more stiff

[tree123]

Hello,

Could anyone help me identify if the speaker is saying "more stiff" in this MP3 file?

Here's a snippet from my dictation.

Indirect. And as that arm floats, so you may notice a sense of solidity as it floats in the place of space in fact you can feel that now that sense. You might wonder whether the wrist is the more stiff than the elbow, or the elbow is more stiff than the shoulder.


If my hearing is correct that the speaker is saying, "more stiff". My question is I think the comparative degree for "stiff" is "stiffer" as some online dictionaries indictate this too, but why does he say "more stiff"?

The speaker is a British hypnotist, and this file is a relevant about the seminar.

Thank you in advance!

PS. My listening to English is not good, so I have to post here to get confirmed if I hear this correct.

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, he says "more stiff" both times. However, he doesn't say "the" before the first "more".

 

[Tarheel]

Is that a British thing?

 

[tree123]

Yes, he says "more stiff" both times. However, he doesn't say "the" before the first "more".

Thank you for your confirmation. But why does he say "more stiff" instead of "stiffer"?

Some dictionaries indicate that the comparative degree is "stiffer". Is it colloquial for using "more stiff"?

 

[emsr2d2]

You'd have to ask the speaker why he chose "more stiff" over "stiffer". I'd have used the latter but the former is entirely understandable and isn't necessarily wrong.

 

[GoesStation]

Thank you for your confirmation. But why does he say "more stiff" instead of "stiffer"?

Some dictionaries indicate that the comparative degree is "stiffer". Is it colloquial for using "more stiff"?

It's not colloquial. If anything, "more stiff" sounds a little more formal to me. Many comparatives can be replaced with more​ + the plain adjective.

 

[Tdol]

The traditional view that we make comparatives of one-syllable adjectives only with -er is being challenged. I would say stiffer, but I am probably old enough to be the speaker's father.

 

[tree123]

The traditional view that we make comparatives of one-syllable adjectives only with -er is being challenged. I would say stiffer, but I am probably old enough to be the speaker's father.

This is what I learnt in our English textbooks and grammar book. I guess he is in his mid or early 50s.

 

[Tdol]

Things are changing.

 

[jutfrank]

I have some experience in hypnosis.

I can tell you that when performing a hypnotic induction, hyponotists choose their words very carefully. There are good reasons for using the exact phrase more stiff twice in quick succession.

 

[bubbha]

Some dictionaries indicate that the comparative degree is "stiffer".

Both forms are acceptable as comparatives. "stiffer" is more common, but "more stiff" is not wrong.

 

[tree123]

Things are changing.

I have relevant questions about "more stiff".

1. Should I memorize "more stiff" as a particular case or this rule can apply to the comparative words? For examples, more hard, more easy, more slim, more fat, etc.

2. Is "more easy" acceptable? What I learnt before is easier.

The context is another man says, "Is it more easy to change 30-year-old man with 30-year habits or five-year old child with 30 seconds of habit" in an audio.

He is not the same man as the one in the audio file I provided with.

His English and accent are really good, and I always had thought he was a native speaker, but I just found out he is not a native speaker but an Austrian a few days ago.

 

[Tarheel]

harder
It was already hard, but now it's harder.

easier
That was easier than I thought it would be.

slimmer
She has lost weight, and now she's slimmer.

fatter
She has put on a few pounds, and she's fatter.

 

[Tarheel]

I understand some of your sentences.

You can say more stiff, but it certainly would be more natural for me to say stiffer.

It is hard for me to believe he actually said that.

Say:

He is not the same man as the one in the audio I provided a link to.

Say;

His English is really good, and I had had always thought he was a native speaker, but a few days ago I found out he is an Austrian.

 

[Tdol]

I have relevant questions about "more stiff".

1. Should I memorize "more stiff" as a particular case or this rule can apply to the comparative words? For examples, more hard, more easy, more slim, more fat, etc.

These don't sound natural to me, but they may soon. Languages change. English is in flux and if you are looking for absolute rules about things that are changing, you are heading the wrong way. Instead of trying to compile an absolute rule, simply notice where people are using more with one-syllable adjectives. We still use -n for the plural of some nouns hundreds of years after -s won out in most cases.