§ 36. Another, the other.

The pronoun another has two meanings:

(а) ‘какой-либо другой’.

Give me another pen, I don’t like this one.

(в) ‘еще один’.

I am thirsty; I should like another cup of tea.

The other means‘определенный другой’.

There are two books here, take one and I’ll take the other.

§ 37. Last, the last.

Nouns modified by the adjective last are always used with the definite article except in the expressions last month, last year, last week, last summer (winter, autumn, spring).

The last word remained with George.

Last summer, in Switzerland, he was quite well. (Voynich)

§ 38. Next, the next.

Next means ‘будущий’ when referring to time: next month, next week.

The next means ‘следующий’: the next room, at the next lesson.

Next time means‘в следующий раз’.

We shall discuss this matter next time.

In reference to time viewed from the past both next and the next mean ‘следующий’.

We spent a fortnight in Kiev. The next week was spent in Odessa (or: Next

week was spent in Odessa).

§ 39. A number, the number.

A number of means’ ‘many’. It is rendered in Russian by много, ряд.

The number means ‘число, количество’.

His father and a number of his cronies were in the dining-room. (Dreiser)

The number of mistakes he makes is startling.

OMISSION OF THE ARTICLE

Sometimes the article is not used where we naturally expect to find it in accordance with the rules. No change of meaning is observed in these cases.

The article is often omitted in newspaper headings, telegrams, in stage directions.

Gas Blast Kills Woman. (Daily Worker)

Girl Gymnast Keeps Title. (Moscow News)

The article is often omitted with homogeneous members closely connected with each other and joined by the conjunction and. In most cases they go in pairs.

The breakfast was taken away, and that meal over, it was the general custom

of uncle and niece to separate. (Ch. Bronte)

Chapter III

The adjective

§ 1. The adjective is a word expressing a quality of a substance.

§ 2. The adjective has the following morphological characteristics:

Most adjectives have degrees of comparison: the comparative degree and the superlative degree.¹

¹ Some adjectives have no degrees of comparison (see § 7).

The comparative degree denotes a higher degree of a quality.

She is taller than her sister.

My box is smaller than hers.

The superlative degree denotes the highest degree of a quality.

She is the tallest of the three sisters.

Her box is the smallest of all our boxes.

(The noun modified by an adjective in the superlative degree has the definite article because the superlative degree of the adjective always implies limitation.)

Adjectives form their degrees of comparison in the following way:

(a) by the inflexion ‑er, ‑est (synthetical way);

(b) by placing more and most before the adjective (analytical way).

Monosyllabic adjectives usually form their comparatives and superlatives in the first way, and polysyllabic adjectives in the second way.

The following polysyllabic adjectives, however, generally form their comparative and superlative degrees inflexionally:

1. Adjectives of two syllables which end in ‑y, ‑ow, -er, ‑le.

happy	happier	(the) happiest
narrow	narrower	(the) narrowest
clever	cleverer	(the) cleverest
simple	simpler	(the) simplest

2. Adjectives of two syllables which have the stress on the last syllable:

complete	completer	(the) completest
concise	conciser	(the) concisest

Some adjectives have irregular forms of degrees of comparison, e. g.:

good	better	(the) best
bad	worse	(the) worst
many, much	more	(the) most
little	less	(the) least
far	{farther further	(the ){farthest furthest
old	{older elder	(the){oldest eldest