Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1915-02-26


English word can only be gained
through the mastery of the Latin
root-and such knowledge alone
guards against misuse of terms, e. g.
o. Fact, from the Latin "facere'',
to make or do, hence anything done,
an event, an act, truth. The Eng
lish dictionary gives no less than sew
enteen lines to definitions of this
word, no one of which will remain
with the child long unless he has a
mental picture of the word-which
can be secured only through a knowl-
edge of the Latin root
CO. Endorse properly spelled Gin
dorsey from the Latin Gin" mean
ing con- and "dorsum,", back
hence ito write on the back Of
as to endorse a note.
A first hand acquaintance with this
word would have spared the U. S.
postal authorities the embarrassment
of misusing this word in an order,
sent out several years ago, with di-
rectiOns to "endorse'' certain letters
upon the face of the envelope.
Co. Many well known English
words have fascinating interest
for those who know their real mean
ing, e. 6:
Carbuncle, from the Latin word
"carbo', meaning "a live coal"
Conclave, from "conclave'', a room
that may be locked up" from CON
and "clavis'', key, hence the assem-
bly, of the cardinals shut up for the
election of the pope.
Trivial, from "trivalis'', which
means belonging to the cross
roads tres viae'', or public streets,
hence commonplace.
Tent, from "tendere'' to stretch,
hence it is a shelter made of some
strong material stretched over poles.
Fine, from "finis" end, hence a
sum of money paid at the end of a
transaction, suit or prosecution.
Terrier, from terra" earth, land
hence a species of dog that bur-
rows in the earth.
Eliminate, from sc" out and "lim-
en- threshold,-hence to thrust out
of doors, or to set aside.
(4.) Latin-and not the English
dictionary-is the real and lasting
key to many unusual English words,
e. g:
A gregarious person-gregarious,
from "grex" herd, and "arius" be-
longing to, person who likes to
be where the crowd is.
A recalcitrant voter-recalcitrant
from "recalcitrare", to kick back,
showing repugnance or opposition.
Co., Latin helps one to spell cor
rectly in English, e. G:
Culpable-the ca in the adjective
suffix is natural to one who knows
the Latin noun 'culpa.'
The Latin form "temporis" makes
the 80" in temporal" an easy mat
ter.
The boy who knows the Latin word
"originis'', always spells "originap
with an 81"
1t takes but a moment to realize
that this list might be extended in
definitely. 1t is interesting to note
further in this connection, that the
troublesome liable" and "ible" ad-
jective endings readily solve them
selves when one knows Latin and has
been led to see that those adjectiVes
coming from first conjugation verbs
largely end in able, while those
from verbs of other conjugations end
in "ible", for example:
Comparable from "comparare
Portable from "portare."
Laudable from "laudare."
Visible from "videre.'
Ineligible from intellegere."
Co., Many of the commonest alb
breviations used in our language are
never clearly understood without a
knowledge of Latin, e. G:
ct al 49,. let ali 49,. and others
e. g. ..exampli gratia for example
etc 80. ct cetera land other things
Ib. Ibid .Ibidem :. in the same place
Id -. ....idem 80. go. the same
l. e. So. i'd est that is
Ignorance of the above, sometimes
places one in a very embarrassing
position, as is shown by the follow
ing story related by Miss Menden-
hall of the New York Public Library:
"The other day a student came in
to the library looking for help on a |
list of references in history. Hell
said: Il have found most of the
books in the Columbia library, but
there is one I can't find anywhere |
and l have spent a good deal of time
looking. He has a strange name and
[ have never heard of him as an
but he has written a good
many of the books on my list: his |