New Word-Analysis Part 7

9. _T_, _s_, and _c_, before _ia_, _ie_, _ii_, _io_, _iu_, and _eu_, preceded immediately by the accent, in Latin words as in English, change into _sh_ and _zh_: as _fa'cio_, p.r.o.nounced _fa'sheo_; _san'cio_, p.r.o.nounced _san'sheo_; _spa'tium_, p.r.o.nounced _spa'sheum_.

NOTE.--According to the Roman method of p.r.o.nouncing Latin, the vowels _a_, _e_, _i_, _o_, _u_ are p.r.o.nounced as in _baa_, _bait_, _beet_, _boat_, _boot_; _ae_, _au_, _ei_, _oe_ as in _aisle_, _our_, _eight_, _oil_; _c_ always like _k_; _g_ as in _get_; _j_ as _y_ in _yes_; _t_ as in _until_; _v_ as _w_. See any Latin grammar.

LATIN ROOTS AND ENGLISH DERIVATIVES.

DIVISION I.--METHOD OF STUDY.

1. AG'ERE: a'go, ac'tum, _to do_, _to drive_.

Radicals: AG- and ACT-.

1. ACT, _v._ a.n.a.lYSIS: from _actum_ by dropping the termination _um_.

DEFINITION: to do, to perform. The _noun_ "act" is formed in the same way.

DEFINITION: a thing done, a deed or performance.

2. AC'TION: act + ion = the act of doing: hence, a thing done.

3. ACT'IVE: act + ive = having the quality of acting: hence, busy, constantly engaged in action.

4. ACT'OR: act + or = one who acts: hence, (1) one who takes part in anything done; (2) a stage player.

5. A'GENT: ag + ent = one who acts: hence, one who acts or transacts business for another.

6. AG'ILE: ag + ile = apt to act: hence, nimble, brisk.

7. CO'GENT: from Latin _cogens_, _cogentis_, pres. part, of _cog'ere_ (= _co + agere_, to impel), having the quality of impelling: hence, urgent, forcible.

8. ENACT': en + act = to put in act: hence, to decree.

9. TRANSACT': trans + act = to drive through: hence, to perform.

EXERCISE.

(1.) What two parts of speech is "act"?--Write a sentence containing this word as a verb; another as a noun.--Give a synonym of "act." _Ans.

Deed._--From what is "deed" derived? _Ans._ From the word _do_--hence, literally, something _done_.--Give the distinction between "act" and "deed." _Ans_. "Act" is a _single_ action; "deed" is a _voluntary_ action: thus--"The _action_ which was praised as a good _deed_ was but an _act_ of necessity."

(2.) Define "action" in oratory; "action" in law.--Combine and define in + action.

(3.) Combine and define in + active; active + ity; in + active + ity.--What is the _negative_ of "active"? _Ans. Inactive_.--What is the _contrary_ of "active"? _Ans. Pa.s.sive_.

(4.) Write a sentence containing "actor" in each of its two senses. MODEL: "Was.h.i.+ngton and Greene were prominent _actors_ in the war of the Revolution." "David Garrick, the famous English _actor_, was born in 1716."--What is the feminine of "actor" in the sense of stage player?

(6.) Combine and define agile + ity.--What is the distinction between "active" and "agile"? _Ans_. "Active" implies readiness to act in general; "agile" denotes a readiness to move the _limbs_.--Give two synonyms of "agile." _Ans. Brisk_, _nimble_.--Give the opposite of "agile." _Ans.

Sluggish_, _inert_.

(7.) Explain what is meant by a "_cogent_ argument."--What would be the contrary of a _cogent_ argument?

(8.) Combine and define enact + ment.--What is meant by the "_enacting_ clause" of a legislative bill?--Write a sentence containing the word "enact." MODEL: "The British Parliament _enacted_ the stamp-law in 1765."

(9.) Combine and define transact + ion.--What derivative from "perform" is a synonym of "transaction"?

2. ALIE'NUS, _another_, _foreign_.

Radical: ALIEN-.

1. AL'IEN: from _alienus_ by dropping the termination _us_. DEFINITION: a foreigner, one owing allegiance to another country than that in which he is living.

2. AL'IENATE: alien + ate = to cause something to be transferred to another: hence, (1) to transfer t.i.tle or property to another; (2) to estrange, to withdraw.

3. INAL'IENABLE: in + alien + able = that may not be given to another.

EXERCISE.

(1.) Combine and define alien + age.--Can an alien be elected President of the United States? [See the Const.i.tution, Article II. Sec. I. Clause 5.]--What is the word which expresses the process by which a person is changed from an _alien_ to a _citizen_?

(2.) Combine and define alienate + ion.--Give a synonym of "alienate" in its _second_ sense. _Ans._ To _estrange_.--What is meant by saying that "the oppressive measures of the British government gradually _alienated_ the American colonies from the mother country"?

(3.) Quote a pa.s.sage from the Declaration of Independence containing the word "inalienable."

3. AMA'RE, _to love_, AMI'CUS, _a friend_.

Radicals: AM- and AMIC-.

1. A'MIABLE: am(i) + able = fit to be loved.

OBS.--The Latin adjective is _amabilis_, from which the English derivative adjective would be _amable_; but it has taken the form am_i_able.

2. AM'ITY: am + ity = the state of being a friend: hence, friends.h.i.+p; good-will.

3. AM'ICABLE: amic + able = disposed to be a friend: hence, friendly; peaceable.

4. INIM'ICAL: through Lat. adj. _inimi'cus_, enemy: hence, inimic(us) + al = inimical, relating to an enemy.

5. AMATEUR': adopted through French _amateur_, from Latin _amator_, a lover: hence, one who cultivates an art from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally.

EXERCISE.

(1). What word is a synonym of "amiable"? _Ans. Lovable_.--Show how they are exact synonyms.--Write a sentence containing the word "amiable." MODEL: "The _amiable_ qualities of Joseph Warren caused his death to be deeply regretted by all Americans."--What noun can you form from "amiable,"

meaning the quality of being amiable?--What is the negative of "amiable"?