Основы теоретической грамматики английского языка

THE CATEGORY OF ADJECTIVAL COMPARISON expresses the quantitative 
characteristic of the quality of a nounal referent, thus, it gives a relative evaluation of the 
quantity or quality. The purely relative nature of the categorial semantics of comparison is 
reflected in its name.

---

34
This category is constituted by the opposition of the three forms under the heading of 
degrees of comparison:
1. the basic form – positive degree, having no features of comparison;
2. the comparative degree form, having the feature of restricted superiority;
3. the superlative degree form, having the feature of unrestricted superiority.
Some linguists exclude the positive degree from the category as one having no features 
of comparison, and recognize comparative and superlative degrees. But sometimes the basic 
form can express comparative degree, but as the unmarked member, not distinguished by any 
comparative suffixes, while the superiority forms are the marked members, distinguished by the 
comparison suffixes or comp. auxiliaries.
E.g.: The remark was as bitter as could be. That was the bitterest remark I’ve ever heard 
from the man.
Thus, at the upper level of presentation the superiority degrees as the marked member of 
the opposition are contrasted against the positive degree as its unmarked member. The 
synthetical forms of comparison in “-er” and “-(e)st” coexist with the analytical forms of 
comparison effected by the auxiliaries “more, most”, which perform a double function: they are 
used with the evaluative adjectives, that consist of more 2-syllable composition and cannot 
normally take the synthetic forms of comparison; the analytical forms of comparison are used to 
express emphasis. E.g.: The audience became more and more noisy.
Some scholars consider more/most and less/least-combinations to be free syntactic 
constructions and semantically analogous to each other. The inherent superlative semantics is 
emphasiszed by the definite article normally.
There exist suplative forms of degrees of comparisons: good – better – the best, bad – 
worse – the worst, etc.