Why do we say "more fun" or "most fun", instead of "funner" or funnest"?
The usual rules for comparatives is to add "er" for 1-syllable adjectives, "y" changes to "ier" for adjectives ending in "y", and "more" for other adjectives with more than 1 syllable.
The irregular adjectives are "good", "bad", "far", "well". But I've never considered "fun" to be irregular.
Anyone any thoughts?
JC
A fun question
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Love your enemy
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Love your enemy
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Woah! That was a quick reply Dixie. Thanks!
I understand what you say, though not entirely convinced. Here's another oddity about 'fun'.
This party is not as interesting as the last one. (long adj)
This party is not as funny as the last one. (y adj)
This party is not as hot as the last one. (short adj)
This party is not as much fun as the last one. (short adj)
Why do we need 'much' in the last sentence? Is it because it's a noun and an adjective maybe?
JC
I understand what you say, though not entirely convinced. Here's another oddity about 'fun'.
This party is not as interesting as the last one. (long adj)
This party is not as funny as the last one. (y adj)
This party is not as hot as the last one. (short adj)
This party is not as much fun as the last one. (short adj)
Why do we need 'much' in the last sentence? Is it because it's a noun and an adjective maybe?
JC
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ProfessorVerb
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It's a funny thing about the word "funny," since it can be used in so many fun ways that make it no fun to learn. The funniest thing is, though, that Americans use "funny" to mean "humorous," of course, but we also use it to mean "odd," "strange" or peculiar (see more below) (he was a funny uncle...;he had a funny look on his face). We frequently ask, "Do you mean funny ha-ha or funny peculiar/strange/odd etc.?"
According to John Ciardi, fun [ME fon, fonne, fool clown: Funnen, to poke fun at; of uncertain origin. American southern: "We was just funnin'"). 1. Amusement, merrymaking; 2. noisy children's play. -- adj. amusing. "We had a fun party." It's a fun thing."
"Funny," though, means 1. Amusing; 2. Queer. Odd. Peculiar.
The peculiar functions in "There's something funny going on in here and I don't like it." "There's something about him that's funny [indicating distrust]."
That's not the funniest thing I've ever read, but it was WAY more fun than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. I hope you had fun reading it, but you can have more fun with a sharp stick (I was just funnin' there).
Ciardi, John. A Browser's Dictionary and Guide to the Unknown American Language (one of my favorites!). New York: Harper & Row, 1980.
According to John Ciardi, fun [ME fon, fonne, fool clown: Funnen, to poke fun at; of uncertain origin. American southern: "We was just funnin'"). 1. Amusement, merrymaking; 2. noisy children's play. -- adj. amusing. "We had a fun party." It's a fun thing."
"Funny," though, means 1. Amusing; 2. Queer. Odd. Peculiar.
The peculiar functions in "There's something funny going on in here and I don't like it." "There's something about him that's funny [indicating distrust]."
That's not the funniest thing I've ever read, but it was WAY more fun than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. I hope you had fun reading it, but you can have more fun with a sharp stick (I was just funnin' there).
Ciardi, John. A Browser's Dictionary and Guide to the Unknown American Language (one of my favorites!). New York: Harper & Row, 1980.