What’s more lovely/lovelier?

e, 23 February, 2007

Hi,
I am an English teacher but not a native speaker.
I am confused with the word \”lovely\” in comparative and superlative forms.
I know the grammar books teach it as lovelier and loveliest but I have also heard and seen native speakers saying more lovely and the most lovely.

Is there any explanation to it?
Thank you for your time,

elmira


ally, 23 February, 2007

Hi Elmira

I think the rule goes something like this…

If you have an adjective with two syllables for example ‘happy’ it can either be ‘more happy’ or ‘happier’ in the comparative form as either of two rules can apply here. Rule one is that adjectives ending in a ‘y’ change to ‘-ier’ and rule two is that adjectives with two or more syllables change to ‘more…’

Hope this helps!


e, 24 February, 2007

Hi,
thanks for the reply. i do know the rule you are talking about and i agree with you and the rule. my question was if it is possible to say that one word \”lovely\” in two comperative forms : \”lovelier\” as well as \”more lovely\”. i am confused because i have heard two different versions from the native speakers, although the books explain only one , which is \”lovelier\”.

anyway, thanks for help,
e.


Keith, Moderator, 26 February, 2007

Hi Elmira

“Correct” English is English which is commonly used.

So if both these forms are commonly used, which they are, then I think they can both be considered correct.

The use of slang is a good example to illustate this point – new slang expressions become part of “accepted” (and therefore correct) English usage very quickly, even when they do not follow pure grammar rules. Our students need to know the English that they are going to hear in the real world, not only what the textbooks consider to be correct.

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