The prefix ir is an interesting prefix for a number of reasons:

1. It means not. There are many prefixes that can mean not, such as de, a, un, non; however, ir also means not, which is interesting to me because I don’t think it sounds like it should mean not! To me, it sounds like it should mean again or repeating or something besides not!

2. It only comes before base words that begin with R. In other words, you do not put ir in front of most any word to mean not, like you often do with un or non. 

3. This isn’t really interesting–but I like to say it whenever I teach about prefixes. A prefix is a letter or group of letters that you “affix” (which is why it and suffixes are called affixes) to the beginning of a word. It is important to remember that a prefix does not change the spelling of the base word. That is especially crucial in spelling ir words because the ir precedes an R already–and you must keep the base word’s spelling, so when you add this prefix to a word, you will ALWAYS have two R’s in a row: irregular, irresponsible, etc.

4. It is most often put before a word that is should never come before: regardless. We hear people constantly say irregardless, which is, of course, an oxymoronic word because less means without (or not) and ir means not. I guess that makes it sort of like using a double negative! You do not put ir before regardless because regardless already means without regard. With ir in front of it, you are saying not without regard, I guess…. Anyway, irregardless is not a word. So don’t use it. Okay? 🙂

Note: It is correct, however, to use irrespective, which is a substitute (some of the time) for when you are tempted to say irregardless.

However, there are many base words that begin with R that can have ir put before them to mean NOT or the opposite of what the base word means before ir is added to it.

Here is a list to get you started. Notice how if you take the ir off, you have a positive base word (or one that means yes–yes regular, yes responsible, yes revocable, etc.) However, with the ir, the word means not—not regular, not responsible, not revocable, etc.

Remember: You know more than you think you know!

And remember: Use what you already know to learn even more!

The post WORDY WEDNESDAY–Prefix ir appeared first on Character Ink.

We are having a heat wave here in Indiana. We have had temperatures above ninety degrees this week. Today it was 92 degrees–a perfect day to go swimming and a perfect day to get a sunburn!

For today’s WORDY WEDNESDAY, I thought we would look at two prefixes that have to do with July in Indiana–SOL and THERM.

If you have been reading Language Lady very long, you know my two rules of thumb for learning:

1. You know more than you think you know.

2. Use what you already know to learn even more!

Those two rules of thumb definitely apply to today’s prefixes.+

We encourage our students to take a key word–any word that you already know–that has to do what you are trying to learn.

In the case of sol and therm, you can take two words you already know as your “key words” to help you remember these two prefixes:

SOL–solar….you know that solar means sun if you have ever talked about a solar blanket for your pool, solar power (generating power through the sun), or solar eclipse

THERM–thermos or thermal…you know that THERM means heat if you have ever carried your soup or coffee in a thermos or had “thermal underwear” on in the winter to keep you warm.

So…take your two KEY WORDS and use them any time you see the prefixes SOL and THERM:

1. Sol
a. solar
b. solarium–part of a room that is exposed to the sun
c. solstice–the pointer in which the sun stands sill

2. Therm
a. thermoplastic
b. thermos
c. thermodynamics
d. thermoelectric

The “solar heat” is high right now in Indiana, and the thermometer shows it at in the low nineties!

The post WORDY WEDNESDAY–Prefixes Having to Do With Heat appeared first on Character Ink.

 When Joshua and I teach vocabulary, we try to do a few things:

1. Relate the word to anything we think the students might already know. (“Aquaduct? Well, you know what aquatic means, don’t you?”)

Of course, this is where we say, “You know more than you think you know!”

2. We ask the students if they can tell us anything about the word based on the context. Is it happy or sad? Is there a word near that word that helps you?

3. We help them examine the type of word it is. We say over and over to them that OUS words are often adjectives (delicious) and ATE words can often be verbs.

4. We help the students examine roots and affixes.
    a. Prefix–an affix (“stuck on”) to the beginning of a word
    b. Suffix–affix added to the end of a word

We also give the students tools all the time. Below is a list of prefixes and suffixes that we give to our students and discuss with them, along with their meanings.

Be a lifelong student! If you are an adult, these vocabulary tips will still help you every day.

generous, generate, generation, geneology, gender

dictate, verdict, edict, contradict, predict, diction, indict

perspective, aspect, spectator, spectacle, suspect   
        

surpass, summit, supersede, superstition

tension, extend, tendency, tendon, tent, distend

transfer, transient, transitory, transgress, transport

conduct, document, doctrine, induce, indoctrinate

company, collaborate, comply, congruent,

convert, revert, subvert, divert, diverse, extrovert, versatile

eloquent, logic, apology, monologue, dialogue, prologue

sensitive, sensation, consent, dissent, assent, sentiment        
                                         

denounce, defraud, decry, deplete, devoid, defile

anonymous, nominate, renounce, renown, misnomer         
                   

closet, enclose, disclose, include, conclude, seclude

vocal, advocate, vocation, convoke, revoke, avow         
                        

malicious, malady, dismal, malign, malevolent

fracture, fraction, fragment, fragile, frail, fractious          
                        

objective, obsolete, obscure, obstruct, obstinate

submissive, subordinate, sublime, subtle, subversion       
                     

abandon, abhor, abstain, absolve, abstruse, abstract 

progress, regress, gradual, digress, degrade, transgress

second, sequel, sequence, consequence, prosecute

prolific, profuse, prodigal, prtracted, prodigy, propensity     
                   

inquire, question, request, quest, query, acquire, querulous 

sacrifice, sanctuary, sanctify, sanction, consecrate

scribble, describe, script, prescribe, ascribe, inscribe 

apathy, sympathy, empathy, antipathy, passionate

disdain, dissuade, dismay, disparate, disparage

circumference, circulation, circumstances, circumvent 

nonviolent, uncooperative, inappreciative, anonymous 

adhere, adjective, addict, adverb                       

infrastructure, infraction, infrared, infra-bass
  
  

The post WORDY WEDNESDAY: Prefixes, Suffixes, Roots, Oh My! appeared first on Character Ink.

Wordy Wednesday!

Welcome to Wordy Wednesday! Did you know that strengthlessnesses is the longest word containing only one (albeit very repeating) vowel? Neither did I. And I don’t really care for it. I mean, it is cumbersome to say–and that is a whole lot of e’s and s’s to remember to spell the crazy word.

But I love unique and unusual–and strengthlessnesses is definitely both of those! Here are some vitals about this “longest word containing only one (albeit very repeating) vowel”:

1. It is a noun–did you know that when a word ends in ness, it is almost always a noun? This helps with standardized testing greatly. Ness words are nearly always nouns, so in a “fill in the blank” type of assignment, if the word in question ends in ness, it has to go in a spot where a noun fits.

Tricky Trick to Help It Stick: We have students learn key words to remember things. For instance, to remember that ness words are nearly always nouns, memorize a key word or two that you know is a noun and that ends in ness.

Other ness nouns: happiness, hopefulness, craziness, gratefulness, joyfulness, smartness

2. It has to do with having strength–we teach our students to think about what you already know–anytime–but especially when approaching a new word. Is there anything about the word strengthlessnesses that you already know?
     a. You know what its base means. You already what strength means!
     b. You know that less means less or not having that quality. (We do a lot of root and affix studies here!)
 
Because of those two “things you already know,” you can know that strengthlessnesses has something to do with not having strength (i.e. less strength).

Note: You know more than you think you know! Repeat this over and over to yourself: “I know more than I think I know. I know more than I think I know.” Use what you know to learn more!

3. It can be spelled syllable-by-syllable (if you are a biphonic man or biphonic woman!): strength-less-ness-es.

4. You can also make up a trick to remember how to spell it, such as “It contains four e’s and six s’s. Or that it has four syllables–which tells you that it will have at least four vowels in it (or y’s acting like vowels)–because a syllable always contains at least one vowel. A vowel is what makes a syllable!

5. You can learn the variations of this word–because you can remember from your vocabulary studies with Language Lady that suffixes (affixes added to the ends of words) might change the SPELLING of the base word (pity is changed to piti in pitiful) but does not change the MEANING of the base word. Even with three suffixes added (less, ness, and es), the base word of strength still means strength.
             a.  stengthless–adjective meaning without strength (less words are often adjectives!)
             b. strengthlessly–adverb meaning without strength (ly words are often adverbs)
             c. strengthelessness–a noun describing someone or something that is without strength (ness words are often nouns)
            d. strengthlessnesses–a noun that means more than one someone or something that is without strength (es makes the word plural).


So there you have it–the longest word with only one repeating vowel. Did you know that you could learn so much from one word? You know a lot more than you think you know! Smile…

The post Strengthlessnesses—Longest Word With One Vowel appeared first on Character Ink.

1. tension
2. extend
3. tendency
4. tendon
5. tent
6. distend
7. intent
8. tenable
9. attention
10. detention
11. extent
12. retention
13. ostentatious
14. malcontent
15. potent

The post Day 126: Wordy Wednesday—root TEN appeared first on Character Ink.

1. surpass—to go above and beyond
2. summit—above; the high mountain or peak
3. supersede—to be above in authority,  etc.
4. superstition—a  belief that is ABOVE the normal
5. super star—a star above others

The post Day 122: Wordy Wednesday—SUPER! appeared first on Character Ink.

1. Perspective—seeing a point of view
2. Aspect—one part or one thing you can see
3. Spectator—one who sees
4. Spectacle—a sight to see
5. Suspect—a person you see that might be guilty
6. Others???

The post day 120: wordy wednesday—root “spec” appeared first on Character Ink.

1. Generous
2. Generate
3. Generation
4. Genealogy
5. Gender
6. Genocide
7. Generic

The post day 115: wordy wednesday appeared first on Character Ink.

The post day 16: it was just an “illusion” (or was it an “allusion”?) appeared first on Character Ink.

The post days 13 & 14: roots and affixes list appeared first on Character Ink.