§ 253. _Former_.--A comparative formed from the superlative; _forma_ being such. Consequently, an instance of excess of expression, combined with irregularity. § 254. In Mœso-Gothic _spêdists_ means _last_, and _spêdiza_ = _later_. Of the word _spêdists_ two views may be taken. According to one it is the positive degree with the addition of st; according to the other, it is the comparative degree with the addition only of t. Now, Grimm and others lay down as a rule, that the superlative is formed, not directly from the positive, but indirectly through the comparative. With the exception of _worse_ and _less_, all the English comparatives end in -r: yet no superlative ends in -rt, the form being, not _wise, wiser, wisert_, but _wise, wiser, wisest_. This fact, without invalidating the notion just laid down, gives additional importance to the comparative forms in s; since it is from these, before they have changed to r, that we must suppose the superlatives to have been derived. The theory being admitted, we can, by approximation, determine the comparative antiquity of the superlative degree. It was introduced _after_ the establishment of the comparative, and _before_ the change of -s into -r. * * * * * CHAPTER XI. THE SUPERLATIVE DEGREE. § 255. The Anglo-Saxon word for _first_ was _for-m-a_. The root was _for_ = the Latin _præ_, the Greek προ, and being the same combination which occurs in _fore_, _fore-m-ost_, &c. The m was the Anglo-Saxon sign of the superlative degree. It is the m in the Latin words _pri-m-us_, _inti-m-us_, _exti-m-us_, _ulti-m-us_, &c. It occurs even in the Gothic tongues; in other words, besides _for-m-a_. In short, m is an old sign of the superlative degree; probably older than the usual form, -st, discussed in § 254. This has some important applications. § 256. _Former_.--This is a remarkable word: it is a comparative derived from the Anglo-Saxon superlative, and its analysis is _for-m-er_, with _excess of inflexion_. § 257. _Nea-r-est_.--Here the r is no part of the original root, as may be seen in § 251. It has grown out of -ah pronounced as the a in _father_. The true forms are positive, _neah_; comparative, _neah-er_; superlative, _neah-est_. Such, to a certain extent, is really the case. § 258. _Next_.--The superlative of _nigh_, contracted from _nigh-est_. The Anglo-Saxon forms were _neah_, _nyh-st_, _neh-st_, _nyh-ste_. In Anglo-Saxon the letter h was pronounced strongly, and sounded like g or k. This fact is still shown in the spelling; as nigh. In the word _next_ this sound is preserved, slightly changed into that of k; _next_ = _nek-st_. § 259. _Upmost_, &c.--The common statement concerning words like _upmost_ is, that they are compound words, formed by the addition of the word _most_: this, however, is more than doubtful. The Anglo-Saxon language presents us with the following forms:-- _Anglo-Saxon._ _English._