Why Latglish

Morphemes – Word parts

English is riddled with Polysyllabic words – some latin some Greek

English = Germanic language sharing ancestry with German, Dutch, Norwegian and Swedish

Angles – English

We sometimes borrow from Latin (i.e. Ergo)

peridontics in which sound of two Greek morphemes is cognate with latinate

60% of words borrowed and stuck from foreign sources

Shared feature of latglish nouns as opposed to anglish equivalents is that when latglish forms are used as
adjectives, their endings traditional change: thus, never refer to carpus bone or cranium fracture in
English as we would never call something a wrist-y problem and more likely to refer to skeletal disorders
than skeleton ones

Latglish nouns increasingly being used as adjectives and vice-versa

Witness and Testis

Women were not allowed to “test-ify” to make witness so a flashing was necessary

Three features of contemporary engilish – first two wide application to language while last
one specific to academic vocabs

1) English unique in suffering disjunction between Anglish Vocab and abstract vocab (Latglish),
almost entirely borrowed from latin and greek
2) Tenuous connection between abstract latglish vocab and the concrete latin words and wordparts
upon which these abstract ones were built though maintained for most of the nine-hundred or
so years that the problem has been with us by the near-universal learning of latin
3) To some degree at least academics like specialists in any area, are still more or less conscious of
the benefits which come from the possession of an arcane vocab

When we grasp an idea, we understand it and can add other phrases such as grapple or grab it

When we comprehend, dimly aware that action related to that expressed by word apprehend – both
come from prehendo meaning to grasp or seize

Native speakers of English often handicapped in a way that speakers of the above mentioned languages
are not – if contronted with an unfamiliar word from the same root
Since language lacks an easily recognized cognate concrete word, we have no image to refer back to as a
means of guessing meaning or in order to remember its meaning once learned

Scientific Terminology

Problem is it hides in plain sight3

Medical terminology is weird

Plain English made up of word parts originally latin – only used a bit more precisely

Tract – to pull

Terminations
Love

Love-s

Lov-ing

Endings are terminations

Combining forms (word parts)

Same meaning – different forms when combining forms

Terminations will have different meanings, however. Read backwards

(combining form is Lov) (Er is termination)

Lov-er – One (er) who loves (Lov)

Love-less (without- Less) (Love)

Lov-er-less (without one who Loves)

Love-less-ness (State of being without love)

Lov-er-less-ness (State of being without one who loves)

Adjectives versus Nouns

Loveless and loverless used differently because they are adjectives – describes something which needs a
different word to describe it

My Love scares me

My Lover scares

My Lovelessness scares me

My Loverness scares me

Can’t use the above two without adding in a noun

Every termination will show if noun or adjective

Making nouns from Adjectives

I.e. Jack broke his Crani-um (noun termination)

He has Crani-al (adjectival termination) Pain

Jack broke his skull

Jack has skull-ish pain (awkward)

Jack Broke his cranium

Jack has cranium pain – WRONG

Have to change to Crani-al to make it an adjective

Every single noun can be made into an adjective – change the termination

Box has a top

A box top

A cube has a volume

Cannot call it a cube volume – have to call it cubic volume

A country plan

A Nation Plan

A Nation-al Plan = Correct with adjective termination

That all words by endings show whether adjectives or nouns not always true

Either adjectives by form but nouns by usage or nouns by form but adjectives by usage
Concrete words versus abstract nouns

Love-less and lov-er-less doesn’t name anyone have to add noun

Lov-er – names a touchable thing – concrete noun

Loverless-ness – names an non-touchable, abstract noun

Parts of the body, organs, substances, instruments/tools name physical objects, therefore, concrete
nouns

Medical Conditions/Problems, bodily processes, medical procedures -> Don’t name a touchable thing
and therefore, abstract nouns

Crani-um

Cranio-meter

Hemat-in

All concrete nouns ^

Cranios-is – medical condition

Craniometr-y – medical procedure

Hematinopoies-is – bodily process

All Abstract nouns ^

More about concrete versus abstract nouns

My love has green hair – concrete

My love has no end – Abstract

My love has power to change me – no way to know, ambiguous –

I don’t have the heart for it – Body part or state of mind?

I don’t have the heart-y-ness for it -> Not English but makes it abstract

My employ-er is calling

My employ-ment is killing

Again, English habit of not showing by ending whether noun is abstract or concrete bleeds into borrowed
or latglish scientific and legal words even though their endings originally showed the same distinction as
is (theoretically) always observed in medical terminology

- True for endings which in latin ALWAYS denoted abstract nouns. For example, word “contract-
ion” (Literally very abstract “contracting-ness” or “contracted-ness”) as used in following
sentences.

We observed a contraction of the metal rod (an abstract process)

A 9mm contraction was measured (A more concrete result)

This problem adds a layer of complexity to both legal and scientific terminology, a potential confusion
which is mostly not found in medical terminology.
Grain devouring or something that eats grain

Gran-ul-ar-ity – Grain-Let-ish-ness “Quality of having little grains”

Gran-ul-at-ion – Grain-Let-Ed(ing)-ness “Quality of having (been made into) little grains

Granul-ar – adjective like lov-er-less

LECTURE 2

FOR EXAMPLE.... ANY WORD OF THE SHAPE “X-SCIENCE” (UNIT 1.1-4)

(WHERE “X” = A WORD-PART YOU DON’T

KNOW YET...)

MORPHEMES (= UNITS OF MEANING):

X-SCI-EN-CE

1) ”ENGLISHESE” MORPHEMIC EQUIVALENT:

X-KNOW-ING-NESS

2a) “PURE ENGLISH” PHRASAL EQUIVALENT:

“THE
ACT/STATE/RESULT OF KNOWING X”

2b) FORMULAIC PHRASAL “TRANSLATION”:

X-SCIENCE =
THE SCIENCE OF X

SO..... IF LATGLISH “BIO-” = ENGLISH

“LIFE”....
THEN DIVIDE INTO MORPHEMES, AND GIVE
THREE EQUIVALENTS TO, THE FOLLOWING WORD:

BIOSCIENCE (DIVIDE) = BIO- SCI-

EN- CE

1) MORPHEMIC: LIFE-KNOW-ING-NESS

(1.1-3) (“ENGLISH-
ESE”)

2a) LITERAL & PHRASAL: THE ACT/STATE/RESULT

(1.3) OF
KNOWING LIFE

2b) PHRASAL/FORMULAIC: THE SCIENCE OF LIFE

(1.4)

BIO- SCI- ENT-IST

1) MORPHEMIC: LIFE-KNOW-ING-ER

2a) LITERAL PHRASAL): “ONE KNOWING LIFE”

> ONE WHO (IS) KNOWING LIFE

2b) PHRASAL/FORMULAIC:

ONE WHO SPECIALIZES IN (1.32) THE SCIENCE OF LIFE (1.4)

NOTE THAT: In context, “sci-ent”- MUST =

“sci-en-ce” !!

So the “real” morphemic analysis includes an “invisible morpheme”—

LIFE-KNOW-
ING(-NESS)-ER

ST UNIT 1 1-3 {MORPHEMES} & {allomorphs}

PREVALENCY {preval-} {-en-} {-cy}

(ALLOMORPHS)

{PREVAIL} {ENT} {CE}

(MORPHEMES)
prevail ing ness

= ENGLISHESE MORPHEMIC
EQUIVALENT

(ENGLISH = THE ACT/STATE/RESULT OF

PREVAILING....) **NEXT WEEK**

SIGNIFICANCE {signific-} {-an-} {-ce}

(ALLOMORPHS)

{SIGNIFY} {ENT} {CE}

(MORPHEMES)

signify ing ness

= ENGLISHESE MORPHEMIC
EQUIVALENT

(ENGLISH= THE ACT/STATE/RESULT OF SIGNIFYING....) **NEXT WEEK**

AGROLOGY (AGR- = FIELD, FIELDS)

(MORPHEMES) = AGR- OLOG- Y

(MORPHEMIC EQUIVALENT) = FIELD-STUDY-NESS

= FIELD-STUDY (ABSTRACT !!)

AGROLOGIC

(MORPHEMES) AGR-OLOG-IC

(allomorphs:
{-ology} = {-olog-}

(MORPHEMIC EQUIV.) FIELD-STUDY-(NESS)-ISH

ECONOMIC

(MORPHEMES, so far....) ECONOMY-IC

(allomorphs: {econom-} =
{economy}
(MORPHEMIC EQUIV.) ECONOMY-ISH

ST 1. 7-8 X-IC-S = X-ISH-(THING)S

if ERGONOM-IC = ERGONOMY-ISH,

then ERGONOMICS = ERGONOM-IC-S

(MORPHEMIC EQUIV.) “ERGONOMY-IC-(THING)S”

ERGONOMY-ISH-(THING)S

FUNDAMENTAL

(MORPHEMES, so far) FUNDAMENT-AL

(MORPHEMIC EQUIVALENT) FUNDAMENT-ISH

nb: FUNDAMENT-AL-S = FUNDAMENT-ISH-(THING)-S

if BIOLOGIC = BI-OLOG-IC = LIFE-STUDY-ISH ...,

then BIOLOGICAL =?

BI-OLOG-IC-AL

Life study ish THINGS ish

(MORPHEMIC EQUIV.) LIFE-STUDY-ISH-ISH ? ... OR....

LIFE-STUDY-ISH-(THING)S-ISH !

Pertaining to the things which pertain to the study of life

(MORE ON THIS NEXT WEEK....)

PHYSICAL ?

(MORPHEMES, so far) PHYSIC-(S)-AL ?

(allomorphs: {x-ic-al} = {x-ic-S-al} ?)

(MORPHEMIC EQUIV.) PHYSICS-ISH

(the more morphemes we can identify, the more a word “signifies”......)

ST 1.12 X-ON0M-Y X-LAW-NESS

ERGONOMICAL (ERG- = WORK)

ERG-ONOM-IC-AL

= ERG-ONOM-IC-AL = ERG-ONOMY-ISH-(THINGS)-ISH

= WORK-LAW-(NESS)-ISH-(THINGS)-ISH

(PHRASAL: P.T. THINGS P.T. THE STATE OF THE LAWS OF WORK) ....

WORK -LAW-ISH-THINGS-ISH

pertaining to the things that pertain to the laws of work

 LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: MORE ABOUT ”X-NESS” (1.10-15)

1. “-NESS” (A PRODUCTIVE
ENGLISH SUFFIX)

ENGLISH-ESE WORDS:
ENGLISH WORDS: “WIDE-NESS” =
WID-TH

“DEEP-NESS” = DEPTH
?

“KIN-NESS” = KINSHIp
?

“CHILD-NESS” =
CHILDHOOD ?

“NATIONAL-NESS” =
NATIONALITY ? ? (LATGLISH)

“DESPERATE-NESS” =
DESPERATION ? “

“APPARENT-NESS” =
APPEARANCE ? “

(HIT “PAUSE” WHILE YOU ANSWER; THEN.... >)

LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: MORE ABOUT ”X-NESS”

1. “-NESS” (A PRODUCTIVE
ENGLISH SUFFIX)

2. DENOTES AN ABSTRACT NOUN

 NOT THE NAME OF A TOUCHABLE THING

HOW TO TRANSLATE PHRASALLY ?

COMPETEN-CE = COMPETENT-NESS = ? THE

STATE OF BEING COMPETENT

REDUNDAN-CY = REDUNDANT-NESS = ? THE

STATE OF BEING REDUNDANT

CLARVOYAN-CE = CLARVOYANT-NESS = ? THE STATE

OF BEING CLARVOYANT

(PAUSE ...... >)

>3. X-NESS = THE STATE OR QUALITY OF BEING X

SO....

CONSIST-EN-CY = CONSIST-ENT-NESS

= THE STATE OF BEING CONSIST-ENT

= THE STATE OF “BEING CONSIST-ING”

?

(PHRASAL) = THE STATE OF BEING CONSIST-ING

(MORPHEMIC) = CONSIST-ING-NESS

1. “-NESS” (A PRODUCTIVE ENGLISH SUFFIX)

2. DENOTES AN ABSTRACT NOUN

3. X-NESS = THE STATE OR QUALITY OF BEING

X>BUT: X-ING-NESS = THE STATE OR
QUALITY OF X-ING

INSIST-EN-CE = INSIST-ING-NESS

= The quality of
being insisting

The act of insisting

PERSIST-EN-CE = PERSIST-ING-NESS
 = the state of
being persisting OR act of persisting

RESIST-AN-CE = RESIST-ING-
NESS – The quality of being resisting OR act of resisting

LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: MORE ABOUT ”X-NESS”

1. “-NESS” (A PRODUCTIVE ENGLISH SUFFIX)

2. DENOTES AN ABSTRACT NOUN

3. MORPHEMIC X-NESS HAS AT LEAST 3 POSSIBLE

PHRASAL EQUIVALENTS:

= THE STATE OR QUALITY OF BEING X

X-ING-NESS = THE STATE OR

QUALITY OF X-ING

OR = THE ACT (OR “ACTION”) OF X-ING

(DEPENDING ON CONTEXT....)

>

LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: MORE ABOUT ”X-NESS”

X-NESS HAS AT LEAST 3 POSSIBLE PHRASAL

EQUIVALENTS:

= THE STATE OR QUALITY OF BEING X

X-ING-NESS = THE STATE OR QUALITY OF X-ING

OR = THE ACT (OR “ACTION”) OF X-ING

SO EVIDEN-CE = EVIDENT-NESS = ?

MY RESID-EN-CY = RESIDE-ING-NESS =?

MY RESID-EN-CE = RESIDE-ING-NESS = ?????

(SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE.... ?)

>
 LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: MORE ABOUT ”X-NESS”

X-NESS = THE STATE OR QUALITY OF BEING X

OR = THE STATE OR QUALITY OF X-ING

OR = THE ACT (OR “ACTION”) OF X-ING

EVIDEN-CE =
EVIDENT-NESS

= THE STATE OF
BEING EVIDENT ??

> THE RESULT OF

BEING EVIDENT

RESID-EN-CY = RESIDE-ING-
NESS

ABSTRACT = THE STATE OR

ACT OF RESIDING

RESID-EN-CE = RESIDE-ING-
NESS

CONCRETE = A PLACE OF
RESIDING

LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: MORE ABOUT ”X-NESS”

X-NESS = THE STATE OR QUALITY OF BEING X

OR = THE STATE OR QUALITY OF X-ING

OR = THE ACT (OR “ACTION”) OF X-ING

RESID-EN-CY = RESIDE-ING-NESS

ABSTRACT = THE STATE OR ACT OF RESIDING

 RESID-EN-CE = RESIDE-ING-NESS CONCRETE
= A PLACE OF RESIDING (RARE)

EVIDEN-CE = EVIDENT-NESS CONCRETE

= THE RESULT OF BEING EVIDENT

(FAIRLY COMMON)

LEGAL TERMINOLOGY: MORE ABOUT ”X-NESS”

1. “-NESS” (A PRODUCTIVE ENGLISH SUFFIX)

2. ORIGINALLY DENOTES AN ABSTRACT NOUN

3. X-NESS HAS AT LEAST 4 POSSIBLE PHRASAL

EQUIVALENTS:

= THE STATE OR QUALITY OF BEING X

OR = THE STATE OR QUALITY OF X-ING

OR = THE ACT (OR “ACTION”) OF X-ING

OR = THE RESULT OF X-ING OR BEING X

(FAIRLY COMMON CONCRETE MEANING

(DEPENDING ON CONTEXT....)

>