative adverb and the nominative, singular, neuter adjective are equivalent.
  • Some forms are irregular. i.e. bonus, -a, -um (adjective) forms bene (adverb).
  • Some adverbial forms have no adjectival equivalent. i.e. diu, non, saepe, et cetera.

Exempla:

POSITIVE:

  • Marcus [prave] scribit. Marcus writes [incorrectly.]
  • Marcus [turpiter] canit. Marcus sings [in a hideous manner.]

COMPARATIVE:

  • Marcus [pravius] quam Quintus scribit. Marcus writes [more incorrectly] than Quintus.
  • Marcus [turpius] quam Quintus canit. Marcus sings [in a more hideous manner] than Quintus.

SUPERLATIVE:

  • Marcus [pravissime] scribit. Marcus writes [most incorrectly].
  • Marcus [turpissime] canit. Marcus sings [in a most hideous manner].

Liber Grammaticus Latinus /\\||\\/ Classis Latina MIII Pagina Villae