Vocabulary (Word Parts) - Writing
Suppose you are composing a short essay detailing the two viewpoints on capital punishment; the position favoring
it and the position opposed to it. You have written a paragraph explaining the views of people who are for capital
punishment. Now you want to author a paragraph illustrating what the opposition says on the matter. You want to begin
that paragraph so that the reader understands you have changed positions. The message now is going to be exactly the
opposite of what was in the preceding paragraph.
You have an understanding of word parts. That knowledge can be put to good use as a writer. The word you
select to start the paragraph needs to demonstrate 'opposite' or 'opposing' or 'against' - like in a debate or a military
confrontation. That word part is: contra- .
In authoring this essay, you are expressing this view, similar to someone saying it. In a sense you are telling
something that is the reverse of what came in the previous paragraph of your essay. Select the word part that means: to
tell, to speak, to voice, or to report. That word part is: -dict- .
Your 'new' word is: contra - dict (contradict); meaning to say the opposite of what someone else thinks, or to speak
against another's opinion.
'Contradict' is a verb, and would be a bit difficult to use in our particular situation. We need to add another word
part to make the verb a noun. We can add the suffix: -ion; meaning 'state' or 'condition'. Our word is contra - dict - ion
(contradiction). It describes: the state of speaking against; the condition of voicing opposition. For example, a politician in
a political debate might state: 'I rise in contradiction to Senator Wilson's tax proposal.'
Now, let's return to our passage. Using our word part knowledge, we have chosen the proper term with which to
begin our second paragraph. It might sound like this:
'In CONTRADICTION to the views just expressed, those who are against capital punishment feel that . . . '
[ Just in case you are curious as to the derivation of the word 'contradiction', it originally began as a Latin word:
'contradictio' ! ]
Again, this word-part skill helps both writer and reader perform better.
Use each of the following word parts and compose a sentence. I have given the meaning of the first few to help get
you started. Remember to consider the part of speech that your word needs to be. For example, you don't want to place a
noun where a verb should be.
micro- (small, tiny)
The researcher used the electron MICRO-scope to closely examine the laboratory specimen.
phono (sound, voice)
terr (land, Earth)
-hood (pertaining to, referring to)
theo (God, deity)
bio
tele-able
triport