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Teo Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

tireder, border, exciteder.

According to A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language (By Randolph Quirk et al, Longman Group Limited 1985):

"Participle forms which are used as adjectives regularly take only periphrastic forms."

However, if you use do Google advanced search for 'tireder,' the results show16,800 entries for tireder.

The results of a serach for border show 932 entries. Even exciteder has 210 entries.

Can anyone tell me why there are so many exceptions?

Thanks a lot!
  

Top answer

Google only shows you that some forms are used, but it doesn't mean they are correct.

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  • Google only shows you that some forms are used, but it doesn't mean they are correct.
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13 Answers
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Google only shows you that some forms are used, but it doesn't mean they are correct.
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Hi,

Can anyone tell me why there are so many exceptions? Because some people write, and speak, poorly.

When you consider the millions of words on the internet, those are very small numbers that you found.

Best wishes, Clive
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Teo,
An individual Google count proves nothing!
You should compare with the count for the recommended forms.
CJ
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It's also quite common to find incorrect forms used for humorous effect. Here, for instance, "tireder" and "boreder" might demonstrate that the poster was so tired or bored (or both) that he couldn't even be bothered to reach for a "more".

While "exciteder" might suggest over-excitement...

MrP

(That is probably one of my stupider explanations.)
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They're not exceptions, they're just all wrong, probably people who just didn't know how to write them. The correct forms would be: more tired, more bored, and more excited.
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By the way, is there any case where a past participle correctly takes "-er"?

(This is not a test question. I'd like to know if anyone knows a case. I couldn't think of any --- in the two seconds I devoted to the exercise!
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TeoThe results of a serach for border show 932 entries.
I am surprised you don't get more hits. A border is a very common noun. There should be millions of hits!

Cheers
CB
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CalifJimBy the way, is there any case where a past participle correctly takes "-er"?

No, Jim. No. It's a basic rule of comparison: all participles are always put in the comparative and superlative with more and the most.
Elvis Presley is, of course, an exception:

"You've got the huggingest arms and the thrilli
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Cool Breeze
TeoThe results of a serach for border show 932 entries.

I am surprised you don't get more hits. A border is a very common noun. There should be millions of hits!
Sorry. I made a typo. I should have typed "boreder."
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