Page:Ido Exhaustive Textbook Talmey 1919.pdf/35

13. The adjective remains invariable also in regard to case, but in some instances, which occur rarely, it assumes the accusative ending -n, namely when as direct object it precedes the predicate and the noun it qualifies is not ex- pressed: la bona lernantin la instruktisto laudis, le malan lu punisis, the good pupils the teacher praised, the bad ones he punished. When however the adjective is accompanied by its substantive, usually the latter alone receives the accu- sative ending if necessary, but it is permissible to give the accusative ending also to the former: panon nia omnadia donez ad ni cadie, our daily bread may you give us to-day; panon nian omnadian would also be admissible (Gramm. Compl., § 102).

14. The a of the adjective may be elided before a con- sonant as well as before a vowel when no accumulation of consonants would be produced through the elision. It is not necessary, but permissible, to indicate the elision by an apostrophe (dec. 583, Progr., IV, p. 562). This elision is recommendable with derived adjectives, especially those derived by the suffix -al: maral aquo, sea water; domal spensi, house expenses. Domala laboro, domestic labor, is preferable to domal laboro. Elision of the a of the adjective is not to be used too frequently.

The elision of the a of the adjective leaves the place of the tonic accent unchanged: domala, domal.

15. Comparison. Comparison of equality is expressed by tam... kam, as...as,so...as}; comparison of inequal- ity of superiority by plu, more; of inequality of inferiority by min, less; the superlative by maxim, most; minim, least.

_ Equality: tam richa kam, as rich as; tam saja kam, as wise as.

Comparative: plu (min) bela, more (less) beautiful; plu bona, better; min bona, less good.

Superlative: maxim (minim) kurajoza, most (least) courageous ; maxim bona, best; minim bona, least good.

The particle than after a comparative is translated by kam (5). 5

The phrase: as clear as possible, is best translated by: maxim klara possible (5). ;

LY... PRONOUN,

(a) Personal Pronoun. 16. The personal pronouns are:

Singular: 1. Person, me, I 2. Person (familiar), tu, you, thou (polite), vu, you

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