Related link: My answer to One answer to a Q. is suited to ELL, but the other answer is suited to EL&U on ELU Meta.
In the course of an argument, Rathony said the following:
I would answer, if you ask me, that ELU is closer to a little more
smart and sophisticated question forum and ELL is a little less
sophisticated question forum. The difference is not so big.–Rathony
I then corrected him:
'ELU is closer to a little more smart and sophisticated question forum
and ELL is a little less sophisticated question forum. The difference
is not so big.' Correct usage would be "ELU is a slightly smarter
(note correct comparative) and more sophisticated question forum, and
ELL is a slightly less sophisticated question forum. The difference is
not very big OR the difference is not so great." Even this could be
bettered by "ELU is a forum for slightly smarter and more
sophisticated questions" etc. You have some work to do on comparatives
and so forth before you offer advice to native speakers.–Me.
He replied:
A native would never be confused between more smart and smarter and
insist on using "is a slightly smarter and more sophisticated". That
proves you are not a native.–Rathony AND: At least I know how to use
the comparative when two adjectives are used at the same time. You
don't.–Rathony
I said:
Give me a reference that justifies your usage.–Me.
He said:
No. I don't want to help you. You find it yourself.–Rathony.
I've tried. I can't. So can someone find a reference that justifies his idea that the construction 'more smart' can be used instead of 'smarter' where more than one adjective is involved?
Best Answer
Perhaps it would be a more smart idea if we didn't lecture about proofs of other's native linguistic abilities, but in any case, I think you both may be considering the wrong question. The crux of the matter isn't that there are two adjectives involved (here smart and sophisticated); it's that Rathony wants the single adverbial comparator little more to apply to both adjectives, a rhetorical device sometimes classified as zeugma, the combination of parallelism and ellipsis. What's meant is
and that cannot be accomplished with the inflected comparative: