Talk:старый

@Atitarev, Cinemantique, Wikitiki89, Wanjuscha, Per utramque cavernam, Guldrelokk Some issues:

1. Formerly, the comparatives were given as either ста́рше (stárše) or старе́е (staréje). None of Zaliznak, Ivanova and ruwikt list ста́рше (stárše) as a comparative of ста́рый so I removed it. Correct?
2. I added the usage note on ста́рый based on my interpretation of Zaliznyak. Correct?
3. Does there exist a corresponding adverb старо́/ста́ро, with comparative старе́е?

Benwing2 (talk) 09:47, 3 May 2018 (UTC)

@Benwing2: I'm OK with your change, please be aware of the meanings, both старше and старее can both be translated as "older":

старше (antonym = младше) - can be used of any person or animal who is older than someone else, even if they are young. Её сын старше дочери на один год. - Her son is older than (her) daughter by one year.

старее (antonym = моложе) - talking about older people or objects, the focus is on "old". Этот старик ещё старее того. - This old man is even older than that one. Yes and yes to your other questions. --Anatoli T. ^{(обсудить}/^вклад) 12:00, 3 May 2018 (UTC)

But this is the case with most comparatives. For example, мухи больше муравьев, even though мухи are not большие. Therefore, I think старше and старший should be listed as comparatives of старый. --WikiTiki89 14:38, 3 May 2018 (UTC)

@Atitarev, Wikitiki89 I have no problem either including or not including старше as a comparative of старый, whatever you two prefer. Benwing2 (talk) 01:25, 4 May 2018 (UTC)

@Wikitiki89: I am, of course aware, about how comparatives work. Etymologically, ста́рше (stárše) and ста́рший (stáršij) are both comparatives of ста́рый (stáryj), the former is an adverb, the latter is an adjective. See Polish starszy, where it's still the case (it's an adjectival comparative of stary). Semantically, though, ста́рший (stáršij) is no longer used as a comparative but more like adjective "elder", "senior" and I see some problem in making ста́рше (stárše) a comparative of ста́рший (stáršij). To me, it's another comparative of ста́рый (stáryj) but the usage of ста́рше (stárše) and старе́е (staréje) differs as I described above. Do you understand what I mean? @Benwing2. --Anatoli T. ^{(обсудить}/^вклад) 07:22, 4 May 2018 (UTC)

@Atitarev: старший does have additional meanings, but it is still also a comparative/superlative of старый (example). We can explain the differences between старше/старший and старее in a usage note. --WikiTiki89 15:57, 4 May 2018 (UTC)

@Wikitiki89, Benwing2: I have made some edits in diff and added some usage notes. Please also see my edit in ста́рший (stáršij). --Anatoli T. ^{(обсудить}/^вклад) 13:30, 5 May 2018 (UTC)