ON CERTAIN FORMS IN -ER.
§ 237. Preparatory to the consideration of the degrees of comparison, it is
necessary to make some remarks upon a certain class of words, which, with
considerable differences of signification, all agree in one fact, viz., all
terminate in -er, or _t-er_.
1. Certain pronouns, as _ei-th-er_, _n-ei-th-er_, _whe-th-er_, or
_o-th-er_.
2. Certain prepositions and adverbs, as _ov-er_, _und-er_, _af-t-er_.
3. Certain adjectives, with the form of the comparative, but the power of
the positive degree; as _upp-er_, _und-er_, _inn-er_, _out-er_, _hind-er_.
4. All adjectives of the comparative degree; as _wis-er_, _strong-er_,
_bett-er_, &c.
Now what is the idea common to all these words, expressed by the sign -er,
and connecting the four divisions into one class? It is not the mere idea
of comparison; although it is the comparative degree, to the expression of
which the affix in question is more particularly applied. Bopp, who has
best generalised the view of these forms, considers the fundamental idea to
be that of _duality_. In the comparative degree we have a relation between
one object and _some_ other object like it, or a relation between two
single elements of comparison: _A is wiser than B_. In the superlative
degree we have a relation between one object and _all_ others like it, or a
relation between one single and one complex element of comparison: _A is
wiser than B, C, D_, &c.
"As in comparatives a relation between _two_, and in superlatives a
relation between _many_, lies at the bottom, it is natural that their
suffixes should be transferred to other words, whose chief notion is
individualised through that of duality or plurality."--"Vergleichende
Grammatik," § 292, Eastwick's and Wilson's Translation.
The most important proofs of the view adduced by Bopp are,--
1. The Sanskrit form _kataras_ = _which of _two_ persons?_ is a comparative
form; whilst _katamas_ = _which of more than two persons?_ a superlative
form. Similarly, _êkataras_ = _one of two persons_; _êkatamas_ = _one of
more than two persons_.
2. The Greek forms, [Greek: hekateros] = _each_ (_or either_) _out of two
persons_; whilst [Greek: hekastos] = _each or any out of more than two
persons_.
§ 238. The more important of the specific modifications of the general idea
involved in the comparison of two objects are,--
1. Contrariety: as in _inner_, _outer_, _under_, _upper_, _over_. In Latin
the words for _right_ and _left_ end in -er,--_dexter_, _sinister_.
2. Choice in the way of an alternative; as _either_, _neither_, _whether_,
_other_.
§ 239. _Either_, _neither_, _other_, _whether_.--It has just been stated
that the general fundamental idea common to all these forms is that of
_choice between one of two objects in the way of an alternative_. Thus far
the termination -er in _either_, &c., is the termination -er in the true
comparatives, _brav-er_, _wis-er_, &c. _Either_ and _neither_ are common
pronouns. _Other_, like _one_, is a pronoun capable of taking the plural
form of a substantive (_others_), and also that of the genitive case (_the
other's money, the other's bread_). _Whether_ is a pronoun in the almost
obsolete form _whether_ ( = _which_) _of the two do you prefer_, and a
conjunction in sentences like _whether will you do this or not_? The use of
the form _others_ is recent. "_They are taken out of the way as all
other._"--Job. "_And leave their riches for other._"--Psalms.
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