Why “faster than” but “more powerful than”?

What it means

• Grammar from a 1941 Superman cartoon Why “faster than” but “more powerful than”?
• Faster than a speeding bullet! Short word → add -er: fast → faster, tall → taller
• More powerful than a locomotive! Long word → use more: powerful → more powerful
• He is more faster than me. He is faster than me.

Transcript

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1. 0:00As the years went by and the child grew to maturity,
2. 0:02he found himself possessed of amazing physical powers:
3. 0:05Faster than a speeding bullet!
4. 0:07More powerful than a locomotive!
5. 0:10Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
6. 0:14The infant of Krypton is now the Man of Steel: Superman!
7. 0:18To best be in a position to use his amazing powers
8. 0:21in a never-ending battle for truth and justice,
9. 0:24Superman has assumed the disguise of Clark Kent,
10. 0:28mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper.

Quick quiz

1. Question 1 of 2

   Why do we say “more powerful”, not “powerfuller”?

   A“powerful” is a nounBit is the past tenseC“powerful” is a long word (3 syllables)Dit is only used in British English

2. Question 2 of 2

   “In a single bound” means…

   Ainside one buildingBin one big jumpCvery slowlyDwith one rope