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3.4.12.
 
The Comparative
 
     The degree of comparison is phonically marked in the verb by hi, pu and shu for the comparative degree proceeding in an ascending scale of intensity and by khri and bo for the superlative degree with the compared NP being marked by -ko.
 

206

 .1.

 cini-hi1 odz*2 -li3 -ko0

{zü zhühi-e}4
      {zü zhü pu hi-e}
      (comparative)
       
    sugar1 melts better4 in3 water2 (than in something else)  
       
 

2.

 cini-hi1 odzü2 -li3 -ko0 zü zhü {khri}4

-e
   

{to}

  
       
    sugar1 melts best4 in water 2  
       
       
 

3.

 losa1-ko0 mamüi zhu {hi-e}2

 
      {pu-hi-e}
      {shu hi-e}
       
    Losa1 is more beautiful2 (than somebody else/some others)  
      (comparative)
       
 

4.

 losa1 -ko0 mamüi zhü {khri}

-ti-e 2
   

{bo}

  
       
    Losa1 is the most beautiful2  
      (superlative)
       
       
 

5.

 ahie1 -ko0 mohiu

{ ų-e}2
      {hi-e}
      {pu hi-e}
      {shu hi-e}
       
    who is cleaner (than others) ?  
      (comparative)
       
       
 

6.

 ahie1 -ko0 ita3 hru-li4 mohi {khi}

-i-e5
   

{bo}

  
       
    who is cleanest5 among 4 us (excl. pl. & incl. prn.)3 ?  
      (superlative)
       
       
 

7.

 barak1 korü2 -ko 0 mikrüli3 sa so

{ hi-e} 4
      {pu hi-e}
      {shu hi-e}
       
    Barak1 river2 is longer4 (than others) in Manipur2  
       
       

 

 8.

 barak1 korü2 -ko0 mikrüli3 sa so {khri}

  -i-e4
      {bo}
       
    Barak1 (river)2 is the longest4 (river) in Manipur3  
      It is to be noted that -no a nominal particle of identification (see 4.3) marks, by implication, kind comparison as opposed to degree comparison which is marked by -ko, as we saw. Thus,
 

207

1.

 nipuni-1 {ko}0

  puni2 dzü3 zhü hi-e4
   

{*no}

  
       
    Nipuni1 is better2 than3 Puni2  
       
 

2.

 losa1 - {ko}0

  lolia2 dzü3 mamüi zhü hi-e4
   

{*no}

  
       
    Losa1 is more beautiful4 than3 Lolia2  
       
 

3.

 saramati1 - { ko}0

  isü2 tokru hi-e4
   

{*no}

  
       
    Saramati1 is higher4 than3 Isü2  
       
 

4.

cini-hi1 dzü2 -li3 - {ko}0

zü4 koho5 hi-e4
 

{*no}

  
     
  sugar1 melts4 faster5 in3 water2  
       

208.

1.  ahie1 -ko2 zhü-e3  
       

means

    
     
  who1 is better (and who worse)2 ?  
     

whereas

    
     

 

 2.  ahie1 -no0 zhü-e 2  
     

would mean

    
  who1 is good (and who bad)2 ?

 

  
 

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