Building a Better Vocabulary part 4

Five Principles for Learning Vocabulary. 1. Definitions 2. Context 3. Connections 4. Morphology/etymology 5. Sematic chunking

Definition: Contrary- being so different as to be at opposite extremes Context: Contrary to popular belief Daddy Longlegs are not poisonous. Connection: Contra- opposite or against The prefix contra- and its variant counter- mean “opposite” or “against.” For instance, the prefix contra- gave rise to the words contradict and contrast, whereas the variant spelling counter- gave rise to counteract and counterfeit. To contradict someone is to speak “against” what she is saying, whereas a counterclockwise direction is “opposite” of the normal way a clock’s hands usually run.

contradict: speak ‘against’ contrast: that which stands ‘against’ something else, offering an ‘opposite’ viewpoint contrary: having the habit of often going ‘against’ what others do counter: to offer an ‘opposite’ opinion counterbalance: a weight or force placed ‘against’ another to even it out counteract: to do something ‘against’ or ‘opposite’ something else counterattack: to go ‘against’ something that has attacked you counterfeit: money that is made ‘opposite’ of real money counterclockwise: to move in a path ‘opposite’ that of a clock’s hands country: land ‘opposite’ another that butts up ‘against’ it con: evidence that speaks ‘against’ a proposal contraindicate: to indicate ‘against’ encounter: to run up “against”

Definition: Veracity- conformity with truth or fact : accuracy. 2. : devotion to the truth : truthfulness. Context: Voters should be concerned about his veracity and character. Ver- truth The Latin root word ver means “truth” or “true.” This root is the word origin of a fair number of English vocabulary words, including verdict and veracity. The root ver is easily recalled through the word very, for when something is very good, it’s “truly” good.

verdict: ‘true’ saying, or ‘truth’ said by a jury verify: to make sure something is ‘true’ unverifiable: of that which cannot be made certain that it is ‘true’ veracity: ‘truthfulness’ very: ‘truly’ (adv.) very: ‘true’ (adj.) verdad: Spanish word for ‘truth’ verite: French word for ‘truth’ verita: Italian word for ‘truth’ verdade: Portuguese word for ‘truth’

suffix -acity Characteristics of veracity The veracity of something is its truthfulness. perspicacity - Someone who demonstrates perspicacity notices or understands things very quickly. audacity- fearless daring loquacity -the quality of being wordy and talkative mendacity- the tendency to be untruthful opacity - the phenomenon of not permitting the passage of electromagnetic radiation pertinacity - persistent determination rapacity extreme gluttony sagacity-mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations tenacity- persistent determination vivacity -characterized by high spirits and animation voracity- excessive desire to eat

prefix- Ab- away Prefixes are key morphemes in English vocabulary that begin words. The English prefix ab-, which means “away,” appears in many English vocabulary words, such as absent, abduct, and absolute." You can remember that the prefix ab- means “away” via the word absent, for someone who is absent is “away” from a place, such as school or work.

abnormal: “away” from being normal absent: being “away” from a place abvolate: fly “away” absolutely: loosened “away” from any doubt abduct: lead “away” abdicate: a monarch saying she wants to be “away” from being in power abort: “away” from rising or beginning absorb: suck “away” abrasive: relating to scraping “away” at aberrant: wander “away”

Abnormal- deviating from what is normal or usual, typically in a way that is undesirable or worrying. The doctor found an abnormal growth on his lung. Normal-conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected. Normal came to English around the 17th century, from the Latin normalis, which means "made according to a carpenter's square, forming a right angle.” This “right angle” sense was among the earliest of those applied to normal in English. In Late Latin normalis had a number of extended meanings, such as “according to rule,” and these were also adopted into English in the 17th century. Edward Phillips, in his 1658 dictionary The New World of English Words, defined normal as “done exactly, according to the rule, or square”; Thomas Blount’s dictionary of 1661 defined it as “right by rule, made by the Square or Rule.”

Malfunction- fail to function normally or satisfactorily Mal- bad of evil The Latin root word mal means “bad” or “evil.” This root is the word origin of many English vocabulary words, including malformed, maltreat, and malice. You can recall that mal means “bad” through malfunction, or a “badly” working part, and that it means “evil” through malice, or intentional “evil” done to another.

malfunction: when something is functioning ‘badly’ malaria: a disease originally thought to be caused by ‘bad’ air malformed: ‘badly’ shaped malnutrition: a condition of ‘bad’ nutrition malnourished: ‘badly’ nourished malignant: of a “bad” tumor or of someone disposed to do “evil” malpractice: ‘bad’ medical practice dismal: etymologically of an ‘evil’ day malicious: prone to do ‘evil’ malefactor: one who does ‘evil’ things maleficent: a tendency to do ‘evil’ deeds malign: speak ‘evil’ about

Funct- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "perform, execute; purpose, use. '' This meaning is found in such words as: defunct, function, functional, malfunction, perfunctory. -ion is a suffix, appearing in words of Latin origin, denoting action or condition, used in Latin and in English to form nouns from stems of Latin adjectives ( communion; union ), verbs ( legion; opinion ), and especially past participles ( allusion; creation; fusion; notion; torsion ).

Mal-funct-ion bad performing condition Notice anything about this word and its pronunciation?

Benefactor-a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause. Thanks to anonymous benefactor the children's library can be built, bene- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "well. '' This meaning is found in such words as: benediction, benefactor, beneficent, beneficial, benefit, benevolent.

Review time! Does anyone remember what the root word Fact means? Here's a hint- factory

Fact means made or done suffix -or means one who does something Bene-fact-or good done by person