Appearance
Comparatives, superlatives, and equatives
English splits three nearby jobs on a quality like challenging. More … than and the most put people in order on that quality. As … as says they sit at the same height. Both are challenging only says each has the quality; it does not say who ranks higher or whether they match. Agazan writes the first two with a rank join from joins followed by the shared adjective, and the third with an ordinary and-list.
On this page
Beginner
Comparatives (e)
When English would say Azawan is more challenging than Alahen, you put two people in order on one quality. Write both names, then the rank join zel (vowel e), then the adjective they share (/ɡ/). The first name sits higher on that quality than the second. Both may still sit high; the join only says who ranks higher. (cue: e ≈ order; the shared /ɡ/ is the ladder)
zazawan zalahen zel gamadam.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | g-challenge]
"Azawan is more challenging than Alahen."
zahaben zazawan zel gelavam.[z-Ahaben | z-Azawan | z-rank/more | g-big]
"Ahaben is bigger than Azawan."
Superlatives (zel + one name)
When English would say the most challenging, you are still ranking, but you name only the winner. One name before zel, then the same shared adjective, means that person ranks highest in the group you have in mind.
zazawan zel gamadam.[z-Azawan | z-rank/more | g-challenge]
"Azawan is the most challenging (of all)."
zahaben zel gezebul.[z-Ahaben | z-rank/more | g-sleepy]
"Ahaben is the sleepiest (of all)."
Degree (much / slightly)
English much more / slightly more adds how large the gap is, without giving a number. Write that extra detail as /w/ immediately before the same shared adjective.
zazawan zalahen zel wohahal gamadam.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | [w-ocean | g-challenge]]
"Azawan is much more challenging than Alahen."
Equatives (oe + shared scale)
When English would say as challenging as, you are not picking a winner. You are saying two people sit at the same height on the quality. Write both names, then the tie zoel (rank-join vowels oe), then the shared adjective (/ɡ/). Closed -l (zoel) is an exact match. Open -m (zoem) is about as … as. (cue: oe ≈ one + order; they share one rank)
zazawan zalahen zoel gamadam.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-equal-rank | g-challenge]
"Azawan is as challenging as Alahen."
zalahen zahaben zoel gezebul.[z-Alahen | z-Ahaben | z-equal-rank | g-sleepy]
"Alahen is as sleepy as Ahaben."
zazawan zalahen zoem gabawal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-equal-rank.open | g-bright]
"Azawan is about as bright as Alahen."
Compare with: English is ADJ with no as … as is classification: zazawan gamadam Azawan is challenging. Use oe when two people share a height on the quality. Walks like a duck is resemblance (like humum), not the same score on a named quality.
Compare with: English both are challenging is an and-list plus a shared adjective (zazawan zalahen zal gamadam): each has the quality. It does not rank them or say they match. Use oe only for as … as.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
Rank e (zel) | rank on a shared quality | more … than / the …-est | e ≈ order |
Equality oe (zoel / zoem) | same height on the quality | as … as / about as … as | oe ≈ one + order (one shared rank) |
Practice
Short drills for Beginner. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a racetrack
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| slow | ezehom | 🐌 from snail |
| agility | ahagum | 🏑 from field hockey |
| intensity | ahegem | 🏒 from hockey |
| ocean | wohahal | 🌊: an ocean of it, so much before a quality |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| haste | hadehum |
| challenge | amadam |
| angry | anegel |
| sleepy | ezebul |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan is more agile than Alahen.
Show answer
zazawan zalahen zel gahagum.
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | g-agility]
2. Ahaben is as slow as Azawan.
Show answer
zahaben zazawan zoel gezehom.
[z-Ahaben | z-Azawan | z-equal-rank | g-slow]
3. Alahen is the hastiest.
Show answer
zalahen zel gadehum.
[z-Alahen | z-rank/more | g-haste]
4. Azawan is about as intense as Ahaben.
Show answer
zazawan zahaben zoem gahegem.
[z-Azawan | z-Ahaben | z-equal-rank.open | g-intensity]
5. Alahen is much more challenging than Azawan.
Show answer
zalahen zazawan zel wohahal gamadam.
[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-rank/more | [w-ocean | g-challenge]]
6. Azawan is the angriest.
Show answer
zazawan zel ganegel.
[z-Azawan | z-rank/more | g-angry]
Agazan → English
1. zahaben zel gahagum.
Show answer
[z-Ahaben | z-rank/more | g-agility]
Ahaben is the most agile.
2. zalahen zahaben zoel gadehum.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | z-Ahaben | z-equal-rank | g-haste]
Alahen is as hasty as Ahaben.
3. zahaben zalahen zel wohahal gezehom.
Show answer
[z-Ahaben | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | [w-ocean | g-slow]]
Ahaben is much slower than Alahen.
4. zazawan zalahen zoem ganegel.
Show answer
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-equal-rank.open | g-angry]
Azawan is about as angry as Alahen.
5. zalahen zel gahegem.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | z-rank/more | g-intensity]
Alahen is the most intense.
6. zazawan zahaben zel gezebul.
Show answer
[z-Azawan | z-Ahaben | z-rank/more | g-sleepy]
Azawan is sleepier than Ahaben.
Pick one
1. Alahen is as agile as Azawan. zalahen zazawan zoel gahagum. or zalahen zazawan zel gahagum.
Show answer
zalahen zazawan zoel gahagum.
[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-equal-rank | g-agility]
As … as is the tie zoel; zel would rank Alahen higher.
2. Ahaben is more challenging than Alahen. zahaben zalahen zel gamadam. or zalahen zahaben zel gamadam.
Show answer
zahaben zalahen zel gamadam.
[z-Ahaben | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | g-challenge]
The first item before zel ranks higher.
Fix it
1. Azawan is slower than Alahen. zazawan zel zalahen gezehom.
Show answer
zazawan zalahen zel gezehom.
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | g-slow]
zel closes the list after both names; it is not a word between them like English than.
Intermediate
Full comparative arity
Beginner already used two names plus zel (more … than) and one name (the …-est). The same shared-scale pattern also uses reverse rank ue (less … than / the least) and zero names.
| Agazan | Use | English | Cue |
|---|---|---|---|
Multi (2+) + shared scale under e / ue | comparative ladder | earlier above later (e); later above earlier under ue | e ≈ order; u ≈ undo |
Single-item (1) + shared scale under e / ue | superlative | the …-est / the least … under ue | one name is the extreme |
Standalone (0) + shared scale under e / ue | empty superlative | there is no biggest / there is no smallest under ue; open -m = none comes to mind | empty list: nobody is on top |
A standalone ladder says only that nothing is on top. It does not say why (a tie, no end to the scale, or items that do not compare). To assert a tie, use equative zoel. To say someone is on top without naming them, use zer.
| Example | Reading |
|---|---|
zazawan zalahen zahaben zem gamadam | Azawan is more challenging than Alahen, who is more challenging than Ahaben (open: others may fit in the ranking too) |
zazawan zalahen zuel gamadam | Azawan is less challenging than Alahen |
zel gamadam | there is no most challenging |
zem gamadam | no most challenging comes to mind |
zuel gamadam | there is no least challenging |
zazawan zuel gamadam | Azawan is the least challenging (of all) |
zer gamadam | whatever ranks highest on challenging (someone is on top; not saying who) |
zazawan zalahen zer gamadam | whichever of Azawan or Alahen ranks higher on challenging |
Compare with: a rank join with no shared adjective is an ordinary rank join (A matters more than B). Add the shared /ɡ/ when you mean more ADJ than.
English not as challenging as says the first name is below the second, so it is zuel: zalahen zazawan zuel gamadam is Alahen is not as challenging as Azawan. For a firm tie, use zoel.
English no more challenging than says less: the first name is below the second or tied with them. Write the whole comparison as usual, then deny it with zul, the way you deny a whole list. What English often only hints (that neither is very challenging) is not said.
zalahen zazawan zel gamadam zul.[[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-rank/more | g-challenge] | z-not]
"Alahen is no more challenging than Azawan."
Place on a scale (w#N)
English the second biggest names a place just below the winner. Keep the superlative frame (one name before zel) and put an ordinal in the degree slot, /w/ right before the adjective: wredul (w#2) is second. The place is on the scale the adjective names. (cue: e ≈ order, as in gredul the second)
zazawan zel wredul gelavam.[z-Azawan | z-rank/more | [w-2nd | g-big]]
"Azawan is the second biggest."
Under zuel the same place counts from the bottom, so zazawan zuel wredul gelavam is the second smallest. Use it from second on, because first place is the plain superlative. Write it only with one name before zel or zuel. With two names, the ordinal has no group to rank within, and outside a rank fence an ordinal on /w/ has no reading.
Compare with: an ordinal after a noun picks the Nth thing (zodogal gredul the second dog), not the Nth on a scale. A factor (twice as big) goes on /h/, not /w/.
Manner scale (/h/)
When English would say Alahen walks more intensely than Azawan, you rank how they walk, not a quality of the people. Keep the same rank join. Write a manner adverb (/h/) immediately after it, then the verb. The first name sits higher on that manner.
zalahen zazawan zel hahegem vowogal.[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-rank/more | h-intensity] | v-walk
"Alahen walks more intensely than Azawan."
zalahen zel hahegem vowogal.[z-Alahen | z-rank/more | h-intensity] | v-walk
"Alahen walks the most intensely."
zalahen zazawan zoel hahegem vowogal.[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-equal-rank | h-intensity] | v-walk
"Alahen walks as intensely as Azawan."
Compare with: gahegem after zel (no verb) is more intense as a quality of the people. After the verb, hahegem is an ordinary how they walk and ranks nothing.
Amount scale (gral)
When English would say more cats than dogs, you rank how many, not a quality. Keep the rank join. For the shared word, write the digitless number gral: after a rank join it means by amount.
zagadulx zodogalx zel gral.[z-cat-x | z-dog-x | z-rank/more | g-amount]
"There are more cats than dogs."
zagadulx zodogalx zuel gral.[z-cat-x | z-dog-x | z-rank/less | g-amount]
"There are fewer cats than dogs."
zagadulx zodogalx zoel gral.[z-cat-x | z-dog-x | z-equal-rank | g-amount]
"There are as many cats as dogs."
The noun decides whether English says many or much: cats are counted, tea is measured. Agazan uses the same gral for both.
Open gram ranks by a rough impression instead of a count: it looks like more cats than dogs. Use gral when you counted or measured, and gram when you are going by how it seems.
zagadulx zodogalx zel gram.[z-cat-x | z-dog-x | z-rank/more | g-amount.about]
"It looks like there are more cats than dogs."
To say how many more, put the difference in /b/ right after gral. A count needs no unit noun: the unit is the thing counted.
zagadulx zodogalx zel gral brarel.[z-cat-x | z-dog-x | z-rank/more | [g-amount | b-three]]
"There are three more cats than dogs."
Compare with: after set join a, a shared word describes each item, so zagadulx zodogalx zal gral is several cats and several dogs. Only a rank join turns gral into the scale. For a named quantity such as weight or time, use its own word (garagam, gadaham), not gral.
Frequency scale (hral)
English walks more often than ranks how many times something happens. Write digitless hral (multiple times) in the manner slot, right after the rank join. Only digitless hral sets this scale; other number words do not rank how often.
zazawan zalahen zel hral vowogal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | h-how-often] | v-walk
"Azawan walks more often than Alahen."
Time scale (bral)
English arrives earlier than ranks when something happens. Write digitless bral (later) in the same place, right after the rank join. Rank e is later than, and ue is earlier than.
zazawan zalahen zel bral vevahal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | b-later] | v-arrival
"Azawan arrives later than Alahen."
zazawan zalahen zuel bral vevahal.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/less | b-later] | v-arrival
"Azawan arrives earlier than Alahen."
Covarying clauses (the more …, the more …)
English the more Azawan walks, the more Alahen sleeps says two amounts rise together. Put digitless hral (multiple times) or another amount word in each clause, and join the clauses with xoel. As with the frequency scale, the equal-rank join turns each amount into a scale and says the two scales move in step.
zazawan hral vowogal xoel zalahen hral vezebal.[z-Azawan | h-more-than-one | v-walk | x-equal-rank | z-Alahen | h-more-than-one | v-sleep]
"The more Azawan walks, the more Alahen sleeps."
For the more …, the less …, use xuel: when the first scale rises, the second falls.
zazawan hral vowogal xuel zalahen hral vezebal.[z-Azawan | h-more-than-one | v-walk | x-rank/less | z-Alahen | h-more-than-one | v-sleep]
"The more Azawan walks, the less Alahen sleeps."
Compare with: xoel / xuel state only that the two go together, not which one causes the other. To say the first causes the second, use a causation pole.
Factor (twice as … as)
English twice as big as gives the ratio between the two heights. Use the equative zoel and its shared adjective, then a factor number (/h/ + marker ra, numbers) right after the adjective. The first name sits at that many times the second's height.
zazawan zalahen zoel gelavam hradul.[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-equal-rank | g-big | h-two]
"Azawan is twice as big as Alahen."
Inverse marker ru divides: hrudul is half as.
zalahen zazawan zoel gelavam hrudul.[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-equal-rank | g-big | h-divided-by-two]
"Alahen is half as big as Azawan."
English three times bigger usually means the same ratio: use zoel with hrarel, not rank zel. After zel, a number /h/ is not a factor; it is an ordinary N times on the clause. For a gap in units (two meters taller), put a measure noun on the scale instead of a factor.
Comparing against a stance (bars)
English more than planned and later than planned rank one thing against a value a stance sets, not against another person: the plan sets how much and when. Write that /th/ stance word where the second name would go, right before the rank join. That word is the bar. The join closes everything before it, so the bar is part of the comparison: it says what you rank against. It is not your stance on the whole sentence.
zazawan thamam zel bral vevahal.[z-Azawan | th-plan-itinerary | z-rank/more | b-later] | v-arrival
"Azawan arrives later than planned."
The same stance word after the fence has its ordinary reading, a stance on the whole sentence. With one ranked name, the fence is then a superlative:
zazawan zel bral vevahal thamam.[z-Azawan | z-rank/more | b-later] | v-arrival | th-plan-itinerary
"Azawan plans to arrive last."
A bar fence ranks one item against one bar: with a bar, there is no second name and no second bar. Any of the rank joins works (zel, zuel, zoel, and their open -m forms), and the bar keeps its own ending. The fence can rank an object or a recipient the same way:
zazawan dozolx thamam del gral vagadel.z-Azawan | [d-strawberry-x | th-plan-itinerary | d-rank/more | g-amount] | v-eat
"Azawan eats more strawberries than planned."
zazawan vezebel balahen thamam bel hral.z-Azawan | v-tell | [b-Alahen | th-plan-itinerary | b-rank/more | h-how-often]
"Azawan tells Alahen more often than planned."
A hook and its /b/ on the ranked item go right before the bar, the way they go right before a join word:
zugul om bamun thamam zel garagam.[[z-book | [near | b-speaker]] | th-plan-itinerary | z-rank/more | g-heavy]
"This book is heavier than planned."
| Agazan | Use | English |
|---|---|---|
name + bar + zel | above the bar | more than planned / later than planned |
name + bar + zuel | below the bar | less than planned / earlier than planned |
name + bar + zoel | at the bar | as planned |
| bar after the fence | a stance on the whole claim | plans to be the most … |
Compare with: a name before the rank join is someone you rank against (zazawan zalahen zel gezebul Azawan is sleepier than Alahen). A stance word in that place is the value that stance sets.
Practice
Short drills for Intermediate. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a weighing room
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| lift | veleval | 🏋️: its abstract is exertion |
| arrival | vevahal | 🛬 |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| PLAN | thamam |
| heavy | aragam |
| intensity | ahegem |
| mango | amegol |
| pie | abawul |
| doughnut | ododel |
| cart | agegal |
| sleep | vezebal |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan is less heavy than Alahen.
Show answer
zazawan zalahen zuel garagam.
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/less | g-heavy]
2. There is no heaviest.
Show answer
zel garagam.
[z-rank/more | g-heavy]
3. Alahen lifts more intensely than Azawan.
Show answer
zalahen zazawan zel hahegem veleval.
[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-rank/more | h-intensity] | v-lift
4. There are more mangoes than pies.
Show answer
zamegolx zabawulx zel gral.
[z-mango-x | z-pie-x | z-rank/more | g-amount]
5. The cart is twice as heavy as the mango.
Show answer
zagegal zamegol zoel garagam hradul.
[z-cart | z-mango | z-equal-rank | g-heavy | h-two]
6. Ahaben is heavier than planned.
Show answer
zahaben thamam zel garagam.
[z-Ahaben | th-plan-itinerary | z-rank/more | g-heavy]
Agazan → English
1. zalahen zel wredul garagam.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | z-rank/more | [w-2nd | g-heavy]]
Alahen is the second heaviest.
2. zazawan zalahen zel hral veleval.
Show answer
[z-Azawan | z-Alahen | z-rank/more | h-how-often] | v-lift
Azawan lifts more often than Alahen.
3. zahaben zalahen zuel bral vevahal.
Show answer
[z-Ahaben | z-Alahen | z-rank/less | b-later] | v-arrival
Ahaben arrives earlier than Alahen.
4. zazawan hral veleval xoel zalahen hral vezebal.
Show answer
[z-Azawan | h-more-than-one | v-lift | x-equal-rank | z-Alahen | h-more-than-one | v-sleep]
The more Azawan lifts, the more Alahen sleeps.
5. zalahen zazawan zel garagam zul.
Show answer
[[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-rank/more | g-heavy] | z-not]
Alahen is no heavier than Azawan.
6. zabawulx zododelx zel gram.
Show answer
[z-pie-x | z-doughnut-x | z-rank/more | g-amount.about]
It looks like there are more pies than doughnuts.
Pick one
1. Alahen is not as heavy as Azawan. zalahen zazawan zuel garagam. or zalahen zazawan zel garagam zul.
Show answer
zalahen zazawan zuel garagam.
[z-Alahen | z-Azawan | z-rank/less | g-heavy]
Not as … as puts Alahen below, zuel; denying zel also allows a tie.
2. Azawan lifts more intensely than Ahaben. zazawan zahaben zel hahegem veleval. or zazawan zahaben zel gahegem veleval.
Show answer
zazawan zahaben zel hahegem veleval.
[z-Azawan | z-Ahaben | z-rank/more | h-intensity] | v-lift
The ranking is how they lift, so the scale is /h/; /ɡ/ would rank the people.
Fix it
1. Azawan is three times as heavy as Ahaben. zazawan zahaben zel garagam hrarel.
Show answer
zazawan zahaben zoel garagam hrarel.
[z-Azawan | z-Ahaben | z-equal-rank | g-heavy | h-three]
A factor goes with the equative zoel; after zel the number is just three times on the clause.
Advanced
Every bar
Intermediate ranked against a plan, and sake bars rank against what a sake needs. Any stance that sets a value can be the bar, and each keeps its own endings and meaning. A channel word (how you know something: you saw it, remember it, were told it, worked it out) sets the level that source led you to expect. So than usual, than I remember, and than advertised each put one channel word in the bar slot.
zazawan thobam zel gezebul.[z-Azawan | th-PATTERN | z-rank/more | g-sleepy]
"Azawan is sleepier than usual."
zazawan zel gezebul thobam.[z-Azawan | z-rank/more | g-sleepy] | th-PATTERN
"Azawan is the sleepiest, going by the pattern."
| Bar | Ranks against | English |
|---|---|---|
met sake thegatham, thoyutham, … (sake bars) | what that sake needs | enough / too much / not enough |
LIVE thodom | how it looks | than it looks |
MEMORY thevom | how you remember it | than I remember / than last time |
PATTERN thobam | the trail of cases | than usual / normal |
CLUES thunem | what was worked out | than calculated / than it should be |
REPORTED thewam | what was said or written | than advertised / than they said / than the stories say |
INTUITION thahom | your gut expectation | than I expected |
FORMER thenom | how it used to be | than it used to be / increasingly |
NOTIONAL thavom | the imagined case | than imagined / than in theory |
PLAN thamam | the plan or the schedule | than planned / than scheduled |
WANT thohul / thohum / thohur | the level wanted | than wanted / than I wanted |
ABIL thuboxal | what can be done | as … as possible |
REQUIRE thumel / thumem / thumer | the rule, the demand, or custom | up to code / than demanded / than customary |
PERMIT thegol / thegom / thegor | the rule, the grant, or what is tolerated | over the limit / more than they allow / than tolerated |
CONSENT thuxegom | the agreed terms | more than agreed |
speaker attitude (thevegem, thewedam) | the case you hoped for or feared | than hoped / than feared |
The bar's ending keeps its own job: on a channel it is evidence strength (thobal than it reliably is, thobar than the few cases so far).
zazawan thevom zel gelavam.[z-Azawan | th-MEMORY | z-rank/more | g-big]
"Azawan is bigger than I remember."
zugul thewam zuel gagazam.[z-book | th-REPORTED | z-rank/less | g-clarity]
"The book is less clear than advertised."
zazawan thahom zel gezebul.[z-Azawan | th-INTUITION | z-rank/more | g-sleepy]
"Azawan is sleepier than I expected."
zazawan thenom zel gezebul.[z-Azawan | th-FORMER | z-rank/more | g-sleepy]
"Azawan is sleepier than they used to be."
zugul thohum balahen zuel garagam.[z-book | [th-WANT-unstated | b-Alahen] | z-rank/less | g-heavy]
"The book is lighter than Alahen wanted."
The bar's /b/ works as it does on the clause. On REPORTED it is the source, and on WANT, REQUIRE, PERMIT, and CONSENT it is the person who wants, demands, grants, or agrees. On PATTERN it is whose cases set the pattern: the population you compare against. With no /b/, PATTERN is the ranked item's own usual level, or the usual case in the situation.
zugul thewam balahen zuel gagazam.[z-book | [th-REPORTED | b-Alahen] | z-rank/less | g-clarity]
"The book is less clear than Alahen said."
zazawan thobam baxelehalx zel gezehel.[z-Azawan | [th-PATTERN | b-agent-x-learn-x] | z-rank/more | g-sing]
"Azawan sings well for a learner."
On a rank join, an event root on /ɡ/ is the scale itself: how well the act goes (sings well), not an act in progress.
An adjective after that /b/ describes it, as after any host, so it narrows the population.
zazawan thobam baxelehalx gezebul zel gezehel.[z-Azawan | [th-PATTERN | [b-agent-x-learn-x | g-sleepy]] | z-rank/more | g-sing]
"Azawan sings well for a sleepy learner."
The ranked item can be a whole kind. Write the universal fence first, then the bar: the whole closed fence counts as the one ranked item, the way an inner list sits inside an outer one (fence nesting). Open zuam is people of that kind, as a rule.
zuam gaxadadal thobam zel hral vabogam.[[z-everything.open | g-agent-x-tired] | th-PATTERN | z-rank/more | h-how-often] | v-flaw
"Tired people make mistakes more often than usual."
To rank one kind against another, keep one kind as the item and put the other in the PATTERN bar's /b/.
zuam gaxenaham thobam bobelx gadadam zel hamedam vozewel.[[z-everything.open | g-agent-x-rest] | [th-PATTERN | [b-person-x | g-burnout]] | z-rank/more | h-achievement] | v-sweat
"Rested people work more successfully than exhausted people."
A CLUES or PATTERN bar can also take barl: the next sentence is the grounds you worked the bar out from.
Ability. The ability word ubo as the bar is the limit of what can be done. A tie against thuboxal is as … as possible. The ability vowel says how fixed that limit is, so rank zel against thuboxel is more than can be done for now, and against thuboxul more than could ever be done.
zalahen thuboxal zoel hadehum vowogal.[z-Alahen | th-ABIL-able | z-equal-rank | h-haste] | v-walk
"Alahen walks as hastily as possible."
Rules and permission. REQUIRE as the bar is the demand; a tie meets it. PERMIT is the limit; rank zel goes over it.
zahazal thumel zoel gabezem.[z-house | th-REQUIRE-rule | z-equal-rank | g-strength]
"The house is as strong as the rules require (up to code)."
zedehel thegol zel gral.[z-tea | th-PERMIT-allowed | z-rank/more | g-amount]
"There is more tea than the rules allow."
Hopes and fears. A speaker-attitude word as the bar is the case you hoped for or feared.
zugul thevegem zel gagazam.[z-book | th-hope | z-rank/more | g-clarity]
"The book is clearer than I hoped."
zugul thewedam zuel gagazam.[z-book | th-concern | z-rank/less | g-clarity]
"The book is even less clear than I feared."
Only these stances set a value. A cause or condition pole, MAY, MIRATIVE, DECISION, and ATTEMPT do not, so none of them is a bar. A want sets the level wanted; a decision or an attempt commits to an act and sets no level, so more than decided is the plan bar.
Vague amounts (many / few)
English many, few, often, and late rank against an unstated baseline, and too much, too late, and as fast as possible against an unstated need or limit. Agazan always names the bar: put it in the fence and rank on amount, the frequency scale, or the time scale.
zagadulx thobam zel gral.[z-cat-x | th-PATTERN | z-rank/more | g-amount]
"There are many cats (more than usual)."
zazawan thobam zel hral vowogal.[z-Azawan | th-PATTERN | z-rank/more | h-how-often] | v-walk
"Azawan often walks."
| English | Bar and rank |
|---|---|
| many / few | PATTERN thobam, zel / zuel with gral |
| often / rarely | PATTERN thobam, zel / zuel with hral |
| late / early | PATTERN thobam, zel / zuel with bral |
| than usual (the same person or thing) | PATTERN thobam with no /b/ |
| too much / enough / not enough | a met sake bar (thegatham), zel / zoel / zuel |
| too late / too soon | a met sake bar (thegatham), zel / zuel with bral |
| as … as possible | ABIL thuboxal, zoel |
| more and more / increasingly | FORMER thenom, zel |
The bar is never dropped. A single-item zagadulx zel gral already means the most cats (a superlative).
Practice
Short drills for Advanced. Try each item before opening Show answer.
Setting: a talent contest
New words:
| English | Agazan | Cue |
|---|---|---|
| artistry | ebudam | 🖌️ from paintbrush |
| showmanship | ahudom | 🌭 from hotdog |
| INTUITION | thahom | ❤️ from heart: your gut expectation |
| hope | thevegem | 🤞 from crossed fingers |
Review:
| English | Agazan |
|---|---|
| Azawan | azawan |
| Alahen | alahen |
| Ahaben | ahaben |
| PATTERN | thobam |
| MEMORY | thevom |
| REPORTED | thewam |
| FORMER | thenom |
| capacity | ubom |
| agility | ahagum |
| trumpet | adawol |
| sing | vezehel |
English → Agazan
1. Azawan sings better than usual.
Show answer
zazawan thobam zel gezehel.
[z-Azawan | th-PATTERN | z-rank/more | g-sing]
2. Alahen is less artistic than I remember.
Show answer
zalahen thevom zuel gebudam.
[z-Alahen | th-MEMORY | z-rank/less | g-artistry]
3. Azawan is as showy as possible.
Show answer
zazawan thuboxal zoel gahudom.
[z-Azawan | th-ABIL-able | z-equal-rank | g-showmanship]
4. There are many trumpets (more than usual).
Show answer
zadawolx thobam zel gral.
[z-trumpet-x | th-PATTERN | z-rank/more | g-amount]
Agazan → English
1. zalahen thahom zel gezehel.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | th-INTUITION | z-rank/more | g-sing]
Alahen sings better than I expected.
2. zazawan thevegem zuel gebudam.
Show answer
[z-Azawan | th-hope | z-rank/less | g-artistry]
Azawan is less artistic than I hoped.
3. zahaben thobam zuel hral vezehel.
Show answer
[z-Ahaben | th-PATTERN | z-rank/less | h-how-often] | v-sing
Ahaben rarely sings.
4. zalahen thewam bahaben zel gahagum.
Show answer
[z-Alahen | [th-REPORTED | b-Ahaben] | z-rank/more | g-agility]
Alahen is more agile than Ahaben said.
Pick one
1. Azawan is the showiest, going by the pattern. zazawan zel gahudom thobam. or zazawan thobam zel gahudom.
Show answer
zazawan zel gahudom thobam.
[z-Azawan | z-rank/more | g-showmanship] | th-PATTERN
After the fence, PATTERN is a stance on the whole superlative; before the rank join it is the bar, showier than usual.
What changes
1. zahaben thenom zel gebudam. / zahaben thevom zel gebudam.
Show answer
[z-Ahaben | th-FORMER | z-rank/more | g-artistry]
[z-Ahaben | th-MEMORY | z-rank/more | g-artistry]
The bar changes: more artistic than Ahaben used to be (FORMER) versus more artistic than I remember (MEMORY).
See also
- Fence shape, single-item / standalone, SHARED scale: joins.md
- Manner adverbs: clause.md
- Kind and identity (is a dog, is Azawan): predication.md
- Measure phrases: numbers-applied.md