Niw Englisch/Grammar/Adjectives and Adverbs

Strong Adjective Declension
Singular Plural
Case Masculine Neuter Feminine Plural
Nominative - - -e -e
Genitive -es -es -er -er
Dative -em -em -er -en
Accusative -en - -e -e

Examples:

  • old books alde Bœke
  • for long streets for langen Stræten
  • of (a) young lamb ȝonges Lambes

The weak declension is used after þe, þis, and ȝon

Weak Adjective Declension
Singular Plural
Case Masculine Neuter Feminine Plural
Nominative -e -e -e -en
Genitive -en -en -en -en
Dative -en -en -en -en
Accusative -en -e -e -en

Examples:

  • the old man þe alde Mann
  • that new car ȝon niw Auto
  • with the thin book mid þer þynnen Bok

Comparison

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All adjectives add -er and -est to the word before taking endings in the comparative and superlative form.

Example:

  • new, newer, newest: niw, niwer, niwst-
  • red, redder, reddest: redd, redder, reddest

Irregular Comparison A few adjectives have irregular forms for comparison:

  • good, better, best: god, better, betst
  • little, littler, littlest: lyttel, læss, læst
  • great, greater, greatest: micel, maar, mæst
  • evil, eviler, evilest: yfel, wiers, wierst

Umlauted Comparison Some adjectives in one syllable have umlauts in the comparative and superlative:

  • big: great, grietter, grietst
  • broad: brad, bræder, brædest
  • long: lang, længer, længst
  • short: scort, scœrter, scœrtst
  • strong: strang, strænger, strængst
  • young: ȝong, ȝœnger, ȝœngst

Adverbs

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In English, they usually end in 'ly' and in Niw Englisc are formed by adding 'e' or 'es' on to adjectives or other words.

Examples:

  • by day: dæȝes
  • by night: nahtes
  • raðe: quickly

You can also add '-ens' to the superlative to create an adverb form:
Wiȝ etteþ mæstens in þer Kycene. We mostly eat in the kitchen.
Ic em bestens geræded. I'm very well provided for.
Hunde sind hier strængstens forboden. Dogs are strictly forbidden here.
Þein Wagen biþ ærstens Wodensdæȝ geræde. Your car will be ready on Wednesday at the earliest.