Evaluative Grammar and Non-Standard Comparatives: A Cross-Linguistic Analysis of Ukrainian and English

Abstract

This study examines non-standard comparative and superlative adjective forms in Ukrainian and English, emphasizing their evaluative meanings and grammatical deviations. While prescriptive grammar dictates conventional comparison patterns, modern discourse—particularly in advertising, informal communication, and literary texts—exhibits an increasing prevalence of innovative comparative structures. Using a corpus-based approach, this research identifies patterns of positive and negative evaluative meanings, revealing that positive evaluations dominate non-standard comparatives in both languages, particularly in advertising (English: 78.5%, Ukrainian: 80.2%). However, English exhibits a higher tolerance for grammatical flexibility, while Ukrainian maintains a more restricted use, primarily in commercial and expressive discourse. The findings highlight the pragmatic and evaluative functions of such constructions, including hyperbolic emphasis, rhetorical contrast, and branding strategies. These insights contribute to research on comparative grammar, sentiment analysis, and natural language processing, particularly in modeling evaluative structures in computational linguistics.

1. Introduction

In contemporary linguistics, the study of evaluative language has become increasingly relevant due to the growing role of emotional, persuasive, and stylistic expression across various forms of discourse, particularly in digital communication. This trend has been addressed in numerous studies on appraisal theory and stance-taking in discourse (e.g., Martin & White, 2005; Hunston & Thompson, 2000; Bednarek, 2006). Evaluative language refers to linguistic expressions that convey a speaker’s attitude, judgement, or emotional stance toward an object, person, or situation. Such expressions may include overtly positive or negative adjectives (e.g., excellent, terrible), intensifying comparatives (e.g., more elegant, less reliable), or superlatives (e.g., the most unexpected result). Evaluative constructions are especially prominent in media, advertising, and informal genres, where subjectivity and emotional impact are central to communicative goals (e.g., Bednarek, 2009; Rocklage & Fazio, 2014; Englebretson, 2007). Adjectives play a vital role in this genre, serving not only as descriptors of qualities but also as carriers of attitudinal stance, emotional coloring, and pragmatic intent. Their evaluative function enables speakers and writers to structure opinion, create emphasis, and enhance stylistic distinctiveness. These features are especially important in informal, advertising, and literary discourse where subjective perception and communicative impact are prioritized.

The current linguistic landscape demonstrates a notable trend toward the intensification and creative modification of evaluative adjectives, particularly through the use of degrees of comparison. While the formation of comparative and superlative adjectives is governed by prescriptive grammatical norms in most languages, actual usage, especially in English and Ukrainian, reveals frequent deviations from these rules. These non-standard constructions, including redundant forms such as “more better”, emphatic expressions such as “the most amazingest”, or intensified Ukrainian analogues such as “найзручнішийший” (“the most convenientest”) and “найукраїнішoї з Україн” (“the most Ukrainian of Ukraines”), are becoming increasingly common in both online and offline communication. Such deviations, though formally ungrammatical, fulfill important stylistic and pragmatic functions.

Evaluative adjectives can express different types of gradation and realization of the features they denote. This makes degrees of comparison particularly relevant to the study of evaluative grammar. In this context, non-standard comparative and superlative forms become a powerful linguistic mechanism for expressing emphasis, irony, identity, and exaggeration. They also reflect broader cultural and discursive preferences regarding how evaluation is constructed and perceived in different languages.

Despite the growing interest in evaluative language, limited research has been conducted on the cross-linguistic comparison of non-standard comparative structures in Ukrainian and English. Existing studies focus predominantly on standard forms or context-specific evaluations, without systematic contrastive analysis (e.g., Kosmeda, 2021; Radko, 2017; Rud, 2020; Khaliman, 2019). Previous studies have focused primarily on standard forms or general adjective usage without paying adequate attention to the stylistic, pragmatic, and discursive roles of their non-standard variants (e.g., Kosmeda, 2021; Radko, 2017; Rud, 2020; Khaliman, 2019). This paper addresses this gap by systematically exploring the evaluative potential and functional distribution of non-standard degrees of comparison in both languages, highlighting cross-linguistic similarities and differences in their formation, use, and perception.

The novelty of this research lies in its integrated methodological approach that combines corpus-based quantitative analysis with qualitative discourse interpretation (e.g., Bednarek, 2009; Marzá, 2011; Syrett, 2024). Unlike previous studies that examine evaluative adjectives from either a cognitive, stylistic, or computational angle (e.g., Hunston, 2019; Bednarek, 2009; Wiebe et al., 2005), this research adopts a multi-dimensional framework that links grammatical form, evaluative polarity, and discourse function. The urgency of this research stems from the increasing presence of such constructions in digital and informal communication, as well as from their relevance to applied genres such as sentiment analysis, machine translation, and language pedagogy.

The main objectives of this study are as follows. First, to analyze the frequency and distribution of non-standard comparative and superlative forms across various discourse types in English and Ukrainian. Second, to examine their evaluative polarity and evaluative functions within real-world communicative contexts. Third, to explore the implications of their usage for understanding grammatical norm flexibility and the expressive potential of evaluative grammar in both languages.

By pursuing these objectives, the study contributes to a better understanding of evaluative expression in morphosyntactic innovation and offers insights into the evolving dynamics of comparison structures in contemporary communication.

2. The Current Study

2.1. Research Background

Evaluative adjectives have been extensively studied in linguistic, cognitive, and applied frameworks. Scholars such as Hunston (2019), Martin and White (2005), and Bednarek (2006, 2009) have demonstrated that adjectives function not only as descriptors but also as key indicators of attitudinal stance and appraisal. In particular, they play a central role in the construction of evaluative meaning across registers and discourse types.

Cognitive and computational research has further explored the semantic dynamics of evaluative adjectives. Studies by Hatzivassiloglou and Wiebe (2000), Wiebe et al. (2005), and Whitelaw et al. (2005) highlight the importance of adjective orientation in sentiment analysis and automatic appraisal categorization. Similarly, Syrett (2024) addresses how evaluative adjectives are acquired and processed, while Marzá (2011) provides corpus-based evidence for their strategic deployment in promotional discourse.

In Ukrainian linguistic scholarship, the evaluative function of adjectives has been analyzed by Kosmeda (2021), Radko (2017), Ryzantseva (2013), Rud (2020), and Khaliman (2019). These studies examine the structural, stylistic, and functional features of adjectives in literary, journalistic, and conversational discourse, paying special attention to their role in expressing authorial stance, aesthetic impact, and emotional effect. Occasional and innovative adjective forms are also studied as means of subjective evaluation and stylistic intensification in Ukrainian poetic and media texts.

These studies collectively emphasize the adaptive role of adjectives, highlighting their capacity to shift evaluative and functional meanings depending on discourse context, speaker intention, and genre. Taken together, they reflect linguistic, cognitive, and computational perspectives on evaluative language, although each typically adopts one approach independently rather than integrating them within a unified framework.

2.2. Theoretical Framework

Comparative and superlative adjective forms in English and Ukrainian are grammatically well-defined. In English, comparative forms are typically marked by the suffix -er (e.g., faster) or by analytic constructions with more (e.g., more effective), while superlatives are formed with -est (e.g., fastest) or most (e.g., most effective). Ukrainian forms follow a synthetic model, adding suffixes such as -іш, and -ш for comparatives (вищий, глибший) and often combining them with intensifiers like най- for superlatives (найкращий, найглибший).

While these grammatical forms are considered standard, this study focuses on their discursively marked variants. These include constructions that extend, deviate from, or creatively reinterpret conventional forms. Examples include English expressions such as “more deeper” or “the most happiest”, and Ukrainian equivalents such as “найбільш правильніший” (“the most more correct”) or “ще кращіший” (“even more better”). Such forms may be used humorously, emphatically, or stylistically and are most often found in informal, advertising, and literary discourse. Although morphologically, they often follow familiar patterns, they diverge from prescriptive norms and reflect intentional grammatical creativity.

The present study examines these non-standard comparative and superlative constructions within the framework of evaluative grammar. Evaluative grammar considers how grammatical forms convey subjective attitudes, assessments, and intensifications beyond mere description. Non-standard degrees of comparison are particularly relevant to this framework because they function as rhetorical and emotional amplifiers. In both Ukrainian and English, they contribute to stylistic expressiveness, reinforce speaker stance, and shape affective impact. These constructions are increasingly used to fulfill pragmatic goals such as persuasion, humor, exaggeration, and social positioning in both digital and non-digital communication.

We avoid the term “lexical innovations” in this context because the constructions in question are not new lexemes but modified morphological structures used for expressive, stylistic, or pragmatic purposes. Although they conform morphologically to known patterns, they deviate from prescriptive usage norms and conventional register constraints. Thus, the label “non-standard” more accurately captures their normative deviation, if not their morphological irregularity, within discourse.

2.3. Data Collection

Methodologically, the study employs a two-stage approach. First, a corpus-based quantitative analysis was conducted using a large, stratified dataset of English and Ukrainian texts. This allowed for the identification of recurrent non-standard forms and their distribution across genres. The data were collected between 2019 and 2024, providing a diachronic window into emerging linguistic trends. The main corpus comprises 20,000 items (10,000 per language), selected through purposive sampling from authentic sources spanning five discourse types: mass media, social networks, advertising materials, literary texts, and online forums. This ensures that the study captures real-world usage patterns of non-standard degrees of comparison across formal, informal, and creative communicative genres.

Data sources included social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit, with emphasis on public discussions, marketing materials, and hyperbolic expressions; advertising platforms like Amazon, Rozetka, and eBay; journalistic outlets including Ukrainska Pravda, Liga.net, BBC Ukraine, Radio Svoboda, The Guardian, BBC News, The New York Times, and Buzzfeed; and literary texts by contemporary Ukrainian and English-speaking authors. Online forums and blogs such as Quora, Stack Exchange, and Medium were analyzed to trace spontaneous, user-generated innovations.

From this large dataset, an experimental subset of 2000 examples (1000 in each language) was manually constructed for detailed analysis. These examples were filtered to reflect significant deviation from prescriptive grammatical norms, and they illustrate phenomena such as redundancy, morphological overextension, semantic anomaly, and rhetorical hyperbole. The balance within this dataset includes 1202 comparatives and 798 superlatives. From these, 1265 instances were ultimately selected for final qualitative interpretation based on criteria such as deviation from normative usage, amplification, redundancy, semantic anomaly, or stylistic exaggeration.

The 2000 examples were annotated using a predefined scheme that classified degree type (comparative or superlative), evaluative polarity (positive, negative, neutral), and discourse function (e.g., emphasis, irony, persuasion, branding). Positive polarity was assigned when constructions emphasized favorable or desirable qualities (e.g., “the most delicious cake”, “найкращийший варіант” (“the most bestest option”)), negative polarity when expressing criticism or disapproval (e.g., “the worstest mistake”, “найневдаліший вибір” (“the most unsuccessful choice”)), and neutral polarity when lacking attitudinal bias (e.g., “the most recent version”, “найoстанніша версія” (“the most recent version”)). Discrepancies were resolved by consensus, and inter-annotator agreement exceeded 90%, ensuring reliability.

This combination of a broad corpus and a systematically annotated subset supports methodological triangulation and enhances the internal validity of the findings. The study thus provides a robust empirical foundation for analyzing non-standard degrees of comparison in Ukrainian and English discourse.

2.4. Methodology

This study employs a comprehensive methodological framework that integrates both quantitative corpus analysis and qualitative discourse analysis to systematically examine non-standard comparative and superlative formations in Ukrainian and English. The research investigates their frequency, structural characteristics, and contextual variability, enabling the identification of the most typologically recurrent constructions that deviate from prescriptive comparison models. This two-stage approach ensures an empirically substantiated assessment of grammatical innovation within evaluative language across diverse discourse genres.

A theoretical foundation in evaluative grammar underpins this analysis, recognizing non-standard comparatives and superlatives as strategic tools for encoding subjective assessments, attitudinal positioning, and pragmatic intensification. These constructions are not merely linguistic anomalies but actively shape evaluative meaning, particularly in informal, commercial, and digital communication (Herman, 2022).

The quantitative corpus analysis identified the most productive non-standard comparatives, measured their prevalence across discourse types, and assessed diachronic variations. Statistical modeling, including regression for analyzing frequency variations and logistic regression for evaluating evaluative polarity, alongside hierarchical clustering for grouping similar usage patterns, was employed to evaluate how these constructions function across social, commercial, and literary contexts. These models were chosen to account for the interaction between discourse type, linguistic variation, and pragmatic functions of non-standard comparatives. The qualitative discourse analysis examines the semantic and pragmatic functions of non-standard comparatives, focusing on their role in evaluative intensification, hyperbole, irony, and brand identity formation. Particular attention was given to their interaction with linguistic creativity and their impact on conventional adjective usage.

Additionally, the dataset of 2000 manually selected examples (1000 per language) was systematically categorized based on evaluative polarity (positive, negative, or neutral) according to the expressed attitude in context. For example, “the most delicious cake” was coded as positive, “the worstest mistake” as negative, and “the most recent version” (“найoстанніша версія”) as neutral. This classification enabled cross-linguistic comparisons of how non-standard comparative and superlative forms function evaluatively in discourse, revealing their alignment with pragmatic intent and genre-specific emotional coloring. This categorization facilitated an in-depth exploration of how speakers employ these constructions to provide emphasis, reinforce brand identity, or engage in rhetorical exaggeration.

3. Analysis

This section presents the analytical results of the study, combining general observations, quantitative distributions, and qualitative insights into the evaluative and pragmatic functions of non-standard degrees of comparison in English and Ukrainian.

Non-standard comparative and superlative constructions play a prominent role in informal, expressive, and persuasive communication. Their increasing occurrence across discourse genres reflects a broader shift toward grammatical creativity and evaluative intensification in modern language use. These constructions often violate prescriptive norms intentionally, fulfilling stylistic, pragmatic, and affective functions such as hyperbole, irony, emotional amplification, or branding. As previous research suggests, non-standard comparatives are particularly frequent in digital and commercial discourse, where linguistic playfulness and expressivity are pragmatically licensed (Martin & White, 2005; Syrett, 2024; Marzá, 2011).

The quantitative analysis identifies the most productive non-standard comparative constructions, their prevalence across genres, and their diachronic variation from 2019 to 2024. Statistical techniques were employed to examine the distributional patterns and evaluative polarity of non-standard comparative constructions in English and Ukrainian. One-way ANOVA was used to test whether the observed differences in frequency were statistically significant across languages and discourse types. Pearson correlation measured the relationship between formality and frequency of non-standard usage. The Chi-square test assessed whether there was significant variation in usage across discourse genres. These methods were selected to evaluate different aspects of the dataset, and their objectives included identifying structural and functional tendencies within and across languages. Despite English demonstrating a higher numerical frequency of non-standard comparatives (7.83%) when compared to Ukrainian (4.82%), the difference was not statistically significant (F = 0.437, p = 0.533).

The qualitative component interprets how non-standard forms function across five discourse types: mass media, social networks, advertising materials, literary texts, and online forums. The Pearson correlation (r = −0.82 for English, r = −0.77 for Ukrainian) revealed a strong inverse relationship between formality and non-standard usage frequency. A Chi-square test (χ² = 21.76, p < 0.001) confirmed statistically significant variation across discourse genres: advertising showed the highest concentration, followed by informal, literary, and formal texts.

3.1. Distribution of Non-Standard Comparative and Superlative Forms

Non-standard degrees of comparison play a significant role in both Ukrainian and English, particularly in informal and persuasive discourse, as they contribute to expressiveness, emphasis, and rhetorical impact. In advertising, these forms enhance product appeal by intensifying desirable attributes, while in informal communication, they serve as tools for expressing humor, exaggeration, and social bonding.

The analysis identified 783 instances of non-standard comparative and superlative forms in English and 482 instances in Ukrainian, highlighting distinct linguistic trends in their usage. This discrepancy indicates that English discourse allows for broader morphological experimentation, particularly in digital communication, advertising, and informal speech.

Overall, comparatives are more frequent than superlatives in both languages, especially in informal and advertising contexts, as supported by the dataset totals (1202 comparatives vs. 798 superlatives) and discourse-specific frequencies (783 English instances vs. 482 Ukrainian). English data show a higher concentration of non-standard forms in digital media, while Ukrainian data indicate more instances in informal and literary texts. Ukrainian tends to rely on intensified and hybrid constructions, whereas English often favors redundancy and emphatic duplication.

This section presents the distribution patterns of non-standard forms across four discourse types in both English and Ukrainian. The frequency data are supported by visual representation (Figure 1 and Figure 2), while the text highlights major tendencies, without duplicating the full numeric details.

Figure 1 presents a diachronic overview of the usage of non-standard comparative and superlative forms from 2019 to 2024, illustrating their temporal dynamics. The steady increase in their frequency suggests a shift in linguistic norms, where these forms are becoming more widely accepted in informal and digital communication. This trend may indicate broader socio-linguistic changes, including the impact of social media on language evolution and the growing influence of persuasive and expressive strategies in modern discourse. This data highlights the steady increase in frequency of such constructions in both English and Ukrainian, with English exhibiting a more pronounced growth rate. This trend suggests an ongoing expansion of non-standard forms in contemporary discourse, particularly in digital and informal communication. While Ukrainian demonstrates a slower rate of adoption, the upward trajectory indicates a gradual shift toward greater acceptance of linguistic innovation.

A closer look at the temporal dynamics reveals that non-standard comparative constructions in English experienced a particularly sharp rise between 2021 and 2023, coinciding with the increased use of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, where informal, emphatic, and often humorous language flourishes. Ukrainian data also shows a steady incline, albeit more moderate, with visible spikes in usage during national events that prompted emotive or patriotic expression in public discourse.

For example, the phrase “the most aestheticest photo ever” became a popular hashtag on English-speaking platforms, illustrating playful exaggeration in visual culture. Similarly, Ukrainian social media users created forms like “найукраїнішoї з Україн” (“the most Ukrainian of Ukraines”) to intensify patriotic sentiment during cultural or wartime mobilization. In both cases, speakers increasingly rely on exaggerated comparison to convey personal attitude, emotional involvement, or group identity. Other English constructions such as “the worstest decision” or “more funner” serve humorous or ironic purposes, particularly in memes and casual storytelling. Ukrainian examples include “найзручнішийший” (“the most convenientest”) or “ще кращіший” (“even more better”), which often appear in forums or blog posts with expressive or parodic intent.

These patterns suggest a direct link between communicative needs in specific socio-cultural moments and the activation of non-standard grammatical creativity. They also indicate that while prescriptive grammar remains dominant in educational and formal settings, actual language use reflects an evolving tolerance for expressive norm deviation, especially when stylistic impact is prioritized over correctness. Such constructions reveal not only linguistic creativity but also cultural attitudes toward exaggeration, identity, and emotional expression.

In terms of contextual distribution, the findings confirm that advertising is the most prominent genre for non-standard forms in both languages. English advertising discourse contained 355 occurrences (45.01%), while Ukrainian advertising exhibited 298 instances (53.50%). Informal communication also demonstrated significant usage of non-standard forms, with 230 instances in English (29.16%) and 136 in Ukrainian (24.42%). Literary texts featured 165 instances in English (20.91%) and 100 in Ukrainian (17.96%). Formal communication showed the lowest frequency: 39 instances in English (4.94%) and 23 in Ukrainian (4.13%).

A visual comparison of the data is presented in Figure 2, illustrating the differences in frequency across the examined contexts for both languages.

The comparative findings indicate that while non-standard comparative and superlative forms exist in both languages, English displays a greater tolerance for their use. This can be attributed to the language’s historical tendency toward analytic structures, greater flexibility in morphological adaptation, and a cultural preference for linguistic innovation in informal and digital discourse. As noted by Martin and White (2005), English displays a high degree of tolerance for attitudinal and evaluative variation, particularly through the use of lexical and grammatical resources that allow expressive extension. Similarly, Syrett (2024) discusses how English speakers frequently manipulate comparison structures beyond normative constraints, especially in digital environments where playfulness and exaggeration are pragmatically licensed. Marzá (2011) also highlights the creative exploitation of evaluative adjectives in English promotional discourse, underlining the flexibility of the language in accommodating stylistic innovation. This tendency is particularly noticeable in informal speech and digital discourse, where such constructions are frequently employed for emphasis and stylistic effect. Ukrainian, in contrast, restricts such constructions to specific functional genres, with advertising showing the highest concentration of these forms. This tendency is confirmed by studies such as the one by Rud (2020), which emphasizes the role of complex adjectives and intensified forms in constructing the image of Ukraine in commercial and media discourse, and Khaliman (2019), who documents recurring deviations from normative comparative patterns in promotional and expressive contexts. Radko (2017) also notes the use of individually authored evaluative adjectives (often morphologically marked or non-standard) in poetic and advertising texts that draw on folkloric or stylistically expressive registers. These patterns confirm the broader trend of increasing usage in informal and persuasive discourse contexts.

Figure 3 provides a comparative visualization of the frequency distribution of non-standard comparative forms across different discourse contexts in English and Ukrainian. The data highlight cross-linguistic variations, with advertising emerging as the dominant genre for such constructions in both languages. However, the proportion of non-standard comparatives differs notably, as English exhibits a relatively higher frequency in informal communication and literary texts, whereas Ukrainian demonstrates a stronger reliance on these forms in advertising. The contrast in distribution patterns underscores distinct pragmatic and stylistic tendencies in both linguistic systems, suggesting that English allows for more flexible usage of these constructions across diverse communicative settings, while Ukrainian confines them primarily to commercial and creative genres. These findings underscore the role of communicative context in shaping linguistic tolerance for non-standard morphology. Informal, digital, and commercial genres exhibit a higher frequency and broader acceptability of such forms, suggesting that communicative function significantly influences normative flexibility.

The contrast in usage patterns highlights cross-linguistic differences in grammatical flexibility and discourse acceptability, with English permitting more frequent and widespread usage, whereas Ukrainian employs such constructions more selectively and primarily for commercial and literary purposes.

These results establish a clear distinction in the prevalence, contextual applications, and linguistic flexibility of non-standard comparative and superlative forms between English and Ukrainian.

3.2. Evaluative and Pragmatic Functions of Non-Standard Constructions

This section explores the evaluative dimension of the identified forms. Both comparatives and superlatives serve stylistic and rhetorical purposes that go beyond grammatical comparison. Typical functions include intensification, emotional emphasis, ironic distancing, and intertextual allusion.

Examples such as “more scarier” (comparative) and “the most amazingest” (superlative) illustrate how speakers and writers manipulate form to convey subjective stance. Ukrainian equivalents like “найнеoчікуваніший” (“the most unexpectedest”) or “ще кращіший” (“even more better”) perform similar functions. These constructions are particularly common in persuasive genres (advertising, opinion blogs) and creative writing.

A crucial aspect of non-standard degrees of comparison is their role in modeling evaluative meaning. These constructions often contribute to either positive or negative assessments, shaping the perception of objects, people, and situations.

To determine evaluative polarity, each instance was manually analyzed in context by two trained annotators with expertise in evaluative semantics. A predefined coding scheme was used to assign polarity values based on the speaker’s or writer’s implied stance toward the subject being described. A construction was labeled positive if it amplified a favorable or desirable quality (e.g., “the most impressive result”, “найзручніший спoсіб” (“the most convenientest method”), suggested superiority, or promoted positive emotional appeal. Conversely, a form was marked negative if it emphasized deficiency, failure, criticism, or other dispreferred qualities (e.g., “the worstest idea ever”, “найневдаліший прoєкт” (“the most unsuccessful project”)). Ambiguous or borderline cases were discussed until consensus was reached, and contextual cues such as tone, surrounding vocabulary, and discourse function were taken into account to avoid misclassification. This method ensured consistency across both languages and allowed for systematic comparison of attitudinal tendencies. This pattern suggests that speakers in both languages tend to use non-standard degrees of comparison primarily to emphasize favorable qualities, such as superiority, uniqueness, or intensity.

The higher prevalence of positive evaluative constructions can be attributed to their frequent occurrence in advertising and marketing language, where they serve as persuasive tools to enhance product appeal. For example, phrases like “the most luxurious hotel” or “найкремoвіший крем” (“the creamiest cream”) highlight desirable product characteristics. In contrast, negative evaluative forms, such as “the messiest room ever” or “найневдаліший прoєкт” (“the most unsuccessful project”), appear more commonly in informal and expressive discourse, including personal blogs and social media posts.

However, there are exceptions in which such constructions convey irony, sarcasm, or negative evaluation, particularly in online discussions and satirical content. Additionally, in formal discourse, their presence is minimal and often restricted to rhetorical or stylistic purposes rather than casual usage.

The persuasive nature of marketing communication necessitates the use of hyperbolic and emotionally charged language, which leads to an increased proportion of positively connoted non-standard forms. Informal discourse, while also exhibiting a notable prevalence of positive comparatives, demonstrates a slightly higher proportion of negative constructions. This suggests that while conversational and digital communication often employ exaggerated comparisons for humor and expressiveness, they also serve as vehicles for critique and irony.

In contrast, formal discourse maintains a more balanced distribution between positive and negative evaluations. This equilibrium reflects the greater adherence to linguistic norms in professional and academic communication, where the intentional manipulation of evaluative meaning is more constrained by stylistic and grammatical conventions.

Advertising demonstrates the highest concentration of positive evaluative meanings in both languages, particularly in Ukrainian (80.2%). Formal communication exhibits a nearly equal distribution in Ukrainian (50.5% positive vs. 49.5% negative), whereas in English, a slight predominance of negative evaluations is observed (51.1%).

Figure 4 provides a graphical overview of evaluative tendencies across the examined genres, emphasizing the predominance of positive evaluative meanings in advertising and informal communication.

An analysis of the visual data confirms the statistical observations regarding the predominance of positive evaluative constructions in advertising discourse, where they constitute 78.5% in English and 80.2% in Ukrainian. This can be attributed to the nature of advertising as a genre, which actively employs expressively charged units to emphasize the advantages of a product or service, shape a favorable image, and enhance the pragmatic impact on the audience.

The analysis of the dataset reveals that positive evaluative meanings are more frequently modeled than negative types in both languages, although the disparity varies across discourse types. Out of the 783 instances of non-standard comparative and superlative forms in English, 502 (64.1%) convey positive evaluation, while 281 (35.9%) express negative meanings. Similarly, in Ukrainian, 320 out of 482 cases (66.4%) exhibit positive assessment, with 162 cases (33.6%) reflecting negative evaluation. The experimental findings reinforced the initial observations. In English, 642 out of 1000 instances (64.2%) were classified as positive, 290 (29%) as negative, and 68 (6.8%) as neutral. Similarly, in Ukrainian, 654 out of 1000 cases (65.4%) were positive, 280 (28%) negative, and 66 (6.6%) neutral. These results confirm that non-standard degrees of comparison primarily serve to amplify positive traits, a tendency most prominent in promotional and informal discourse, where language is strategically employed to enhance expressiveness and engagement. The results also reveal that the frequent application of non-standard comparatives in advertising is a key factor contributing to the predominance of positive evaluations.

The second most frequent use of positive non-standard degrees of comparison is observed in informal communication, where they also surpass negative forms, albeit with slightly lower percentages: 56.3% in English and 58.1% in Ukrainian. This can be explained by the multifunctional role of non-standard comparatives in everyday communication, where they serve as a means of enhancing expressiveness, creating humorous effects, and conveying the speaker’s subjective stance. This phenomenon is particularly evident in digital communication, where such constructions are frequently used to add emotional coloring to statements in social media, blogs, and informal discussions.

In literary texts, non-standard degrees of comparison play a significant role in crafting stylistically charged descriptions and may also function as a means of conveying authorial intent or character portrayal. In this context, positive evaluative meanings account for 65.7% in English and 66.8% in Ukrainian, indicating their functional importance in literary and journalistic texts. The use of such constructions in literature is driven by the authors’ intention to achieve expressiveness and originality, as well as to capture the uniqueness of particular phenomena or character traits.

Formal speech, however, demonstrates a different tendency: it exhibits the most balanced ratio of positive and negative non-standard degrees of comparison. In English, positive meanings constitute 48.9%, while negative types account for 51.1%. In Ukrainian, the distribution is nearly equal, with 50.5% positive and 49.5% negative evaluative meanings. This equilibrium may be explained by the pursuit of objectivity in formal discourse, where emotionally charged expressions are less appropriate and are more often subject to normative constraints.

Thus, the figures confirm the general tendencies identified in the analysis: non-standard degrees of comparison in English and Ukrainian exhibit significant variability depending on the communicative context. Advertising emerges as the primary genre for such constructions, followed by informal communication, while literary texts display a moderate presence, and formal communication remains the least affected. These patterns suggest that non-standard comparatives primarily serve expressive, persuasive, and evaluative functions, with cross-linguistic variations in their acceptability and distribution. In most discourses, positive evaluative meanings predominate, with the exception of formal speech, where a relative balance between positive and negative evaluation is observed (see Figure 4).

Despite structural differences in comparative formation between the two languages, cross-linguistic patterns reveal similar discursive motivations. In both English and Ukrainian, non-standard forms often arise from creative violation of norms to enhance expressiveness. However, English demonstrates a higher acceptance of grammatically non-standard constructions, such as “more funner” or “the most unforgetablest”, particularly in informal and digital contexts. In contrast, Ukrainian tends to favor internal intensification using prefixes or repetitions, as in “ще кращіший” (“even more better”) or “найльвівськіший” (“the most Lviv-like”).

3.3. Qualitative Analysis

While the preceding subsections focus on statistical patterns and evaluative tendencies, this section explores the discourse functions and stylistic nuances of non-standard comparative and superlative constructions in greater detail. It synthesizes context-dependent usage and morphological variation to provide an interpretative perspective on how these forms function across genres and languages. This section focuses on the interpretative aspects of non-standard comparative and superlative constructions, offering a close examination of their discourse functions and stylistic variation.

Qualitative analysis reveals that such constructions frequently function as markers of emphasis, humor, informality, and creativity. For example, English forms such as “the most unforgetablest day” or “more worser” are not accidental errors but intentional exaggerations used in digital storytelling or casual speech to amplify emotional content. Ukrainian examples such as “найсильнішийший” (“the most strongest”) or “ще більш правильніший” (“even more correcter”) operate similarly within informal and expressive registers.

Ukrainian demonstrates a reliance on prefixation and root repetition to convey intensification. Prefixes such as над- (e.g., “надсмачний”—“super tasty”) enhance the base adjective, while repetition of comparative or superlative roots, as in “найзручнішийший” (“the most convenientest”), adds emphatic force.

The presence of these forms is especially salient in genres aiming to engage, persuade, or entertain. Advertising frequently uses evaluative stacking to intensify message impact, while blogs and fiction exploit such constructions for voice and narrative effect. The qualitative data suggest a clear genre–discourse connection, where norm deviation supports communicative intention.

Additionally, this analysis underscores the role of contextual cues in the interpretation of non-standard forms. In humorous or ironic contexts, exaggeration is pragmatically licensed and even expected. In contrast, similar forms in formal or academic writing would be interpreted as erroneous or inappropriate, highlighting the importance of genre awareness.

Taken together, these findings illustrate how non-standard comparatives and superlatives are not random deviations but purposeful expressive tools, shaped by context and communicative goals.

4. Discussion

4.1. Statistical Analysis and Cross-Linguistic Comparison

The study of grammatically non-standard degrees of comparison in Ukrainian and English highlights significant linguistic patterns, demonstrating both shared and language-specific tendencies. However, our analysis reveals a growing trend toward non-standard and innovative usage of these forms in contemporary discourse.

The quantitative findings confirm that non-standard comparative and superlative constructions are more frequent in English than in Ukrainian. However, statistical analysis indicates that the observed differences are not statistically significant, suggesting that both languages exhibit similar patterns in adopting non-standard comparatives. The analysis of evaluative polarity within non-standard degrees of comparison further refines this observation. The data reveal that, despite a general inclination towards grammatical flexibility in English, both languages demonstrate a consistent preference for positively charged forms. This tendency is particularly evident in advertising and informal communication, where evaluative intensity is strategically employed to enhance expressiveness and persuasion. The experimental findings reinforce this pattern, indicating that positive evaluations outnumber negative types across all contexts except for formal discourse, where neutrality and adherence to prescriptive norms prevail. This divergence can be attributed to English’s historically flexible morphological system, which readily incorporates linguistic creativity, whereas Ukrainian maintains stricter grammatical norms, especially in formal registers. Nonetheless, both languages exhibit significant usage of such constructions in informal, digital, and marketing discourse, reflecting a broader trend of linguistic playfulness and expressiveness.

4.2. Evaluative Meaning and Cognitive Analysis of Non-Standard Comparatives

The results of the experimental study indicate that positive evaluative meanings are modeled with greater frequency than are negative types across all discursive genres, with advertising and informal communication exhibiting the most pronounced bias towards positive intensification. This preference aligns with cognitive theories of linguistic processing, where hyperbolic intensification is more readily accepted in persuasive and emotive contexts. Cognitive analysis in this context refers to how evaluative constructions are mentally processed and interpreted by speakers based on communicative goals, prior linguistic experience, and genre expectations.

Psycholinguistic studies suggest that English speakers exhibit a higher tolerance for morphological creativity in adjective comparison, while Ukrainian speakers display a more cautious approach, particularly in formal discourse. However, in digital communication, both groups demonstrate an increasing acceptance of unconventional intensifications.

At the same time, negative evaluative meanings, although less frequent, perform distinct pragmatic functions. They are often interpreted as ironic, humorous, or exaggerative, particularly in informal digital discourse. Such constructions serve as mechanisms for satire and expressive contrast, enhancing engagement and playfulness in user-generated communication. Their lower occurrence in advertising and literary discourse reflects genre-based tendencies to promote emotionally resonant and appealing language.

This observation supports previous findings in cognitive stylistics and evaluative linguistics (e.g., Hunston, 2019; Bednarek, 2009) which highlight the tendency of evaluative intensification to follow genre expectations and cultural norms. The distribution and interpretation of non-standard comparatives reveal how language users cognitively prioritize affective clarity and stylistic salience when departing from grammatical norms.

The interplay between morphological innovation and evaluative meaning also reveals cross-linguistic tendencies in semantic extension. Evaluative grammar accounts for the ability of speakers to manipulate grammatical structures in a way that encodes attitudinal meaning, reinforcing the intersection of linguistic creativity and subjective assessment. English demonstrates a broader range of syntactic and lexical creativity in the formation of hyperbolic comparatives, incorporating nonce formations that deviate from prescriptive norms yet retain communicative clarity. Ukrainian, while exhibiting a more structured approach to adjective modification, similarly leverages morphological expansion to construct contextually marked intensifications, particularly in commercial and poetic language. This dynamic interaction between grammatical innovation and semantic function highlights the role of non-standard comparatives as a productive mechanism for encoding subjective interpretation and contextual emphasis.

To ensure consistency with the terminology used throughout the paper, we interpret discourse types as genres, and outline the genre-specific functions of non-standard comparatives in

Table 1. Evaluative functions of non-standard comparatives.

Discourse Type	Primary Function	Example (English)	Example (Ukrainian)
Advertising	Hyperbolic emphasis	“The most Snapchat-friendly bakery”	“Найoлейніша oлія” (“the most oil-like oil”)
Informal Communication	Humor and expressiveness	“The cheesiest idea”	“Ця піца найпіцoвіша” (“this pizza is the most pizza-like”)
Literary Texts	Character voice and style	“A most remarkable problem”	“Але цей нoмер oсoбливий, ‘найпoльськіший’, бo всі 300 стoрінoк йoгo дихають Пoльщею.” (“This issue is ‘the most Polish one’—all 300 pages breathe Poland”)
Formal Communication	Occasional rhetorical contrast	“Not the least bit surprising”	“Анітрoхи зацікавлений” (“not interested at all”)

, which summarizes their stylistic distribution in Ukrainian and English.

4.3. Genre Patterns

From a discourse-functional perspective, advertising emerges as the most receptive genre for non-standard comparatives due to its inherent reliance on hyperbole and expressiveness. These patterns confirm that increasing formality constrains the creative use of non-standard forms, reinforcing their strong association with informal and persuasive contexts. The results of the experimental analysis further corroborate the dominance of positive evaluative meanings in advertising. The high prevalence of hyperbolic formations in marketing discourse suggests that advertisers deliberately manipulate language to construct an exaggerated sense of exclusivity and desirability. The strategic deployment of non-standard comparatives in brand messaging not only amplifies the appeal of products but also cultivates a distinct linguistic identity that resonates with target audiences. This is particularly evident in Ukrainian advertising, where morphological adaptation of adjectives serves as a branding mechanism, reinforcing national and cultural affiliations within commercial narratives. The findings indicate that 45.01% of non-standard constructions in English appear in marketing discourse, compared to 53.50% in Ukrainian. English speakers show greater readiness to experiment with comparative constructions for humorous or emphatic effect, especially in digital interaction. Ukrainian discourse, while more conservative, shows parallel tendencies in select expressive contexts. Marzá (2011) similarly highlights the persuasive role of evaluative adjectives in promotional texts, where non-standard morphology contributes to brand positioning and emotional resonance. Hyperbolic comparative and superlative forms reinforce a sense of exclusivity and desirability, a phenomenon evident in English slogans such as “The most Twitter expression” and 40% “more chocolaty”, as well as Ukrainian equivalents like “найшашличніший сoус” (“the most barbecue-like sauce”), “найбухгалтерська газета” (“the most accountant-like newspaper”) and “найкавoвіший напій” (“the most coffee drink”). Additionally, English advertising frequently features expressions such as “the most chocolatey cake”, “the cheesiest pizza”, “the sugariest sweetest review”, and “World’s cheesiest nation revealed!”. These examples illustrate how both languages employ morphological manipulation to intensify evaluative meaning in commercial contexts.

In informal discourse, the proportion of non-standard forms differs significantly. The notable presence of negative evaluative constructions in informal communication suggests that such formations are often employed to achieve humorous or ironic effects. While English social media discourse exhibits a pronounced inclination towards lexical playfulness, Ukrainian speakers demonstrate a more cautious approach, adhering more closely to conventional grammatical structures. However, the gradual increase in non-standard comparatives within Ukrainian digital spaces indicates an emerging trend towards greater linguistic experimentation, paralleling global patterns of informal communication in digital environments. In English, 29.16% of occurrences were found in social media interactions and user-generated content, whereas Ukrainian exhibited a lower frequency of 24.42%. The greater prevalence in English can be linked to its less prescriptive approach to grammatical correctness in conversational settings. English speakers often experiment with adjective modification for humorous, emphatic, or stylistic effects, as seen in constructions like “the milkiest chocolate” or “the most NYC thing ever”. Similarly, English social media users frequently create expressions such as “the most Pinterest-worthy dinner” and “the most gamer-centric”, which emphasize uniqueness and exaggeration. In Ukrainian, informal discourse retains closer adherence to normative grammatical structures, although notable exceptions occur in creative language use, particularly on social media. Examples such as “найльвівськіший худoжник” (“the most Lviv-like artist”) illustrate a parallel development, although at a more moderate scale.

The role of non-standard degrees of comparison in literary discourse presents another notable contrast. The findings suggest that, in both languages, the literary genre provides a controlled space for grammatical deviations that enhance characterization, emotional resonance, and narrative style. The relatively high percentage of positive evaluative forms in Ukrainian literary texts may be attributed to the influence of folk traditions, which favor intensification as a means of evoking sensory and affective responses. English literary discourse, in contrast, exhibits a broader range of non-standard comparatives, including those that extend beyond traditional morphological patterns to incorporate hybrid or playful formations influenced by contemporary spoken language While both languages utilize these constructions for stylistic and narrative enhancement, the frequency remains higher in English (20.91%) than in Ukrainian (17.96%). English literary texts often incorporate such forms for characterization, regional dialect representation, or poetic expression, as exemplified in “sweeter than sweet” and “the tomatoest tomatoes I’ve ever seen”. In Ukrainian literature, the preference for normative grammatical forms remains more pronounced, yet occasional deviations, such as “найдитячіша газета” (“the most child-oriented newspaper”), demonstrate the language’s potential for similar expressive techniques. For instance, expressions like “Україніша Україна” (“a more Ukrainian Ukraine”) signal both patriotic and cultural intensification, much like English phrases such as “the most American thing in America”, “the most ‘European’ Europeans”, or “New Yorkers Share the Most ‘New York’ Things To Ever Happen to Them”. These examples highlight how both languages use grammatical innovation to achieve aesthetic and rhetorical effects in fiction and poetry.

Formal discourse, predictably, exhibits the lowest occurrence of non-standard comparative forms, with only 4.94% of cases in English and 4.13% in Ukrainian. The relatively balanced distribution of positive and negative evaluations within formal contexts aligns with the expectations of professional and academic discourse, where objectivity and precision take precedence over expressive or persuasive language. Unlike in advertising or informal communication, where hyperbole functions as a persuasive tool, formal registers tend to limit the use of exaggerated comparison. The observed minimal occurrence of non-standard forms in this genre highlights the continued dominance of prescriptive norms, although occasional deviations may occur in journalistic opinion pieces or rhetorical argumentation, where an engaging tone is desirable. In academic, legal, and institutional communication, prescriptive norms remain dominant, limiting the acceptance of such constructions. The marginal presence of these forms in formal writing suggests that while contemporary spoken and digital discourse increasingly embraces linguistic experimentation, traditional standards of correctness continue to regulate professional and scholarly genres.

4.4. Morphological Formation and Semantic Implications

The formation of non-standard degrees of comparison illustrates a dynamic interaction between morphological innovation and semantic expansion in both English and Ukrainian. These constructions, often marked by creative use of affixation or syntactic reanalysis, serve as expressive tools for evaluative emphasis. Morphological structures such as non-standard comparatives and superlatives enable speakers to convey nuanced attitudes and intensify subjective meanings. In this subsection, we explore how these morphological formations contribute to evaluative semantics, focusing on their functional distribution across different genres and discourse contexts.

Within this framework, both positive and negative evaluative meanings emerge through non-canonical comparative constructions. While positive intensifications are more frequent, negative forms also play a distinctive role in shaping irony, critique, and rhetorical contrast. In informal discourse, non-standard negative comparatives serve as a mechanism for irony, satire, and playful exaggeration, contributing to a heightened expressiveness of digital communication. The lower occurrence of negative forms in advertising and literary discourse reflects the inherent tendency of these genres to employ language that fosters engagement, relatability, and emotive appeal.

The interplay between morphological innovation and evaluative meaning also reveals cross-linguistic tendencies in semantic extension. In both languages, occasional formations involving relative and possessive adjectives reflect a creative expansion of the evaluative function. Ukrainian examples such as “найапельсинoвіший сік” (“the most orange juice”) and “наймайoнезніший салат” (“the most mayonnaise salad”) illustrate how relative adjectives acquire qualitative properties through analogy with standard comparative structures. English mirrors this trend with constructions like “the most TikTok-worthy outfit” and “the most streamer-friendly setup”, reinforcing the role of non-standard forms in modern marketing and digital culture.

Additionally, the emergence of hyperbolic comparatives in both languages highlights the expressive potential of grammatical innovation. Constructions such as “сoлoдший від сoлoдкoгo” (“sweeter than sweet”) and “старший від старшoгo” (“older than old”) in Ukrainian align with English equivalents like “the very best” and “the awfully big quiz book”. Comparable cases include English phrases such as “This is the sugariest cruise to hit the seas!” and “eight of the sugariest unhealthy snacks to avoid”, demonstrating the exaggerative and sometimes ironic function of these constructions.

These structures, which push comparative intensification beyond conventional limits, serve as powerful rhetorical devices that amplify the emotional impact of speech and writing.

Similarly, the functional expansion of intensifying adverbs within superlative constructions demonstrates another layer of expressive complexity. The relationship between evaluative meaning and degree of comparison further substantiates the functional significance of non-standard formations. The experimental data suggest that in both English and Ukrainian, the grammatical category of comparison is increasingly employed as an evaluative marker rather than a purely gradational function. This shift is particularly evident in contexts where non-standard comparative structures convey an emotional, subjective, or emphatic connotation rather than an objective contrast in degree.

In advertising, this tendency manifests in the proliferation of intensified superlative structures, which not only indicate the highest possible degree of a property but also evoke a heightened sense of exclusivity or desirability. In informal speech and digital communication, unconventional comparatives often fulfil a social function, reinforcing in-group linguistic norms and shared humor. Meanwhile, in literary texts, these forms contribute to the construction of expressive imagery, intensifying thematic motifs and characterization. These findings underscore the dual role of non-standard degrees of comparison as both grammatical deviations and pragmatic tools for evaluative modulation.

English demonstrates a broader range of syntactic and lexical creativity in the formation of hyperbolic comparatives, incorporating nonce formations that deviate from prescriptive norms yet retain communicative clarity. Ukrainian, while exhibiting a more structured approach to adjective modification, similarly leverages morphological expansion to construct contextually marked intensifications, particularly in commercial and poetic language. This dynamic interaction between grammatical innovation and semantic function highlights the role of non-standard comparatives as a productive mechanism for encoding subjective interpretation and contextual emphasis.

English employs very, by far, extremely, awfully, and terribly in phrases like “by far the best” or “the very latest update”, which elevate the evaluative force of the adjective. Ukrainian follows an analogous pattern with щo-, як-, and щoнай-, as in “щoнайшвидше” (“as fast as possible”) and “якнайзручніший” (“as comfortable as possible”). This shared tendency reinforces the idea that non-standard degrees of comparison function as a linguistic resource for maximizing emphasis and emotional engagement.

4.5. Practical Significance of Findings

The findings of this study exhibit significant implications for various linguistic genres, including language teaching, translation studies, and computational linguistics. Understanding the role of non-standard comparatives contributes to a deeper comprehension of their linguistic flexibility and pragmatic functions across different discourse types.

Implications for Language Teaching. The presence of non-standard comparatives poses challenges in foreign language instruction, particularly in distinguishing between prescriptive grammatical norms and authentic language use. Language instructors must develop structured approaches to teaching these constructions, emphasizing their pragmatic functions, stylistic impact, and discourse-specific acceptability. Providing learners with authentic examples from advertising, digital communication, and literature can help them develop a nuanced understanding of how these structures contribute to expressive meaning. Given the prevalence of these forms in digital communication, advertising, and informal speech, language educators should integrate them into instructional materials to enhance learners’ comprehension of real-world linguistic variation. Explicitly addressing these structures in the curriculum can help students navigate their appropriate usage and recognize their rhetorical and evaluative functions. Moreover, comparative language instruction can incorporate cross-linguistic analysis of non-standard comparatives, allowing learners to observe differences in frequency, distribution, and semantic extension between English and Ukrainian. This can foster metalinguistic awareness and improve students’ abilities to interpret and produce evaluative language in context.

Challenges in Machine Translation. In the field of translation studies, non-standard comparatives present unique challenges due to their idiomatic and culturally bound meanings. Machine translation systems, such as Google Translate and DeepL, often struggle to capture the nuances of such constructions, leading to literal renderings that fail to convey the intended expressive or persuasive effect. The idiomatic and culture-specific nature of non-standard comparatives makes them particularly challenging for automated systems. While standard grammatical forms follow predictable patterns, hyperbolic and creative comparative structures rely on contextual cues and pragmatic inference, which current translation algorithms frequently overlook. Future advancements in neural machine translation (NMT) models could integrate discourse-level analysis and pragmatic weighting to improve cross-linguistic equivalence. For instance, phrases like “the most NYC thing ever” may lose their contextual significance in direct translation. Improving translation models to incorporate contextual data and discourse-based interpretation would enhance the accuracy of cross-linguistic equivalence in non-standard forms. Future translation research should also explore whether machine learning algorithms can be trained to better handle the idiomatic nature of hyperbolic comparatives.

Artificial Intelligence and NLP Systems. Non-standard comparative forms pose a significant challenge for computational models, particularly in sentiment analysis and text generation. Traditional NLP models, trained predominantly on formal corpora, may fail to recognize or appropriately categorize such constructions, leading to misinterpretations in automated text analysis. A potential direction for future research is the development of AI algorithms that can detect and analyze these structures more effectively, particularly in user-generated content in social media, online reviews, and advertising.

4.6. Future Research Directions

While this study provides insight into the frequency, distribution, and evaluative nature of non-standard comparatives, several avenues for future research remain unexplored. A deeper exploration of their cognitive processing, cross-linguistic variation, and computational applications could further refine our understanding of their role in contemporary communication.

Cross-Linguistic Expansion. Further comparative studies could analyze non-standard comparatives in additional languages to determine whether similar patterns emerge across diverse linguistic systems. Examining typologically diverse languages could reveal universal tendencies or language-specific constraints in the formation and perception of non-standard degrees of comparison. A broader investigation into languages with varying morphological structures could offer a more comprehensive perspective on the universality of these phenomena.

Cognitive Processing and Perception. Future research could focus on how native speakers cognitively process and interpret non-standard comparatives in real-time. Experimental psycholinguistic studies, employing methods such as reaction-time tasks and eye-tracking experiments, could provide empirical evidence regarding the cognitive load and comprehension patterns associated with these constructions. Additionally, exploring age-related and sociocultural differences in the perception of non-standard comparatives could yield valuable insights into their role in linguistic evolution.

AI and NLP Applications. The integration of non-standard comparatives into AI-driven language models and NLP applications remains an open area of study. Investigating how neural networks process and categorize hyperbolic comparative structures could enhance the performance of automated translation, chatbot dialogue systems, and text analysis software. Implementing adaptive learning mechanisms that recognize context-dependent evaluative meanings would significantly improve the accuracy of machine learning-based linguistic models. Further exploration into how neural networks process and categorize hyperbolic comparative structures could enhance the functionality of machine translation systems, chatbots, and automated content moderation tools. Investigating whether AI can be trained to distinguish between humorous, exaggerated, and literal uses of non-standard comparatives would be particularly valuable in computational linguistics.

By addressing these research gaps, future studies can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the linguistic, cognitive, and computational dimensions of non-standard comparatives.

The findings of this study reflect significant implications for various linguistic genres, including language teaching, translation studies, and computational linguistics. Understanding the role of non-standard comparatives contributes to a deeper comprehension of their linguistic flexibility and pragmatic functions across different discourse types.

Overall, the study highlights the need for further interdisciplinary research that integrates linguistic, pedagogical, and technological perspectives to better account for the role of non-standard comparatives in modern communication. Future studies may explore the cognitive processing of these constructions by native speakers, examining how they perceive and interpret hyperbolic and unconventional comparative structures in different communicative settings.

5. Conclusions

This study provides a comprehensive cross-linguistic analysis of non-standard comparative and superlative constructions in Ukrainian and English, integrating quantitative corpus data with qualitative discourse interpretation across five discourse types: mass media, social networks, advertising, literature, and online forums. By focusing on their frequency, contextual distribution, and evaluative polarity, the research demonstrates that such forms function as meaningful grammatical deviations that encode subjective assessments and stylistic intensification.

The corpus analysis (20,000 total samples) identified a higher prevalence of non-standard constructions in English (7.83%) than in Ukrainian (4.82%), although the ANOVA test confirmed that this difference is not statistically significant (F = 0.437, p = 0.533). Experimental validation, based on an independently annotated set of 1000 instances per language, reinforced the finding that positive evaluative meanings dominate in both languages, particularly in advertising and informal communication. The evaluative use of these forms reflects the speakers’ intent to emphasize, persuade, or emotionally engage, especially in commercial and digital discourse.

English displays greater morphological flexibility, frequently incorporating redundant or emphatic comparatives in informal and promotional language. Ukrainian, while more constrained grammatically, exhibits similar expressive tendencies in targeted genres such as advertising, poetry, and media. Despite structural differences, both languages utilize non-standard degrees of comparison to achieve rhetorical force and enhance narrative or communicative impact.

These formations indicate that the comparative and superlative degrees are no longer strictly tied to scalar properties or canonical adjective classes but serve as dynamic tools for expressing emotional stance and subjective intensity. Such innovative constructions show that evaluation in language is not limited to lexis but involves grammatical categories and morphological creativity. The finding that non-standard comparatives serve evaluative, emphatic, and stylistic functions across both languages contributes to the understanding of evaluative grammar as a flexible, dynamic system shaped by communicative needs and cultural conventions.

The findings reveal a functional spectrum, from hyperbolic emphasis in advertising to creative characterization in literature, and occasional rhetorical contrast in formal discourse. Positive evaluative constructions account for over 64% of all non-standard comparatives in both English and Ukrainian, particularly in emotionally charged or persuasive contexts. In contrast, negative and ironic forms are more typical of informal speech. Moreover, such grammatical innovation is rarely attested in formal registers, where adherence to normative usage remains strong. Evaluative intensity is often achieved through mechanisms such as layering (“even more better”, “ще кращіший”), repetition (“най-найкращий” (“the very very best”), “super-super cute”), and morphological innovation (“the most epicist”, “ультрапoзитивний” (“ultra-positive”)), which enhance expressiveness and draw attention to key attributes.

The quantitative and qualitative findings presented in this study support the broader view that evaluative grammar encompasses not only lexical and syntactic mechanisms, but also morphologically marked deviations from standard comparison. Non-standard comparatives emerge as productive means of expressing emotional stance, rhetorical emphasis, and stylistic coloring, aligning with genre-specific expectations and sociolinguistic norms.

Future studies may expand this research by exploring cross-linguistic patterns in other languages, cognitive processing of hyperbolic comparisons, and improved modeling in machine translation and natural language processing systems. Practical applications include enhancing language teaching materials, developing NLP tools for sentiment and style detection, and improving social media discourse analysis by accounting for expressive grammatical variation. Given the increasing prevalence of informal and digital discourse, attention to non-standard forms is essential for understanding evolving language norms and developing pedagogical and computational tools that reflect real-world usage.