4-4 A SPANISH REFERENCE GRAMMAR

3. The consonantal sound in which the stem ends must be retained by proper spelling: rico, riquisimo ; largo, larguisimo, very long; feliz, felicisimo, very happy. See Tabla de Ortografia, page 188. 211.

4. Many adjectives in the absolute superlative revert to their original Latin stem or Latin superlative form: fuerte, fortisimo, very strong; cierto, certisimo, very certain; celebre, celebêrrimo, very celebrated; fiel, fidelisimo, very faithful; sabio, sapientisimo, very wise; grande, maxim° as well as grandisimo, very large; bueno, Optimo as well as bonisimo, very good; malo, pêsimo as well as malisimo, very bad; pequerio, minim as well as pequefiisimo, very small. 212.

3 Comparison of equality.

1. Adjectives modifying nouns: tanto (-a, -os, -as) ... como, as, so ... as: tantos libros como lipices, as many books as pencils. 213.

2. Adverbs modifying adjectives: tan ... como, tan rico como yo, a.; rich as I. 214.

3. Correlatives: In the comparison of adjectives (or adverbs, see 697), if proportion or ratio is expressed (the ... the, in English), the following forms are possible: cuanto (or mientras) mas (menos) (tanto) mas (menos): cuanto mas dinero tengo, tanto

COMPARISON OF EQUALITY   45

mas quiero, the more money I have, the more I want. 215.

4. Than in comparisons.

,a) Between words or phrases que is used: tengo mas tiempo que dinero, I have more time than money. 216.

2. Before numbers de is used in affirmative sentences: tengo mas de cinco Mares, I have more than five dollars. 217.

3. In negative sentences que or de may be used with different shades of meaning: no tengo mas que cinco Mares, I have but five dollars; no tengo mas de cinco dolares, I haven't more than five dollars (I may have less).   218.

4. When the comparison is between clauses, and the point of comparison is an adjective or adverb, the verbs of both clauses being expressed and different, than is expressed by de + lo que, the neuter relative pronoun: la nina era mas hermosa de lo que creia, the girl was more beautiful than (that which) he thought. 219.

5. When a noun is the point of comparison between clauses, the verbs of both clauses being expressed and usually identical, than is expressed by de + el que (la que, los que, las que), the masculine or feminine relative: tengo mas libros de los que tenia,

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