Apr 29, 2002 14:50
22 yrs ago
5 viewers *
English term
Alda
more tasty
Non-PRO
English
Other
I wonder if I can say "more tasty" instead of "tastier". If so, in what cases?
Any clue? Thanks!
Any clue? Thanks!
Responses
| 5 +5 | Yes and no |
Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
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| 4 +13 | No |
Mary Worby
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| 4 +2 | Side comment on the illiteracy discussion |
Terence Riley
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| 4 | yes |
RHELLER
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| 4 | an educated guess |
Maria Knorr
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Responses
+5
16 mins
Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
Law ** Business ** Finance ** Marketing
Works in: German to English, English to German, Spanish to English, and 3 more.
View
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
Yes and no
While I agree that the "-ier" form is grammatically correct, it is also a fact that the form using "more ..." is heard more and more frequently, especially in North America.
I would say that it really depends on your target audience.
Let's not forget that languages are living things; they keep evolving and changing (just think of the split infinitive, which has been, at least, tolerated by Oxford for some time now).
I would say that it really depends on your target audience.
Let's not forget that languages are living things; they keep evolving and changing (just think of the split infinitive, which has been, at least, tolerated by Oxford for some time now).
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks! :-)
"
2 mins
yes
to emphasize comparison
examples:
more salty
even more windy today than yesterday
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Note added at 2002-04-29 17:00:57 (GMT)
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she asked if she \"could\" say it - I didn\'t say it was better
examples:
more salty
even more windy today than yesterday
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Note added at 2002-04-29 17:00:57 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
she asked if she \"could\" say it - I didn\'t say it was better
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Maria Knorr
: see below
8 mins
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| disagree |
Stanislaw Watson Zajaczkowski (X)
: 'Tastier' is more grammatically correct. ;))
46 mins
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| neutral |
Terence Riley
: Yes, "tastier" is better, but there are contexts, such as advertising, where "more tasty" would be acceptable (U.S. Eng.)
1 hr
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| agree |
John Kinory (X)
: As a native speaker, I'd say they are both grammatically as correct as each other. It's a question of style.
2 hrs
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thanks John
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| agree |
Sue Goldian
3 hrs
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thank you
|
+13
9 mins
Mary Worby
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
Friendly, reliable and accurate!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
164
No
I was taught that if a comparative form of an adjective exists, it is incorrect to form the comparative with 'more'.
So, sillier is right, more silly is wrong.
But it is worth noting that all grammatical rules go out the window where poetic licence is concerned!
'Earth hath not anything to show more fair' ... should really be fairer.
So I'd avoid it unless you're writing poetry.
If you've got one of those 'please write a sentence with 'more tasty' in it, then 'there are more tasty things on sale here than there are next door'.
HTH
Mary
So, sillier is right, more silly is wrong.
But it is worth noting that all grammatical rules go out the window where poetic licence is concerned!
'Earth hath not anything to show more fair' ... should really be fairer.
So I'd avoid it unless you're writing poetry.
If you've got one of those 'please write a sentence with 'more tasty' in it, then 'there are more tasty things on sale here than there are next door'.
HTH
Mary
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Maria Knorr
1 min
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| agree |
Lydia Molea
3 mins
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| agree |
Margaret Lagoyianni
: Yes, 'tastier' is grammatically correct.
3 mins
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| agree |
Attila Piróth
: Practical English Grammar explains this clearly.
4 mins
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| agree |
Rolf Klischewski, M.A.
: "More tasty recipes inside" works though... (C;
13 mins
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| agree |
Сергей Лузан
26 mins
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| agree |
ivw (X)
29 mins
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| agree |
Alexandra Fakalou
30 mins
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| agree |
Stanislaw Watson Zajaczkowski (X)
38 mins
|
| agree |
Michael Deliso
: grammar
47 mins
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| agree |
jerrie
: more tasty cannot/shouldn't be used as a comparative, but can be used in Rolf's example where there is no comparison. Just a statement of fact.
48 mins
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| neutral |
Terence Riley
: Yes, "sillier" is better, but is "more silly" more silly?
1 hr
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As Werner says, language is fluid ... but I can't think of an instance where it wouldn't sound sillier to say 'more silly' (-:
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| agree |
Kim Metzger
: Yes on poetic license. One handy rule is that 2-syllable adjectives ending in y take -ier and -iest. Also: When a comparative is not followed immediately by than: the road's getting more and more steep - is possible.
1 hr
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| agree |
Ligia Dias Costa
: Kim's right!
2 hrs
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| disagree |
John Kinory (X)
: They are both grammatically correct!
2 hrs
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That's certainly not what I learnt! Do you have a source? (-:
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| agree |
AhmedAMS
17 hrs
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10 mins
Maria Knorr
Native in English
&
English
Bilingual; Bicultural EN/RU
Native in: English 
, Russian
Works in: English, Russian to English, Russian
an educated guess
More tasty is nor really used. I don't think it is gramatically correct either. I did a search in google and more tasty did not come up at all - it's always tastier. tasty, a lot tastier, etc.
I would use tastier.
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Note added at 2002-04-29 15:31:09 (GMT)
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sorry for the typo -> nor = not
I would use tastier.
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Note added at 2002-04-29 15:31:09 (GMT)
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sorry for the typo -> nor = not
Reference:
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Сергей Лузан
25 mins
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thanks
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| disagree |
John Kinory (X)
: It is both used (what do you mean, 'not REALLY used' - is it or isn't it?) and correct. This is BE usage, at any rate.
2 hrs
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As you might know in US, there different English languages - for example, "I were" is used even though it is not gramatically correct.
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| neutral |
Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
: "I were", as in "If I were a rich man" is acceptable and grammatically correct in all varieties of English. Where did you get that idea???
3 hrs
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I were there?
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+2
5 days
Side comment on the illiteracy discussion
I received a mail from John accusing me of racism and threatening to quash this question and cite me as the reason, because of the remark above about American illiteracy and Europeans being concept dead.
I just wish to make it clear to all here that my intention was not actually to cast slurs, but rather to satirize the immediately previous comment about American illiteracy. I am American. I was not offended by the previous comment, to be sure, but I did intend to tease it. It was entirely tongue in cheek. If anything, if one wishes to draw out the literal insult, it was aimed at Europeans and not Americans - but let me make it clear that it was a deliberate exaggeration and that I had no intention of insulting anyone at all. I was just mixing two ridiculous hyperboles.
My apologies for going off topic. The combination of the misunderstandings evident above and a personal attack arriving in my own mailbox demanded some defense.
I just wish to make it clear to all here that my intention was not actually to cast slurs, but rather to satirize the immediately previous comment about American illiteracy. I am American. I was not offended by the previous comment, to be sure, but I did intend to tease it. It was entirely tongue in cheek. If anything, if one wishes to draw out the literal insult, it was aimed at Europeans and not Americans - but let me make it clear that it was a deliberate exaggeration and that I had no intention of insulting anyone at all. I was just mixing two ridiculous hyperboles.
My apologies for going off topic. The combination of the misunderstandings evident above and a personal attack arriving in my own mailbox demanded some defense.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Marcus Malabad
: I, for one, Terry, being a citizen of the world, caught your tongue-in-cheek and found no offence in your or Sergei Luzan's comment. People should take a cold shower before commenting to cool off. BTW, I agree with Miss Mary the blue elephant above.
16 hrs
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Thanks Marcus
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| agree |
John Kinory (X)
: Terry and I have been discussing this issue, and I hope and believe we have resolved it amicably. I will point out that I never accused him of racism, nor did I have a basis for doing so. I called his remarks racist, which IMO is not the same thing.
2 days 1 hr
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Yes, absolutely. My apologies for the inaccuracy. The discussion was on the remark, not about my character. I, too, feel we've resolved it amicably. Thanks for the comment.
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