This paper takes a quantitative approach to analyzing the behavior of Spanish synthetic comparatives when they are preceded by the quantifiers mas and menos. In particular, taking the data obtained from the Corpus del espanol: Web/Dialectos, we give an account of their current geographical distribution, as well as we determine what forms are used (and how often), in what syntactic-discursive contexts they appear and how their positivization process is outlined. These combinations (documented since ancient times) are not exclusive to Spain, but are also used in some American Spanish varieties. Several tests support the process of 'positivization': the synthetic comparatives are documented combined with the degree modifier muy (muy mayor/menor/mejor/peor); they allow-mente derivation (mejormente, peormente, mayormente, menormente), as well as coordination with another adjective in comparative constructions (mas mejor y mas larga). In addition, we show that the lexicalization of mayor as a positive adjective does not only take place when this adjective has a temporal meaning (persona mas mayor), but also when its meaning relates to real or figurative physical dimension (los mas mayores yacimientos de cobre). The same thing is found in menor, which presents both a temporal meaning (el mas menor de sus hijos) and a physical dimension meaning (delitos mas menores). As for mejor and peor, the former would be undergoing a lexicalization process with the meaning 'more good/well' (los mas mejores ladrones), while the latter a process with the meaning of 'more bad/badly' (el menos peor de los escenarios).
