Datapoint Casamancese Creole/Comparative adjective marking

Example 60 shows that, when the standard is not overt, ma(s) is still used to express the gradation of the adjective riku. Therefore ma(s) is necessarily the comparative adjective marker. Example 63 (semantically equivalent to Example 59) shows clearly that the sequence di ki precedes the standard (Pidru) whereas ma(s) precedes the adjective (riku) : therefore di ki is necessarily the comparative standard marker. In Example 59, the standard is inserted between the comparative adjective marker (ma(s)) and the adjective (riku), but the existence of Example 63 prevents one from analysing ma(s) as a standard comparative marker.

Values

Adjective is marked

Example 34-59:
Joŋ ma(s) Pidru riku.
Joŋ
John
ø
pfv
ma(s)
more
Pidru
Peter
riku.
rich
John is richer than Peter.
Example 34-60:
Joŋ ma(s) riku.
Joŋ
John
ø
pfv
ma(s)
more
riku.
rich
John is richer.
Example 34-63:
Joŋ ma(s) riku di ki Pidru.
Joŋ
John
ø
pfv
ma(s)
more
riku
rich
di
of
ki
rel.sbj
Pidru.
Peter
John is richer than Peter.
Confidence:
Very certain