Adjectives agree in gender, case and number (though they don't have paucal or collective forms) with the noun they modify. Their declension is similar to that of nouns, but with a couple differences, and variable gender. As a result they are not arranged into "declensions" as nouns are, rather they are said to be in "classes." The first class distinguishes all four genders, the second and third classes lump them together into two groups.

Adjectives may precede or follow a noun, with the exception of certain determiners and demonstratives, which almost always precede.^[1] If such an adjective follows its noun, it gives it a more "official" feel.^[2] In some cases this might be done for simple emphasis. When an adjective is "postpositive," that is, when it follows the noun it modifies, it has the complete set of endings. However, when it is "prepositive," meaning it precedes the noun, the endings are shortened and more prone to fall together.

Instrumental/comitative merger

Many High Valyrian declension classes merge the instrumental and comitative (for instance, the second uses the originally comitative -omy for instrumental, and the third uses the original instrumental -oso for the comitative.) When an adjective modifies such a noun, it will adopt the same merger. Thus:

	vala kirine "happy man"	loktys kirine "happy sailor"	issaros kirine "happy person"
Instrumental	valosa kirinose	loktomy kirinome	issaroso kirinose
Comitative	valoma kirinome	loktomy kirinome	issaroso kirinose

Degrees of comparison

The equative, meaning "equally X," or "as X" is formed with an ending like -pa adj. I. It is also used in some appositive constructions, see below.

The comparative, meaning "more X," or "X-er" is formed with an ending like -kta adj. I. For "than" use an instrumental of comparison.

The superlative, meaning "most X," or "X-est" is formed with an ending like -je adj. II.

Note that no matter what class the base noun is, the equative and comparative will always be class I adjectives, and the superlative will always be class II.

Irregular comparison

In most languages there are some adjectives with irregular or suppletive degrees of comparison. Thus far, there is only one High Valyrian adjective known to do this, namely litse "pretty":

eq. līspa "equally pretty"
comp. līsta "prettier"
sup. līje, prettiest.

The equative in apposition

The equative is apparently also called for when an adjective is used in an appositive manner. Our only example so far is Ȳghāpī īlōn rāelza "He holds us safe." Ȳghāpī "safe" is put in the equative because it refers back (or rather forward) to īlōn "us" (note that it is in the same case and number), but does not modify it directly. A good rule of thumb might be to use the equative whenever you have an adjective that could be preceded by a comma and the word "being" in English ("He holds us, being safe.") It is likely that the equative will be used in other constructions as well, perhaps in sentences like "He made things worse."

Adverb

Adverbs are formed with the suffix -ī. For Class I this is added to the aquatic form, for II and III it is added to the solar/lunar.^[3]

Substantives

Unlike many languages, High Valyrian cannot simply use adjectives as nouns, without first converting them by changing the endings. This form can be called the substantive. There are two types of substantive:

Type 1 substantives are lunar or solar in form, and "individuative": they generally refer to something concrete and countable, e.g. dovaogēdy "unsullied," dohaeriros "slave."
Type 2 substantives are terrestrial or aquatic in form: they generally refer to something abstract and/or uncountable, or places e.g. gaomilaksir "mission," obūljarion "surrender."

Class I

Class I adjectives can generally have stems of any form. The one issue is that they may not end in anything that will create an unacceptable cluster in the oblique aquatic forms.

Kasta -ys -on -or, "blue, green."

Prepositive

	Singular				Plural
	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic
Nom.	kasta	kastys	kaston	kastor	kasti	kastys, -yz^[4]	kasta	kastra
Acc.	kaste	kasti	kaston	kastor	kastī	kastī	kasta	kastra
Gen.	kasto	kasto	kasto	kastro	kasto(t)^[5]	kasto(t)^[5]	kasto(t)^[5]	kastro(t)^[5]
Dat.	kasto(t)^[5]	kasto(t)^[5]	kasto(t)^[5]	kastro(t)^[5]	kasto(t)^[5]	kasto(t)^[5]	kasto(t)^[5]	kastro(t)^[5]
Loc.	kastā	kastȳ	kasto(t)^[5]	kastro(t)^[5]	kasto(t)^[5]	kastī	kasto(t)^[5]	kastro(t)^[5]
Ins.	kastos	kastos	kastos	kastros	kastos	kastos	kastos	kastros
Com.	kaston, -om^[6]	kaston, -om^[6]	kaston, -om^[6]	kastron, -rom^[6]	kaston, -om^[6]	kaston, -om^[6]	kaston, -om^[6]	kastron, -rom^[6]
Voc.	kastus	kastys	kastos	kastos	kastis	kastys, -yz^[4]	kastas	kastas

Postpositive

	Singular				Plural
	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic
Nom.	kasta	kastys	kaston	kastor	kasti	kastyzy	kasta	kastra
Acc.	kaste	kasti	kaston	kastor	kastī	kastī	kasta	kastra
Gen.	kasto	kasto	kasto	kastro	kastoti	kastoti	kastoti	kastroti
Dat.	kastot	kastot	kastot	kastrot	kastoti	kastoti	kastoti	kastroti
Loc.	kastā	kastȳ	kastot	kastrot	kastoti	kastī	kastoti	kastroti
Ins.	kastosa	kastosy	kastoso	kastroso	kastossi	kastossi	kastossi	kastrossi
Com.	kastoma	kastomy	kastomo	kastromo	kastommi	kastommi	kastommi	kastrommi
Voc.	kastus	kastys	kastos	kastos	kastis	kastyzys	kastas	kastas

Degrees of comparison

Equative: kastāpa adj. I "as blue, as green"
Comparative: kastykta adj. I "bluer, greener"
Superlative: kastāje adj. II "bluest, greenest"

Adverb

kastirī

Substantive

Type 1: kasty, n. 2lun.
Type 2: kastir, n. 5aq.

Class II

The vast majority of Class II stems end in j, l, n, ñ, or r. There seem to be some rare exceptions to this rule, but thus far none are known. Stems may end in multiple consonants, e.g. mirre "any," morghe "dead." Stems that end in ñ have a terrestrial/quatic form that ends in -or instead of -ior (e.g. idañe, -or).

Kirine -ior "happy"

Prepositive

	Singular				Plural
	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic
Nom.	kirine		kirinior		kirini		kiriniar
Acc.	kirine		kirinior		kirini		kiriniar
Gen.	kirino		kirinȳr		kirino(t)^[5]		kirinȳ(t) ^[5]
Dat.	kirino(t) ^[5]		kirinȳr		kirino(t)^[5]		kirinȳ(t)^[5]
Loc.	kirinē		kirinȳr		kirino(t)^[5]		kirinȳ(t)^[5]
Ins.	kirinos		kirinȳs		kirinos		kirinȳs
Com.	kirinon, -om^[6]		kirinȳn, -ȳm^[6]		kirinon, -om^[6]		kirinȳn, -ȳm^[6]
Voc.	kirines		kirinios		kirinis		kirinīs

Postpositive

	Singular				Plural
	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic
Nom.	kirine		kirinior		kirini		kiriniar
Acc.	kirine		kirinior		kirini		kiriniar
Gen.	kirino		kirinȳro		kirinoti		kirinȳti
Dat.	kirinot		kirinȳro		kirinoti		kirinȳti
Loc.	kirinē		kirinȳro		kirinoti		kirinȳti
Ins.	kirinose		kirinȳso		kirinossi		kirinȳssi
Com.	kirinome		kirinȳmo		kirinommi		kirinȳmmi
Voc.	kirines		kirinios		kirinis		kirinīs

Degrees of comparison

Equative: kirimpa adj. I "as happy"
Comparative: kirinkta adj. I "happier"
Superlative: kirinje adj. II "happiest"

Adverb

kirinī "happily"

Substantive

Type 1: kirinos, n. 3sol.
Type 2: kirinion, n. 3ter.

Sȳz-type

A small subset of type II adjectives, whose stems end in r, have an unexpected lun/sol.nom/acc.sing. ending in z. Members of this class include sȳz sȳrior "good," and dāez dāerior "free." Aside from this anomaly, they are entirely regular type II adjectives, so, postpositively:

	Singular				Plural
	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic
Nom.	sȳz		sȳrior		sȳri		sȳriar
Acc.	sȳz		sȳrior		sȳri		sȳriar
Gen.	sȳro		sȳrȳro		sȳroti		sȳrȳti
Dat.	sȳrot		sȳrȳro		sȳroti		sȳrȳti
Loc.	sȳrē		sȳrȳro		sȳroti		sȳrȳti
Ins.	sȳrose		sȳrȳso		sȳrossi		sȳrȳssi
Com.	sȳrome		sȳrȳmo		sȳrommi		sȳrȳmmi
Voc.	sȳres		sȳrios		sȳris		sȳrīs

Other forms

The adverb is sȳrī, and the equative is sȳrpa. Therefore it is nearly certain that the comparative is *sȳrkta and the superlative is *sȳrje.

Class III

Class III stems usually (but not always) end in a consonant cluster. The vast majority of then stems end in l, n, r, or v. There are some rare exceptions, such as ondie -ior "western."

Eglie -ior "high"

Prepositive

	Singular				Plural
	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic
Nom.	eglie		eglior		eglī		egliar
Acc.	eglie		eglior		eglī		egliar
Gen.	eglio		eglȳr		eglio(t)^[5]		eglȳ(t)^[5]
Dat.	eglio(t)^[5]		eglȳro(t)^[5]		eglio(t)^[5]		eglȳ(t)^[5]
Loc.	egliē		eglȳro(t)^[5]		eglio(t)^[5]		eglȳ(t)^[5]
Ins.	eglios		eglȳs		egliot		eglȳs
Com.	eglion^[6]		eglȳn^[6]		eglion^[6]		eglȳn^[6]
Voc.	eglies		eglios		eglīs		eglīs

Postpositive

	Singular				Plural
	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic	Lunar	Solar	Terrestrial	Aquatic
Nom.	eglie		eglior		eglī		egliar
Acc.	eglie		eglior		eglī		egliar
Gen.	eglio		eglȳro		eglȳti		eglȳti
Dat.	egliot		eglȳrot		eglȳti		eglȳti
Loc.	egliē		eglȳrot		eglȳti		eglȳti
Ins.	eglȳse		eglȳso		eglȳssi		eglȳssi
Com.	eglȳme		eglȳmo		eglȳmmi		eglȳmmi
Voc.	eglies		eglios		eglīs		eglīs

Degrees of comparison

Equative: eglipa adj. I "as happy"
Comparative: eglikta adj. I "higher"
Superlative: eglije adj. II "highest"

Adverb

eglī "highly"

Substantive

Type 1: eglos, n. 3sol.
Type 2: eglion, n. 3ter.

Notes

↑ "Right, so that's why it's the default that adjectives can be in both places except for modifiers (even though the latter are older)" "Oh, and by modifiers I mean determiners/demonstratives" -DJP, IRC
↑ "All adjectives can be postpositive if they want, but especially those that are more determinative in nature generally come before the noun, unless you want to sound...official?" —DJP, IRC
↑ Cf. Elat k’Athivezhofari: "Nēdenka is a Class I adjective, which means that it takes a suffix -irī to become an adverb."
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 The form is kastyz before a vowel, or a voiced consonant.
↑ ^5.00 ^5.01 ^5.02 ^5.03 ^5.04 ^5.05 ^5.06 ^5.07 ^5.08 ^5.09 ^5.10 ^5.11 ^5.12 ^5.13 ^5.14 ^5.15 ^5.16 ^5.17 ^5.18 ^5.19 ^5.20 ^5.21 ^5.22 ^5.23 ^5.24 ^5.25 ^5.26 ^5.27 ^5.28 ^5.29 ^5.30 ^5.31 ^5.32 The -t is omitted before a consonant, but retained before a vowel.
↑ ^6.00 ^6.01 ^6.02 ^6.03 ^6.04 ^6.05 ^6.06 ^6.07 ^6.08 ^6.09 ^6.10 ^6.11 ^6.12 ^6.13 ^6.14 ^6.15 The form is -m before a vowel or a labial consonant, but usually -n elsewhere.

[1] "Right, so that's why it's the default that adjectives can be in both places except for modifiers (even though the latter are older)" "Oh, and by modifiers I mean determiners/demonstratives" -DJP, IRC

[2] "All adjectives can be postpositive if they want, but especially those that are more determinative in nature generally come before the noun, unless you want to sound...official?" —DJP, IRC

[3] Cf. Elat k’Athivezhofari: "Nēdenka is a Class I adjective, which means that it takes a suffix -irī to become an adverb."

[z-4] 4.0 ^4.1 The form is kastyz before a vowel, or a voiced consonant.

[t-5] 5.00 ^5.01 ^5.02 ^5.03 ^5.04 ^5.05 ^5.06 ^5.07 ^5.08 ^5.09 ^5.10 ^5.11 ^5.12 ^5.13 ^5.14 ^5.15 ^5.16 ^5.17 ^5.18 ^5.19 ^5.20 ^5.21 ^5.22 ^5.23 ^5.24 ^5.25 ^5.26 ^5.27 ^5.28 ^5.29 ^5.30 ^5.31 ^5.32 The -t is omitted before a consonant, but retained before a vowel.

[m-6] 6.00 ^6.01 ^6.02 ^6.03 ^6.04 ^6.05 ^6.06 ^6.07 ^6.08 ^6.09 ^6.10 ^6.11 ^6.12 ^6.13 ^6.14 ^6.15 The form is -m before a vowel or a labial consonant, but usually -n elsewhere.

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User:Najahho/High Valyrian Adjectives

Contents

Instrumental/comitative merger

Degrees of comparison

Irregular comparison

The equative in apposition

Adverb

Substantives

Class I

Prepositive

Postpositive

Degrees of comparison

Adverb

Substantive

Class II

Prepositive

Postpositive

Degrees of comparison

Adverb

Substantive

Sȳz-type

Other forms

Class III

Prepositive

Postpositive

Degrees of comparison

Adverb

Substantive

Notes

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User:Najahho/High Valyrian Adjectives

Instrumental/comitative merger

Degrees of comparison

Irregular comparison

The equative in apposition

Adverb

Substantives

Class I

Prepositive

Postpositive

Degrees of comparison

Adverb

Substantive

Class II

Prepositive

Postpositive

Degrees of comparison

Adverb

Substantive

Sȳz-type

Other forms

Class III

Prepositive

Postpositive

Degrees of comparison

Adverb

Substantive

Notes

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