CHAP. IV.] THE GRAMMAR. 333 



2. Comparative of Superiority. 



It is formed with the word ake : 



Nui great. 



E nui ake greater. 



With the word alu : 



Rahi great. 



Rahi atu greater. 



Or it is expressed by the word nui (great) on one side, 

 and the word iti (little) on the other, which is the most 

 simple way. 



In the first and second cases the conjunction i, which may 

 be regarded as the ablative of the article, or me (and), follows 

 the comparative. 



Thus the sentence, ' ' this boat is larger than the other," 

 may be expressed in the following different ways : 



He nui ake tenei waka i (or me) tenei. 

 He nui atu tenei waka i tenei. 

 He nui tenei waka, he iti tenei. 

 Or: 



He waka nui ake tenei i tena. 

 He waka nui atu tenei i tena. 

 He waka nui tenei, he iti tena. 



3. Comparative of Inferiority. 

 It is expressed negatively in the following manner : 



The tribe of the Nga te Awa is smaller than the tribe of Wai- 

 kato. 



E kore hoki ko te iwi Nga te Awa e nui i te iwi na Waikato. 



The tribe of the Nga te Awa is not so large as that of the Wai- 

 kato. 



It may also be given by the word nui (large) on one side 

 and iti (small) on the other : 



E nui ko te hapu Waikato, e iti ko te hapu Nga te Awa. 



SUPERLATIVE DEGREE. 



The superlative is formed 



1. By the word rawa being added to the adjective. 



