much longer

[primitive]

how do you say 'much longer'. is it a form of diu in the superlative or something, or is it a comparative adverb. or what is it. i cant figure it out. gah.

[Amy]

"much longer" implies being much longer than something else, comparing the two things, so yes comparative is always used even if the comparison is not clear. example: "We waited much longer" is "Diutius exspectavimus", diutius being the neuter comparative. Because the comparison is so indefinite (much longer than we intended? much longer than bob did? longer than a mile?), the word sort of loses its status as an adjective and becomes, grammatically, a comparative adverb: We waited (much longer).
In Latin, as shown here the comparative often is also used to express a high or excessive degree of something as in "Hic mons est altior", "this mountain is very high" or "this mountain is too high."
You would use the superlative adj/adverb if you wanted to say "the most long", "longer than anyone else" or my favorite "superlatively longer"!