Superlative
From Freepedia
In grammar the superlative of an adjective or adverb indicates that a member of a set transcends the other members in some way. For example, if Adam is 25, Bess is 35, and Chris is 40, Chris is the oldest of the three, because his age transcends those of Adam and Bess in one direction, while Adam is the youngest, because his age transcends those of Bess and Chris in the other direction. If Dan, who is 45, and Edna, who is 20, join the group, Dan now becomes the oldest and Edna the youngest. Some believe that if a group contains only two entities use of the superlative is ungrammatical: if the group contained only Adam and Bess, Adam would be "the younger", while Bess would be "the older", this belief is the result of a rule of some prescriptive grammars, but it is generally considered grammatical for "the youngest" and "the oldest" to be used in such cases. Indeed, the superlative can refer to a group of one, as in an offer for auction to the "highest bidder" in which only one bid is received. No rule of English grammar would negate the sale.¹
In English, the superlative and the comparative are created by inflecting adjectives or adverbs. The structure of a superlative consists normally of the positive stem of the adjective or adverb, plus the suffix -est, or (especially in longer words) the modifier "most" or "least" before the adjective or adverb. It always has the definite article and is completed by "of" or other preposition plus one or more nouns of entities that it surpasses to the highest or greatest degree, such as in "he is the tallest of/in the class", or "the town is the most beautiful town in the country".
Mention should be made also of the elative, if not an actual separate inflection but the intensified degree of adverbs and adjective; e.g. "I am the greatest", or "she is most beautiful". Intensification in these cases means "really great" or "very beautiful indeed", and is usually used without relating it to other persons, things or entities which a normal superlative does.
References
- Language Log, May 30, 2005. On superlative of groups of one or two.
