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Literary notes about inferior (AI summary)

In literature, “inferior” functions as a versatile marker to indicate a lesser quality, rank, or capacity across various contexts. It often appears in epic poetry and historical narratives to contrast strengths or assert hierarchical distinctions, as when a warrior’s power or a militia’s capacity is measured against a superior counterpart [1, 2]. In scientific and technical writings, the term delineates differences in material quality or anatomical structure, pointing out that one substance or feature is of a lower grade than another [3, 4]. Authors also apply “inferior” in social and moral discourses, where it underscores power imbalances or subtle disparagement in interpersonal relations, as seen in discussions about personal status or societal roles [5, 6]. In doing so, the word enriches texts by encapsulating comparative judgments that transcend simple quantification, weaving a complex tapestry of evaluation that spans genres and eras [7, 8].
  1. with force inferior far, Urged thee to meet Achilles' arm in war? Henceforth beware, nor antedate thy doom,
    — from The Iliad by Homer
  2. When Asdrubal had left Spain, the great Scipio found nothing to oppose him but a militia inferior to his own.
    — from An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
  3. The inferior surface of the leaf is pubescent, especially in the intervals between the ribs.
    — from The Medicinal Plants of the Philippines by T. H. Pardo de Tavera
  4. Nuts produced by this tree were inferior to those produced by the survivor which later became known as the McKinster variety.
    — from Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the 44th Annual Meeting
  5. She did not dare to own that the man she loved was her inferior; or to feel that she had given her heart away too soon.
    — from Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
  6. .She was his lawful wife, but of an inferior degree.
    — from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete
  7. From this tale, of which young Athens will probably make fun, may be gathered the lesson that writing is inferior to speech.
    — from Phaedrus by Plato
  8. "Something a little inferior I shall of course put up with, but it must not be much.
    — from Persuasion by Jane Austen

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