2

Merriam-Webster implies that the comparative and superlative for black are blacker and blackest. However, my native British colleague says he would never used blacker, only more black.

How common is using single-word comparatives and superlatives for color-designating adjectives? Is it used for some colors only (like white) whilst not for others (like black)?

Would you use the following sentences, or would you replace the single-word comparatives and superlatives with their compound version (more ..., most ...)?

Our toner is blacker than the ones from other companies.

Eco-terrorists fight for greener world.

After using this toothpaste your teeth will be whiter.

He is undoubtedly a nobleman with the bluest possible blood.

Improve this question
8
  • Neither black nor white are colors ! ;)
    – Yohann V.
    Jul 16, 2015 at 7:55
  • 2
    @YohannV. technically you are right :) but from the language point of view they are colors.
    – Honza Zidek
    Jul 16, 2015 at 8:01
  • The answers to your (two) questions are yes and very common, respectively.
    – Drew
    Jul 16, 2015 at 14:41
  • 2
    In brightest day, in blackest night, / No evil shall escape my sight. / Let those who worship evil's might / Beware my power--Green Lantern's light.
    – VampDuc
    Jul 16, 2015 at 16:37
  • @VampDuc: in your example I would follow the YohannV's comment that black is not a color, because in this collocation it is rather a synonym for darkest night - expressing literally and explicitly (in the very physical meaning) just the lack of light :)
    – Honza Zidek
    Jul 17, 2015 at 7:46

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
4

Using colors as adjectives, I would use the adjectives rules.

The basic rule for adjectives is :

  • short adjectives: add ["-er",] "-est"
  • long adjectives: use ["more",] "most"

And short and long adjectives definition :

Short adjectives

  1. one syllable adjectives : old, fast
  2. 2-syllable adjectives ending in -y : happy, easy

Long adjectives

  1. 2-syllable adjectives not ending in -y : modern, pleasant
  2. all adjectives of 3 or more syllables : expensive, intellectual

Ngram

But it's true that the "most black" tends to be increasingly used, I would say that is an incorrect usage.

Improve this answer
4
  • There is a missing rule for 2-syllables-long adjectives in your definition :)
    – Honza Zidek
    Sep 23, 2015 at 13:57
  • @HonzaZidek Read again the rules ^^'. A 2-syllables-long adjective ending in -y will be a short adjective and a 2-syllables-long adjective not ending with -y will be a long adjective. Then you follow the basic rule.
    – Yohann V.
    Oct 21, 2015 at 22:36
  • I am not clear how to read "2. syllable adjectives" - do you mean "bullet nr. 2", or do you mean "2-syllables-long"? Because the dot usually marks items in a numbered list... but then the rest doesn't make sense.
    – Honza Zidek
    Oct 22, 2015 at 20:28
  • @HonzaZidek Oh I see what your problem is, - became . and I missed the syllables numbers. I edited to make it clearer, ask me if it's not.
    – Yohann V.
    Nov 4, 2015 at 12:00
2

For every one of your examples, your usage is more common than its "more X" counterpart.

Improve this answer
1

The er suffix can be added to many words to indicate a superlative, such as faster, stronger etc, it's not specific to colours. Something like whiter is very commonly used, as in advertising for toothpaste. whiter is more succinct and effective than more white in this context

The exception is words ending in a vowel, such as purple, orange. Here you would say more orange

Improve this answer
3
  • 1
    faster is comparative, not superlative
    – Honza Zidek
    Jul 16, 2015 at 13:06
  • What about blue? Ending in a vowel... but other people say that bluer and bluest is OK.
    – Honza Zidek
    Jul 17, 2015 at 7:22
  • Yes, I didn't think of that one, bluer. I guess even oranger is correct, but sounds odd.
    – Kim Ryan
    Jul 17, 2015 at 11:25
1

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is apparently,

... the most-played record by British broadcasting of the past 70 years.

Reid got the title and starting point for the song at a party. He overheard someone at the party saying to a woman, "You've turned a whiter shade of pale," and the phrase stuck in his mind.

I'd use "more" instead of "-er" only in the following context: "It's more blue than green" or "It's more black than red" – if I want to imply that "it's not green", or "so black that it's not red".

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.