dunklerem

Dunklerem is a German attributive adjective form derived from the comparative of dunkel, dunkler. It represents the dative singular form used with the comparative degree in contexts where the noun is not accompanied by a determiner that signals gender and number. In practice, dunklerem occurs before a singular noun in the dative case.

The form is commonly found in phrases describing darkness in a relative sense. Examples include in dunklerem Licht and mit dunklerem Haar, where the adjective expresses a darker or more shadowed quality relative to another context or reference point. These uses illustrate how the comparative form interacts with the dative case in everyday language.

Morphology and declension notes

- Dunklerem is formed from the stem dunkler plus the dative singular ending -em, reflecting the adjective’s comparative degree.

- Its appearance depends on the syntactic environment: with no article or determiner providing full gender/number information, the strong-style ending may appear as dunklerem in the dative singular.

- When a definite article or determiner that marks gender/number is present, different endings may be used (the exact form depends on the declension pattern in play).

Usage considerations

- Dunklerem signals a relative increase in darkness and is distinct from the positive form dunkel (darker vs. dark).

- It is primarily a feature of attributive usage before a noun; it is not a standalone noun.

Etymology

- Dunklerem comes from dunkler, the comparative of dunkel, with the standard German adjective endings applied in the dative singular.

See also: German grammar, adjective declension, dunkel, comparative adjectives.