(Welcome to Manuscribit, a unique way to learn English through Latin. It’s best to start with the first post and work your way through with sketchbook in hand.)

coagmentare: to glue or join together coagulate, coagulation

coalescare: to grow together coalesce, coalition

cochlea: snail The spiral cavity of the inner ear is called the cochlea because its design is similar to that of a snail’s shell. cochlear

codicilli: letter, note, petition codicil, codify, code

coercere: to enclose, confine, repress coerce, coercion

cogere: to think, ponder, imagine cogent

co+gnoscere: to get to know, understand agnostic, cognition, cognitive, cognizant, incognito, recognition, recognize, gnostic, gnosticism

cohaesus: stuck together cohesion, cohesive

cohortor: to encourage, urge cohort

collapsus: fallen into ruin collapse

collatio: bringing together collate, collation

collectio: gathering up, present participle of colligere, to gather collect, collection, college, collegial

collidere: to beat together collide, collision

colloquium: conversation colloquial, colloquium

colludere: to play together, to have a secret understanding with collude, collusion

com+memorare: to recall, when reminding commemorate, commemoration

com+mendare: to entrust with, to mind another commend, recommend

com+mentor: to study over, prepare carefully with (mentis=mind) comment, commentary, commentator

com+mittere: to bring together (mittere=to dispatch, send) commit, commitment

com+modare: to adjust, to adapt the mode accommodate, accommodation

com+motus: with excitement, with great motion commotion

com+municare, com+unire: to share, to impart, to build together (unus=one) communicate, commune, communion

com+punctum: having been pricked or stung with something compunction

con+cludere (from claudere): to close with, end with conclude, conclusion

con+ferre: to talk over or share with (ferre=to carry) confer, conference, conversation

con+fidere: to have faith in, to be sure about (fides=faith) confidant, confide. confident

con+formare: to shape as or form like (another) conform, conformity

confundere, confusum: to scatter with, to mix with confound, confuse, confusion

con+sequor: to follow with consequence, consequential

contra+dicere: to speak against contradict, contradiction

contro+versia: turning against controversial, controversy

con+venire: to come together convene, convention

copia: abundance, plenty copious

cornu: horn, horn-shaped cornet

cornu+copia: horn of plenty cornucopia

corpus: body corpse, corporal, incorporation

credere: to believe credo, credible, credit, credulous, creed, incredible

criminor: to accuse, impeach crime, criminal

crudus: raw, immature crude, crudites

culpa: fault, guilt culpable, culprit

cumulare: to heap up, to mass together accumulate, accumulation, cumulus (clouds)

curare: to take care of curative, cure

currere, cursus: to run, running, journey course, current, scurry

curvare: to bend curvaceous, curvature, curve

custodire: to guard, protect custodian, custody

cuticula: skin cuticle

Next week, we move on to words beginning with “d.”

Until next time, may God’s peace be with you!

cedere, cessum: to withdraw, retreat, having gone, withdrawn In English, these words would be pronounced “sedere, sessum.” From these Latin roots, therefore, we have the words cede, cessation, recede, recess, recession which all mean to withdraw or retreat in some way.

celebrare, celebratus: to crowd, frequent, glorify, crowded, much used, famous There are two English paths of derivation from these words, again using the softened “c.” We have the concept of celebration where a crowd gathers to glorify or honor someone. Then we have the word celebrated which means much used or well known, and from there came the word celebrity to indicate a well known person. Hence we can write a sentence using the same Latin root with three different meaning. The celebrity celebrated his Oscar win at the celebrated Hollywood restaurant.

celerare, celer: to quicken, make haste, quicker, swift, fast accelerate, acceleration

cella, cellula: little room Not only do we get the word cell meaning a small room which a person may inhabit, but it’s the root of the scientific term cell, cellular and all the derivations of that in English.

celare: to hide conceal As we will see, the use of the Latin prefixes “com, con, or cum” adds the meaning with, while, or as to the word which follows.

censere, censum: to assess, estimation census

censio: punishment censor, censorship

centum: one hundred (C in Roman numerals) cent, centennial, century, percent

Cerealis: of Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and grain cereal

cernare: to understand, perceive discern, discernment Note that another Latin prefix, which is presented in two forms, “de, dis,” indicates of or down from.

certe, certo, certus: two adverbs and an adjective which mean assuredly, sure, of course, or really ascertain, certain, certainly, certitude

cetera: the rest, the others, in other respects We commonly use this in the Latin phrase et cetera (and the rest) which is abbreviated etc.

circa: around, about This is a commonly used prefix placed in front of other Latin words and adopted into English to indicate movement or placement around something. Examples include circumcision (cut around), circumference (to lead around), circumnavigate (to sail around), circumscribe (draw around), circumstance (what stands around the circle; not the central point), circumvent (to go around, to cheat someone), etc. It also is related to the Latin verb circuire which means to go around or evade someone or something. circuit, circuitous

circus: racecourse Our modern use of circus came from the use of large, round tents so that the company could travel from place to place. It now means any unpredictable or loosely planned event.

cisterna: reservoir cistern

citare: to set in motion cite, citation, incite, excite, recite, and their various adaptations.

civis: fellow citizen civics, civil, civility

clamare: to shout, to call out clamor, exclaim, proclaim, etc.

clarare, clarus: to illuminate, make clear, bright clarify, clarity, clear

claudere, clausum: to close off, confined claudication, claustrophobia, closet

clavus: key clavicle (a key-shaped bone which connects to your shoulder), enclave (a limited group of people who have the “key” to get in)

clemens: mild, merciful clement, inclement (the prefix “in” can also mean “not,” as in this case)

There are many words that were skipped over because they are obvious or exactly the same in Latin and English. Chorus, chorda, and clienta are a few examples. It is hoped that the words provided here truly expand your knowledge and vocabulary.

Next week, we will complete our study of the letter “c.” Until then, may God’s peace be with you!

balo, balare: I bleat, to bleat Anyone who has heard the nursery rhyme “Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool” can understand the basis for this Latin word, and our continued usage of it.

barba: beard barber It wasn’t very long ago that men when to the barber shop not only for a hair cut, but also to get a shave. The barber would keep a separate cup with shaving soap for each customer, and use a long, sharp razor to shave the man’s face.

barbaria: a foreign country, also used figuratively to indicate stupidity barbarian, barbaric Here the elitism of the Roman empire shows its ugly head. Often we will see terms that are used to define foreigners are also used to criticize or belittle them. After all, who could be better than a citizen of Rome? See the next entry which follows.

bardus: a Gallic poet, also used as an adjective to describe one who is dull or stupid bard The Gauls were a group of Celtic people who inhabited areas outside of the Roman empire, regularly fought against it, and were the subject of Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars documentation. In English, the word bard is still used, in a complimentary way, to indicate a poet or epic writer such as Shakespeare.

basilica, basilicus: large law building in the center of the city; magnificent basilica

bene: well benediction (literally, well spoken), beneficial (literally, well made), benefit

benignus: kind, friendly benign, benignity

bibere: to drink imbibe

bilis: bile, gall, bitter or melancholy bilious

bombus: booming bomb, bombastic

bonum: moral good bonus, bonanza

boo: I cry aloud Boo-hoo!

bovis: cows bovine

brevi, brevitas: shortly, shortness brevity, brief

Britannia: British Isles Britain, British

brutus: heavy, unwieldy, stupid, irrational brutal, brute

bulbus: onion bulb, bulbous

Next week, we will begin with the C’s which is a treasure trove of English derivatives.

Until then, may God’s peace be with you.

In 1996, Thomas Cahill’s book, “How the Irish Saved Civilization,” the author presented a compelling depiction of Irish monks who saved many of the great writings of western civilization in their modest scriptoriums.

[A]s the Roman Empire fell, as all through Europe, matted, unwashed barbarians descended on the Roman cities, looting artifacts and burning books, the Irish, who were just learning to read and write, took up the great labor of copying all of western literature—everything they could lay their hands on. These scribes then served as conduits through which the Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian cultures were transmitted to the tribes of Europe, newly settled amid the rubble and ruined vineyards of the civilization they had overwhelmed. Without this Service of the Scribes, everything that happened subsequently would have been unthinkable. Without the Mission of the Irish Monks, who single-handedly re-founded European civilization throughout the continent in the bays and valleys of their exile, the world that came after them would have been an entirely different one—a world without books. And our own world would never have come to be.

Today, the “barbarians at the gate” are more likely to be the social justice warriors and politically correct police who “cancel” those who do not use the correct pronouns, remove classic books which do not represent “woke” ideals, and “disinvite” speakers and teachers who, in their opinion, are racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, or merely politically conservative. More schools and libraries are banning class literature in favor of approved progressive reading for “woke” babies and appropriately activist children. (Such book banning led Superintendent Thomas Carroll of the Boston Archdiocese to publicly invite those districts that were getting rid of their classic books to donate them to his school system.) History is being “cleansed” of statesmen, politicians, and entertainers who does not measure up to today’s social justice standards.

The result of this purging is the growth of an entire population of children who have never read classic literature, aren’t able to present a logical and literate argument, do not understand the ultimate underpinnings of natural law on society, and have no awareness of the treasure trove of the great histories and philosophies of civilization. They are becoming more ignorant and even more proud of their ignorance, as they seek to attain the hollow “holiness” of virtue signaling and the “pinnacles” of virtual ad hominem attacks. And just as students who don’t know Moses can’t truly understand the Underground Railroad or the writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., schools that don’t require mastery of traditional grammar, or maintain that traditional grammar is unjust, are cruelly crippling their students both as writers, readers, and lifetime learners.

Adding to the deleterious effects of this “woke” pandering was the enormous burden that the pandemic, led by Dr. Fauci and the teacher’s union, placed upon students, especially those in central city public schools, who had not had in-person education for nearly one year. As of February 15, 2021, only 38% of all K-12 public schools were providing in-person education for five days of the week. 62% of all public school students in the US were either attending school totally remotely or via remote hybrid, which was defined as having in-person schooling only 2-3 days each week.

Meanwhile, Catholic schools in all 50 states stayed open for in-person learning 5 days a week. Furthermore, of nearly 2 million Catholic school students, 40% live in the inner-city. Thus, many children who most desperately needed to be in school were in attendance daily at Catholic schools throughout most large cities of the US, including in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Boston, while, sadly, a larger number of their public school neighbors stay home.

The education provided by Catholic schools, because of their faith-based foundation in natural law and truth, and inspired by the various religious orders that operate them, is classic and traditional. There is no “woke” addition or fluidity to the two sexes: there is only male and female. Correct grammar is taught, with its proper use of pronouns. The curriculum is challenging, with nightly homework, and students rise to the expectations that are placed before them. Finally, classic literature, such as Tom Sawyer, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Iliad and the Odyssey, Shakespeare’s play and sonnets, are required reading for Catholic school students. Yet even among students from central city areas, and with the more stringent Catholic school grading scale, Catholic school students had the highest graduation rate of any other type of school across the board (99.1%), and were more likely to study advanced STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects.

Catholic school students carry those gains into college, where they have higher grade point averages and, again, higher graduation rates. This “Catholic School effect” is most markedly seen among minority students from central city areas. Overall, in study after study, extensive research on Catholic schools found that the rigorous curriculum and high expectations of Catholic schools lead to the greater learning gains for all students.

Yet, even as challenging as Catholic school are academically,

Catholic school success is not simply the product of rigorous curriculum, structure, and order. It’s also the result of a school culture animated by the belief that every child is made in the image and likeness of God and focused on drawing out of every pupil their own God-given potential.

Careful observers will also see that Catholic schools’ academic results are not actually the main goal; rather, they’re byproducts of schools that focus on forming young people not just with the skills that will make them financially successful, but also with the habits of virtue and values that will make them choose to do good and contribute to their communities.

Not only are girls who graduate from Catholic schools much less likely to become pregnant before marriage, and boys to be incarcerated, research has also shown that “Catholic school graduates are more likely to be civically engaged, to vote, to volunteer, and to give to charitable causes than their public-school peers.”

In short, the “goal of Catholic schools is not to secure top marks in a school rating system but to form students who opt to serve, who choose right over wrong, and who contribute to their communities.”

As Sir Kenneth Clark points out in his epic tome “Civilisation”—“for quite a long time—almost a hundred years—western Christianity survived by clinging to places like Skellig Michael, a pinnacle of rock eighteen miles from the Irish coast, rising seven hundred feet out of the sea,” one of many places where the Irish monks secured the remnants of great knowledge.

Today, only 3% of the American children currently attend Catholic schools. Yet this tiny and powerful minority, well-educated and virtuous, may be the thread to which western civilization clings in America to save it from the barbarism of progressive echo chambers, the looming threat of democratic socialism, and the dangers of megalomaniacs like Dr. Fauci. Oremus.

It’s wonderful to peruse the Latin dictionary in order to review those root words from which so many English words are derived. We can see that our language truly goes back long before Old English was spoken or written. Additionally, we can see how Latin began much earlier than it was used in the Roman Empire. As a member of the Indo-European languages, it is a “younger cousin” to many other ancient languages. One can see the family resemblance when one looks at how many commonly used words are so similar. For example, the word for “mother” is “mater” in Latin, “matar” in Sanskrit, “meter” in Greek, and “mathair” in Irish. Thousands of other words are similarly related. As we continue through our list of Latin root words beginning with “a,” keep in mind that these words go back thousands of years, and even farther with their ancient root sources. Each word carries with it an amazing history! (Welcome to Manuscribit, a unique way to learn English grammar through the Latin. It’s best to begin with the first post and work your way through. I want to remind new readers that while these lessons were originally created during the pandemic for homebound parents to teach to their children, they can be understand and taught by anyone at anytime. There is never a charge for subscription.)

alacritas: Promptness, liveliness, joy, rapture alacritous, alacrity

albus: White, bright alb*, albite, albinism, albino *(In the Catholic Church, an alb is a white tunic worn by the priest underneath the vestments when celebrating Mass.)

alia, alias: In another way, at another time alias

alibi: Elsewhere, otherwise alibi

alienare, alienus: To transfer or estrange, of another alien, alienate

alimentum: Nourishment, food alimentary

alimonium: Supplementation alimony

alter, alternare: The other, to do by turns alter, alteration, alternate, alternative

altus: High, deep altimeter, altitude

alucinatus: To talk wildly, To have one’s mind wander hallucinate, hallucination

amare: To love amiable, amorous

ambigere, ambiguus: To be in doubt or wander about, changeable or unreliable ambiguity, ambiguous Note that this comes directly from the Greek prefix ambi which means “both sides,” and used in words like ambidextrous.

ambire, ambitiosus: This literally means “to go round in circles” but was figuratively used in Latin to mean “to court for favor.” Similarly, the adjective was used to mean ostentatious or long-winded. In politics, it meant to go around canvassing for votes. One can see how this eventually came to mean ambitious—one who went above and beyond to achieve a particular goal. ambit (a circuit), ambition, ambitious.

amicus: Friend amicable, amity

amplificare, amplus: To increase or make larger, abundant ample, amplification, amplify

amputare: To cut off amputate, amputation

ancilla: Servant ancillary

anquirere: To search for enquiry, inquire

antiquus: Ancient, old antiquated, antique

anxius: Troubled, disquieted anxiety, anxious

apparere: To come into sight appear, appearance

aptare: To fit apt, aptitude

aqua: Water aquarium, aquatic, aqueous (and many more)

arbitror: To be a witness of arbiter, arbitrate

arbor: Tree arboreal, arboreous, arboretum

argentus: Of silver argentine

arguere: To prove, make known argue, argument, argumentative

aspirare: To breathe, to blow aspiration, aspire, aspiring

audire: To hear audible, audio, audit, auditorium (and many more)

augere: To increase or enrich augment, augmentation

aureus: Gold or golden, glowing aura, aureate

avertere: To turn aside aversion, avert

These are just some of the many words to be found under this letter. In the next post, we will cover words under the letter “b.” Until then, may God’s peace be with you.

During the World Cup, it has been intesting to note how many flags bear a cross: Norway, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Sweden, Australia, and many more that did not make the play-offs. All of those crosses reflect the Catholic cultural underpinning of each nation and the saints who still inspire these people to this day. To just name a few, there are St. Olaf of Norway, St. George of England, St. Henry of Finland, St. Bridget of Sweden, St. Canute of Denmark, St. Andrew of Scotland, St. David of Wales, and, yes, St Joan of Arc for France. Indeed France still regularly uses the fleur-de-lis to represent French culture. It three petals represent the Holy Trinity while the lily symbolizes the Blessed Virgin Mary. Similarly, the flag of Spain bears the standards of Catholic monarchs, where St. James is still revered.

The languages spoken in several of the finalist countries are rooted in the language of the Church. While Latin was originally the language of the Roman Empire, it was spread much farther by the Holy Roman Empire and its ecclesiastical settlements across Europe, parts of Asia, and throughout the New World. Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and most of our words in English come from the Latin which was spread for centuries by the Church.

More significantly, the Church created the underpinnings of Western Culture as we know it today. She first instituted hospitals, orphanages, and homes for widows and the poor. The first universities in Europe were instituted by the Catholic Church, and, not surprisingly, a majority of scientific discoveries were made by priests and religious aligned with those universities. The idea that all children deserve to be educated, girls as well as boys, and not just those of the wealthy, was first promulgated by the Church through its many religious orders. Similarly, laws must serve to protect the rights of all citizens, and not just those with wealth or influence. This too found its source in Church teachings. The basis of these laws, of course, are the Ten Commandments (with thanks to our Jewish ancestors), and the primary teaching of Jesus: Love your neighbor as yourself.

As you enjoy the World Cup final matches this week, take a moment to acknowledge that the cross you see on the screen is there for a reason, and give thanks. We would not have the freedoms we have today without the nearly 2000 year heritage of the Catholic Church.

May God’s Peace be with You.

The “ae” diphthong is still rarely used in English, and often incorrectly pronounced as “ay.” The word alumnae, for example, which represents female graduates of a school or institution, is frequently pronounced “alum-nay,” when the ending syllable in fact should be rhyme with “sky.” Similarly, we pronounce the male version, alumni, as if the final syllable rhymed with “sky,” when in fact it should rhyme with “knee.” We will see various changes in pronunciation with many English derivatives from Latin. Note that Ecclesiastical Latin, that spoken in the Catholic Church, has some differences in pronunciations. For example, “ae” is pronounced “ay” as in caeli in Ecclesiastical Latin. The classical rules for pronunciation are given here.

English adopted many Latin words which begin with “ae,” then dropped the “a,” and pronounced the remaining “e” as the short vowel sound in “egg.” The meanings, however, all remained the same.

aedificare, aedificium: To build or construct, a building edification, edifice, edify

aegrare, aegror: To become ill, illness ague (This is an old English word, common from the 17th through the 19th centuries, traditionally pronounced “ayg-yoo” with a hard g, and retaining the Latin diphthong pronunciation. Well into the 20th century, however, many Americans from the Midwest or South, including my own father, commonly used it to describe a fever or chills, and would pronounce it simply as “ayg.” “I have the ague.”)

aemulor, aemulatus: To rival or copy, jealous emulate, emulation, emulator (Note that we seem to use the words in a more positive way than the Romans did.)

aenigma: A riddle or mystery enigma, enigmatic

aequalitas, aequare: Evenness, to make level or the same equal, equality, equate, equation

aequitas: Uniformity, fair dealing equitable, equity

aer: Air, weather, mist air (It is interesting that “aer” is the same in Irish, which is from a different language family grouping. Also, the original pronunciation is retained in English.)

aestimare, aestimatum: To place a value on, of high value estimable, estimate, estimation

aeternare, aeternas: To immortalize, lasting forever eternal, eternity

In our next post, we will go through the remainder of Latin words beginning with “a.” This will not be an exhaustive list, but will feature those with the most commonly used English derivatives. Until then, may God’s peace be with you.

In Latin, the preposition ad is followed by the Accusative Case of the noun. It indicates movement toward the noun, and as such brings to mind most closely the role of the Direct Object in English as the recipient of action. In fact, the most common ending for the singular Accusative Case is -m, and it is from this that we adopted the use of him and them as the objective forms of he and they. While the objective form is only used with pronouns, it is used with every noun in Latin, adding great clarity to the sentence structure.

Example: Feles canem mordet. The cat bites the dog. We know that the dog is receiving the nasty end of this business because of the -m ending. If we wrote the same thing in English, Cat dog bites, we wouldn’t be sure who is biting whom. Instead, we rely solely upon word placement. Cat bites dog. For pronouns, however, there is no such confusion. Cat bites him. Him cat bites. Cat him bites. No matter how the sentence is inverted, we know that him is the recipient of the bite. Another reason to love Latin is its crystal clear sentence structure through widespread use of the Case system.

adequare, adequatum: To make equal, to match, have equivalence adequacy, adequate

adapire, adaptum: To throw open, to be opened adapt, adaptation

addicere, addictum: These literally translate as to speak favorably of (dicere means to say or tell), but figuratively mean to be devoted to or to have sacrificed for. One can see how this evolved into the negative connotation of addict, addiction, addictive.

addere, additum: To increase, added to add, additive, addition

adfectare, adfectatum: To aspire to, to aim at, to try to win over, affected with affect, affectation, affection (note the “d” has also been dropped here) Also related is adferre which means to bring forward or contribute.

adfigere, adfixum: To fasten to, attached affix

adfirmare, adfirmatum: Literally this means to make firm, but used as confirm or declared affirm, affirmative, affirmation

adhaerere, adhaeresum: To stick or cling, kept close adhere, adherence, adhesion

adiacere, adiectum: The Latin verb iacere means to throw. Various prefixes were added to indicate where or how something was thrown. Adiacere, adiectum literally means to throw toward, to add to, to turn one’s mind toward, that which is added to. In English, the “i” was often changed to “j” for reasons of pronunciation. (Thus iustus became just, iuvenalis became juvenile, Iulius Caesar became Julius Caesar, and Iesu became Jesus.) When we do this to all of the iacere words, we see that adiectum becomes our adjective, and means words which are added to others.

adiunctio: Uniting adjunct This is also related to adiungere which means to yoke to or link. adjoin

administrare: To attend to, to serve as an official administrate, administration, administrator

admiror, admirabilis: To be full of wonder at, surprising admiration, admire

admittere, admissum: To let in, to dispatch toward, allowed in admission, admit, admittance

admonere: To remind or warn admonish, admonishment

adsignare: To allot, to impute assign, assignment

adsimulare: To compare, pretend, imitate assimilate, assimilation

adulterare: Toward an ulterior motive, to falsify adulteration, adultery

advenire, adventum: To come nearer quickly, the point of coming near advent

advertere: To direct toward advertise, advertisement

advocare: To summon or call for advocate, advocation

There are many other ad- Latin words which we have adopted into English, but these are a few of the commonly used. Next week, we will look at ae- Latin words. Though often altered a bit in spelling, they retain the same meaning in English.

Until then, may God’s peace be with you.

Here are some ac- Latin root words, along with their meanings and English derivatives. As with previous listings, this is not totally inclusive.

accedere, accessum: To go toward, to approach toward; agreed with, added to access

accelarare: To hasten toward accelerate, acceleration

accidere: To fall toward, to befall accident, accidental, accidentally

acclamare: To cry out for, to hail acclaim, acclamation

accommodare: This is actually a combination of three Latin words: ad + cum + modus (toward + with + way) which literally means “with a way toward.” We can see how this is used “to make a move toward” in both Latin and English which satisfies both parties. accommodate, accommodation

accumulare, accumulatum: to pile up; gathered together accumulate, accumulation

accuratus: Latin for “to care for, to heal” is the word curare. This combination literally means “to focus upon or point toward great care.” accuracy, accurate

acquiescere: Towards quiet, rest acquiesce, acquiescence, acquiescent

Next week, we move on to Latin words beginning with ad-.

Until then, may God’s peace be with you.

What are you eating?

An apple.

How do you know it’s an apple?

Because it just IS an apple.

But how do you know it’s an apple?

It tastes like an apple.

What does an apple taste like?

It is delicious.

In this bowl, I have something that is delicious. Is this an apple?

No, that’s apple sauce!

So why isn’t it an apple?

It has to be a round shape that I can hold in my hand.

Ok, so something is an apple if it is delicious to eat, and comes in a round shape that I can hold in my hand. So is this an apple?

No, that’s an orange.

Why is it an orange? Isn’t it delicious to eat, and comes in a round shape that I can hold in my hand?

It’s not red and smooth like my apple.

Oh, so all apples are red and smooth?

No, some are green, too.

Ok, so something that is delicious to eat, and comes in a round shape that I can hold in my hand, and also is red or green and smooth is an apple?

Yes. That’s it.

What if I took the peeling off of your apple and wrapped it around my orange. Would that make it an apple?

No. It would just be an orange with an apple peel around it.

OK, so putting apple peelings around an orange does not make it an apple?

No, because the insides are still orangey.

Then surely this is an apple?

No, that’s a pear.

But isn’t it delicious to eat?

Yes.

And doesn’t it have a round shape that I can hold in my hand?

Yes.

And isn’t it a greenish color and smooth?

Yes.

Then why isn’t this an apple?

Because it didn’t come from an apple tree.

Oh! So in order for something to be an apple, it has to be delicious to eat, come in a round shape that I can hold in my hand, be red or green in color and smooth, and come from an apple tree?

Yes. I think that’s all.

So where do apple trees come from?

Apple seeds.

And where do the seeds come from?

From inside the apple.

Do only apples have seeds that grow apple trees?

Yes.

And apple trees doesn’t grow anything but apples?

Yes.

And all apples come from apple trees?

Yes.

And all apples have seeds?

Yes.

So all apples come from apple trees which come from the seeds that are inside of all apples?

Yes.

Could you say that every apple is a tree waiting to grow?

I guess so. Yes.

So what is the cause behind all of this movement from seeds to trees to apples and more seeds and more trees and more apples?

I don’t know. Is this the final question? Because I’m hungry.

Yes, because there are no more questions to ask.

Good.

Yes. It’s all good.

abdicare: Literally, to dedicate or consecrate away from something or someone, but usually meaning to disown or resign abdicate, abdication.

abducere: To lead away from abduct, abduction

aberrare: To wander away, go astray aberration

abhorrere: To shrink away from abhor, abhorrence, abhorrent

abiectum: Thrown away, rejected, abandoned abject

abnormis: Away from the norm, unorthodox abnormal, abnormality, abnormally

abolere: Literally, this means in respect to a foul smell (olere means “to smell of”), but practically it means to betray or remove abolish, abolishment, abolition, abolitionist

abradere: To scrape or shave off or away abrade, abrasion

abrogare: Literally, this means away from proposing or asking (rogare means “to propose or ask”), but practically means to annul abrogate, abrogation

abrumpere, abruptum, abruptus: To break off, broken off, steep, disconnected abrupt, abruptly

abscondere: To conceal, leave behind abscond,

absens, absum: Being away, “I am away” absence, absent

absolvere, absolutum: To release, set free, bring to completion, complete absolution, absolute, absolutely, absolve

absorbere: To swallow up absorb, absorption

abstinere: To withhold, keep off, restrain abstain, abstinence

abstrahere, abstractum: To drag away, divert, a diversion abstract, abstraction

absurdus: Literally means in respect to deafness (surdus means “deaf”), but used figuratively to mean unmusical, out of tune, senseless absurd, absurdity, absurdly

abundare, abundans: Literally means in respect to waves (unda means “wave”), but practically used as to overflow, overflowing abundance, abundant, abundantly

abutor, abusus: Literally means away from use, but practically used as to misuse. abuse, abusive

Our next post, Vocabulum II, will cover Latin roots beginning with ac-.

Until then, may God’s peace be with you.

In a compound sentence, a semi-colon can be used to indicate a change in direction. As you recall, a compound sentence contains two independent clauses. Each can stand on its own. We put them together with a FANBOYS* conjunction to add a bit of panache or nuanced meaning to our writing. When using a semi-colon, however, we omit or do not add the conjunction. *(For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

1. Instead of: She left the dinner party early. She thinks the oysters didn’t agree with her. We can write: The oysters at the dinner party didn’t agree with her; she went home early.

2. Instead of: I can’t get enough of the incense at the Latin Masses, for it adds to the solemnity and mystery of worship. We can write: Incense adds to the solemnity and mystery of worship; I can’t get enough of it.

3. Instead of: The total eclipse of the sun will occur directly overhead in our part of Ohio, and hotels are already sold out for that day. We can write: Hotels in our area are already sold out for the total eclipse of the sun; it will dramatically occur directly overhead.

Use semi-colons to a list which already uses commas and needs further clarity. Examples: The Holy Cross fathers operate schools in Montreal, Quebec; Notre Dame, Indiana; and Boston, Massachusetts. Those inducted into the school’s hall of fame this year included Samantha Jones, track and field; Martin Bischoff, hockey; Cy Weaver, chorus; and Patrick Johnson, lacrosse.

Finally, a semi-colon should precede the words as, namely, or thus when used to introduce examples or lists. Examples: Only three students were selected; namely, Patricia, Kyle, and Susan. That only leaves four of us; thus, Mom, Dad, Kevin, and I will finish the clean-up.

We have come to the end of our discussion of Punctuation. Now we shall move on to (I must confess) my favorite section: Vocabulary. Knowledge of Latin vocabulary will vastly expand your English vocabulary. Therefore, for the rest of our time on Manuscribit, we will examine Latin root words, their original meanings, and the English derivatives we use from those words. It will be an historical dictionary that may go on forever…

Until next week, may God’s peace be with you!

Quotations Marks are used, first and foremost, to set off direct quotes. Examples: “This is my address,” she said. He asked, “Do you know the answer?” Note that commas and question marks are placed inside of the final quote mark to separate it from the remainder of the sentence, but commas are placed outside of the beginning of a quotation within a sentence. If a quotation precedes a semi-colon in a sentence, the semi-colon is placed outside of the quotation marks. Examples: Mom always yelled out the front door, “Dinner time!”; she was never one to worry about what neighbors thought.

If the quotation is divided within the sentence, then another set of quotation marks must be provided. Examples: “At first,” he replied, “I wasn’t sure.” “What if all of us,” she proposed, “went to the diner instead?”

Quotation marks are never used for indirect quotes. Examples: He said that he didn’t want to go. I heard her say that she was tired.

Quotation marks are used with titles of articles, chapters of books, and short poems or stories. Examples: We memorized Robert Frost’s “The Road Less Traveled.” The first chapter of his book is entitled “The Start of our Journey.”

Nicknames or ironic words and phrases may be put in quotations. Examples: Her name is Katharine, but she always goes by “Kiki.” His “apartment” was nothing more than a large closet at the top of the stairs.

If there is a quotation within a quotation, the quotation within is set off by single marks. Example: “I was shocked when she said, ‘I agree with you” as I never thought she would.”

In non-fiction writing, if you are using a quotation that is fifty words or longer, then you may indent the entire quotation so that it is clearly set off from the primary text. Be sure to provide a citation.

That’s it for today. Our next installment of Manuscribit will concern Semi-colons, an under-used but very effective bit of punctuation.

Until then, may God’s peace be with you!

(Welcome to Manuscribit! Please begin with the first post and work your way through with a sketchbook in hand.)

AB-from, away from absent, abscond, absorb, abortion

AC-, AD-to, toward accord, access, adhere, adjacent, adopt, adapt, addition

ANTE-before, ahead of time anterior, antecedent, anteroom

CIRCA-, CIRCUM-around, about circumnavigate, circumstance, circumference

COM-, CON-with, same as, together with compassion, conference, constellation

CONTRA-against, opposing contrary, contrast, contradiction, contraindication

DE-down from, made from, on account of describe, deportment, demonstration

E-, EX-out of, away from education, expel, exterior, exhort, exhale

EXTRA-beyond, outside of extraterrestrial, extraordinary, extraneous

IN-in, into, in relation to or against instill, intolerable, inflame, infuriate

INTER-between, among, amid, in the course of interstate, international, intercede

INTRA-, INTRO-inwards, inside, within, toward introduction, intrastate, introvert

NON-not nonexistent, nonessential

OB-against, in front of, in return for obstreperous, obstinate, obscene, object

OMNI-all omniscient, omnipotent

PER-through, over, along, by way of, in the name of percent, perceive, peruse

POST-after, behind posterior, postscript

PRE-before, in front of preview, prenuptial, prepubescent

PRO-for, in place of, before, in favor of pronounce, pronoun, professional, proration

RE-back, again, against renew, reprobate, recycle, reflection

RETRO-backwards, behind retrospective, retrofit

SUB-under, at the base of, the foundation for subjective, submarine, substandard

SUPER-, SUPRA-over, above, upon, more than, beyond supernatural, superlative

TRANS-over, across, the other side of transportation, transmutation, transfer

There are many other very common Latin prefixes that we use (e.g., multi-, ultra-, di-, tri-, etc.), but those I have listed here are noteworthy and may not be as well known.

Here are a few Latin verbs with their meanings. Combine the prefixes above with these verbs to see how many English derivative words you can find. The primary part of the verb has been made bold. Feel free to add suffixes like -ance, -or, or others. (Challenge a friend to a competition!)

Ducere: to lead or guide

Ferre: to carry or move

Monstrare: to point out, to show

Movere: to set in motion

Portare: to bring or convey

Scribere: to write

Spectare: to watch or observe closely

Finally, can you guess the meaning of these words by using your knowledge of Latin prefixes (and other words also derived from Latin) ?

intermolecular transubstantiation sublunary emollient elucidation

I hope you can appreciate how much Latin adds to our vocabulary and understanding of the history and meaning of words.

Next week, we will pick up with Quotation Marks and their correct usage.

Until then, May God’s peace be with you.

(Welcome to Manuscribit! Please start with the first post and work your way through with a sketchbook in hand.)

The term “parentheses” is handed down from the Greek to the Latin, and literally means “to put in beside.” The primary purpose of parenthetical use in English is to include information which is non-essential but noteworthy in the opinion of the writer. There are three ways in which parentheses may be used for this purpose.

1. To add details or minutia which are not required in order to understand the meaning of the sentence. Examples: A majority of US Presidents have served in a branch of the military (including states’ militia) and several were highly ranked officers. The high school offers several foreign languages (with Chinese to be added next year) for students to study.

2. To insert an opinion in an essay or otherwise factual writing. Examples: While a sunny 40 degree day would still be considered cold by most people, Midwesterners (proudly) regard it as t-shirt weather. Soup (especially chicken noodle) is still considered the best food to eat while recovering from a cold or flu.

3. To insert a direct question, opinion, or proclamation from the writer to the reader. Examples: When you receive your appointment information (I’m assuming that will be within the next 24 hours), please notify the office. If you are feeling a bit sick (and may you always stay well), you are welcome to log in to the class via Zoom. Most cookies taste better using butter (Who doesn’t love butter?) as the necessary fat rather than oil or margarine.

Note that unless you are placing an entire sentence in parentheses, you do not begin the parenthetical with a capital letter. Any punctuation for the outer sentence stays outside of the parenthetical as well.

Next week, we will take a bit of detour. While Prefixes are not technically part of punctuation, they are a very interesting and important part of our ever-changing language. We will study the roots (Latin and Greek) of commonly used prefixes, and examine how they are used in English. By understanding prefixes, you great add to your vocabulary. I will include a little quiz just to show you how much you’ve learned!

Until next week (and wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day!), may God’s peace be with you!

Is spirituality good for your health? Should physicians prescribe prayer and religious participation along with nitroglycerin and coronary bypass? Our patients think so. 80% of Americans feel that religious factors can improve physical health, and 56% say that faith has helped them recover from illness. Scientific research tells us that our patients are right. In 22 of 27 studies, attendance at religious services was correlated with better health outcomes. These numbers are compelling, but just what is it about religion that prevents disease and speeds healing? What is the religious connection? Let’s go back in time to find out.

The health benefits of religion were recognized by physicians thousands of years ago, but at that time we didn’t call them MDs, we call them priests. Eating pork and shellfish was a good way to get an intestinal infection. The rabbi proscribed against this, and many faithful follow this tradition today. Similarly, a good marriage and strong family unit had survival value. It still does, and family togetherness remains a primary principle of religious practice. Strong family support will improve two year survival following bone marrow transplantation from 20-54%, just as having a spouse or close confidant will decrease your chance of sustaining a second heart attack by a factor of three. Group participation is something that we are genetically programmed for; we need other people if we are to enjoy optimum health. The socially isolated have 10-year disease and death rates 3 fold greater than those who regularly participate in group activities. Being in a group will lower the rise in blood pressure and adrenaline that occurs with stress. A recent Dartmouth Medical Center study shows us that people who regularly participate in group activities are three times more likely to survive bypass surgery. Group participation is provided for by religion; all are encouraged to go to church/temple/mosque, and participate in related activities. All religions encourage altruism, and from the medical perspective, doing well unto others just might keep you from arriving in heaven prematurely. 95% of us get a good feeling when we help others, and this is also good for our health. University of Michigan researchers studied the effects of lifestyle and behavior on health outcomes in 3,000 men living in Tecumseh. They found that men who did volunteer work once a week were two and a half times less likely to die over ten years as those who did none. Comfort and solace speed the healing process following major surgery. Patients who spend 20 minutes with the anesthesiologist pre-operatively, and gain an appreciation of his concern and compassion, need less pain medications following surgery and leave the hospital 2.6 days early. Dartmouth by-pass patients who experience comfort and solace from their religious beliefs are three times more likely to survive surgery. If they also happen to participate in groups, then their likelihood of leaving the hospital whole and intact rose by a factor of ten. Men and women who attend church are also more likely to follow a healthy lifestyle, and are less likely to smoke, be sedentary, or overindulge in food and alcohol. It seems that when we know that others care about us, we are less likely to engage in behaviors that are harmful to our health. Perhaps the most powerful effect of religion on health, however, has to do with prayer.

The Power of Prayer

Can prayer prevent disease and speed healing? Here again, our patients thinks so. In a 1995 Gallup poll, 80% of Americans said that they pray for good health. In medical lingo, when a patient is doing poorly and his outlook is grim, we say that he “doesn’t have a prayer.” Is this figurative speech or scientific hypothesis? Researchers have studied the health effects of prayer in terms of remembered wellness, the relaxation response, and intercessory prayer with divine intervention. Let’s take a look at their work.

Prayer as remembered wellness

When we believe that we will get better, and especially when we take a steps to ensure that we will get better, we are more likely indeed to get better. Hope and the feeling that you can affect your health future will stimulate the immune system, lower levels of the stress hormones, and trigger our rest and repair mechanism. Hope and belief are healing, and medical research support this. The “placebo effect” refers to the fact that research study subjects who receive a biologically inactive placebo substance will get better 30% of the time. In long term studies, subjects who take all or most of their placebos live longer and suffer fewer illnesses than control group members who frequently miss doses.

Personally taking the step that you believe will help you can trigger an internal placebo effect. Harvard cardiologist Herbert Benson call this remembered wellness, the innate ability of man to influence his health through this beliefs. There are examples of remembered wellness in our everyday lives. Why does your headache improve 30 seconds after you take an aspirin, well before any of the drug has reached your bloodstream? Why did your two-week attach of bronchitis suddenly improved the day after you finally called your physician for an appointment? You took a step toward getting better, so you got better. You experienced remembered wellness.

We don’t pray for our health because our mothers told us to do so. We pray because we believe that prayer will help us. When we pray, we trigger remembered wellness, and the stronger our belief, the greater will be the positive effect upon our health. But prayer is more than just a placebo.

Prayer as the relaxation response

Upon hearing the first snarl of the saber-toothed tiger, primitive man’s heart rate and blood pressure rose. Stress hormones gushed into his bloodstream, raising blood sugar and fat levels to feed his now taut muscles. Blood was shunted away from the skin and digestive systems, and to the muscles where it would be needed. With his pupils dilated, mind on full alert, and blood clotting systems fully activated, he was ready to fight or take flight from the big cat. Once back in the safety of his cave, the threat over, primitive man’s stress response systems stood down. He rested, repaired, and then went on with his life. Fight or flight, followed by rest of repair: Mother Nature’s plan for survival and good health.

The threats to primitive man, the stresses that we are designed to handle, were short-lived, real, and physical. Modern man’s threats are chronic, primarily psychological, and more perceived than real, and we are designed to handle them. Concerns over money and social standing, problems at the office, and fear of violence on the city streets leave us constantly on full physical alert. Modern stresses brought on by a marriage we didn’t work on or strained relationships with children we were too busy to nurture, leave us without a cave to crawl into. We aren’t faced with just one tiger a week. As far as our bodies are concerned, we are fighting off every animal in the forest, from dawn until desk, and even into our dreams. Rest, repair, and reproductive hormones are shut off in favor of the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, giving us the modern diseases of hypertension, stroke, and diabetes, leaving us with insomnia, heart disease, reduced immune function, and a susceptibility to cancer. An engine never rested burns out, and that is what chronic stress is doing to our health today.

There is a way to neutralize the fight of flight response, lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. Stress hormone levels fall, our mind quiets, and oxygen needs decrease by 50%, allowing us to rest and repair. This state of biochemical grace, which doctors discovered and named the relaxation response, is achieved by quietly focusing your mind on a single word or phrase, while breathing slowly and passively ignoring intrusive thoughts. Does this sound familiar? Try praying a rosary in which prayers are repeated over and over again. Undertake meditative prayer. This kind of prayer is the off switch to stress, and religious leaders have known this for centuries. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all practice silent, repetitive prayer, originally designed for healing.

Intercessory prayer and divine intervention

The appeal to a higher power to directly improve the physical health of another is known as intercessory prayer. We pray for our family members routinely, especially when they are sick. 30% of doctors and an even greater percentage of nurses will pray for their patients. We pray for our family and friends, and some people will pray for total strangers. We’d like to think that some of our prayers are being answered, but how do we know for sure? You hear of amazing medical turnarounds attributed to prayer (and I have seen a few myself), but how do we know that it wasn’t the drugs, the doctors, the technology, or just good luck? Also, people likely to be prayed for are also likely to be religious people themselves. Their personal faith provides them with remembered wellness, and their private prayer leads to the relaxation response. Worship at church helps via group participation. If they like to help others, then they get a health benefit from altruism. Can intercessory prayer improve on this? Scientific studies, carried out primarily by physicians, show that it can.

Lowering blood pressure and heart rate, and increasing the level of the cardiac protective hormone DHEA is a big help to heart patients. Neurosurgeon Norman Shealy, inventor of the TENS unit, has shown that DHEA levels rise by up to one third following intercessory prayer. In his book, Miracles Do Happen, he describes how intercession can affect vital signs. A volunteer is hooked up to sensitive measuring instruments in one room. When people three rooms away begin to pray for that volunteer, without his knowledge, his heart rate and blood pressure fall; when they stop, his vital signs rise back to baseline.

Can intercessory prayer help with tough diseases like cancer and cardiac insufficiency? In a 1969 study, 10 of 18 childhood leukemia patients were randomly selected to be prayed for. Ten families in another city were given each child’s name, and were asked to pray for that child on a daily basis. The 10 “prayed-for” children and the 8 control children received the same medical care. Neither the children, their parents, nor their health care providers knew which children were being prayed for. After 15 months, the status of the children was reviewed. 7 out of 10 of the “prayed-for” children were alive, while only 2 of the 8 control group children had survived. By scientific standards, this was a very small study, and the benefits of prayer did not reach statistical significance, but it certainly makes you think.

In my sub-specialty, Dr. Randolph Byrd studied the effect of intercessory prayer on 393 patients in a coronary care unit. Half of the patients were assigned by a computer to be the subject of prayer. The patient’s name and a brief discussion of his or her illness was given to volunteers, scattered across the country, who were asked to pray for “their” patient on a daily basis. Updates were provided to the intercessors on a periodic basis, allowing them to focus their prayer on any new problems that “their” patient was experiencing. The study was double-blind and scientifically sound. The same team of health care providers cared for all 393 patients. Neither the patients nor the providers knew who was being prayed for. The study was completed in ten months and the effects of the intercessory prayer were analyzed. Overall, the “prayed for” group did notably better, and in 3 areas in particular the effect was striking. While 8% of the control group required antibiotics, only 1.6% of the “prayed-for” patients needed these drugs. Pulmonary edema occurred in 9% of the control patients, but in only 3% of those who had intercessory prayer. Respiratory arrest complicated the course of 6% of the control group, but not one of the 192 coronary patients who were prayed for suffered from this, and none had to be placed on a ventilator. In statistical terms, the variance in the overall outcome could be attributed to the effect of prayer. My degree is in medicine, not theology, but I certainly like my patients to benefit from anything that can help them to do better.

If we want our patients to do better following bypass or other heart surgeries, then prayer is an important tool which should be used by cardiologists with their patients. Prayer provides the biological benefits of remembered wellness and the relaxation response, and opens the door to divine intervention. We doctors must humbly admit that there are limits to what we can do, and encourage our patients to seek the intervention of the One who has no limits.

James C. Roberts, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.C.

A Hyphen is sometimes called an “en-dash.” It is very short, taking up only one letter space when typing. There are three uses for hyphens.

1. A hyphen is used to join two or more words in an adjective modifier. In this way, it has been used to create many new expressions. Examples: His well-to-do family had never used paper plates. She had travelled to many far-flung places. My Irish-American grandmother had a saint and a swear word for every occasion.

2. A hyphen is used in writing out compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine. (Please note that, in formal writing, numbers should always be written out.) Example: There are twenty-nine days in February this year.

3. A hyphen is used when fractions are written out and used as modifiers, either as adjectives or adverbs. Examples: The coffee pot is still three-quarters full. A two-thirds majority is required to override a veto. A hyphen is not used, however, when the fraction is used as a noun. Example: One half is better than none.

There are also three purposes for Italics. If you are handwriting a document, italics are indicated by underlining the word or phrase. By using italics, we are introducing new or never seen words, names, and phrases to our readers. I always used italics in all of my examples, for emphasis, but the words in bold are those to which I am referring.

1. Italics are used to signify that a word or phrase is from a foreign language and has not been popularly accepted or is not commonly known in English. Be sure to suggest the meaning in the sentence’s context in order to avoid confusion or snobbery. Examples: Her sweet, elderly Sito made the best homemade desserts for us. (Arabic for Grandmother) There is great grá for the popular actor Pierce Brosnan in his native Ireland. (Irish for love).

2. Italics are used to emphasize the topic of our discussion or the emotion behind a word or phrase. Examples: The words weird and science are prominent exceptions to the “i before e” rule we learned as children. Of course, she would say that.

3. Italics are used to indicate titles of books, magazines, newspapers, paintings, and the names of ships, aircraft, and spacecraft. Examples: Our 8th grade students read To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Astronaut John Glenn made three orbits of earth in Friendship 7. The Cincinnati Enquirer was our favorite newspaper when we lived there.

Thank you for reading this week’s post. I hope each of these is enlightening and enjoyable. Next week, we will cover the use of Parentheses.

Until then, may God’s peace be with you!

Ellipsis comes from the Greek elleipein, elleipsis, meaning “to leave out, left out” and then was adopted by the Latin before being handed down to us in English.

There are three usages of ellipses: Nominal Ellipsis, Verbal Ellipsis, and Clausal Ellipsis. Let’s examine all three in direct conversation, then in writing, and finally discuss how ellipses can be misused to the detriment of the reader.

Nominal Ellipsis: When one Noun is omitted

When we are engaged in conversation, we don’t normally repeat the name of the thing we are discussing. Example: Do you want some tea? Yes, I will have some. Because we are involved in or observing the conversation, we know that the second speaker need not repeat “tea” to make the meaning clear. That is a nominal ellipsis. What if, however, we were not part of the conversation and only heard the second statement. We would be left wondering, wouldn’t we? Some what?

Verbal Ellipsis: When the Verb phrase is omitted

Again, in normal conversation, we also do not repeat the verb we are discussing. Example: “He will be attending the meeting. They will be as well.” As above, we don’t need to repeat part of the first sentence because we know what it’s about: attending the meeting. The verb (attend) and its complement (the meeting) can be omitted because they are not necessary for understanding. But if taken out of context, the second sentence could be confusing.

Clausal Ellipsis: When an entire Clause is omitted

Finally, we can leave out an entire clause or sentence if we are in conversation and understand the context. Example: “Mom will need some help carrying that turkey roaster in from the car tomorrow. I know Sandy would be happy to.” Because we are witnessing the conversation and know the context, we understand that the complete second statement is I know Sandy would be happy to help carry in the turkey roaster tomorrow.

Dot, Dot, Dot

Information is perceived differently when we are not eye witnesses or part of the conversation. When we have omitted nouns, verb phrases, and clauses purposefully in our writing, we must replace them with three dots, or, if the omission is at the end of a sentence ending in a period, four dots. This indicates to the reader that something is missing. Let’s use our previous examples outside of the conversational context.

“Yes, I will have some….”

“They will be…as well.”

“Sandy would be happy to….”

Can you see how easy it would be to place these quotations into another context?

Let’s look at some imagined silly examples:

1. I bought more chicken livers because I heard him say, “Yes, I will have some…”

2. We brought extra binoculars to go birdwatching because you said that they will be coming as well.

3. I didn’t clean up the dog poop since I heard that Sandy would be happy to.

On a more serious note, as you can imagine, ellipses must be used very carefully in writing informational text or documenting data. It is very easy to misquote or misrepresent someone’s words by omitting crucial words, phrases or clauses.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his historic “I Have a Dream” speech, stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

If I had limited space, and wanted to quote the gist of that section, I might write instead: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day…not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” The meaning is the same.

But what if I wrote this? “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged…by the content of their character.” This would be an egregious misrepresentation of Dr. King’s speech. Be wary, dear reader, when you read articles or essays in which ellipses are frequently used or quotations appear to be chopped off. Often the author is subtly trying to portray a viewpoint that was not in the original, whole text. In a future post, I will be discussing proper citation and what constitutes plagiarism. Next week, however, we will focus our attention upon the hyphen.

Until then, may God’s peace be with you.

When we think of a dash, we think of a short run (“the 50 yard dash”), a quick motion (“She dashed to the door!”) or a very small amount of something added (“a dash of salt”). What doesn’t come to mind is a long pause, but that is precisely what a dash is intended to show. (Welcome to Manuscribit! This grammatical study is based upon the Latin roots of English. It’s best to start with the first post and work your way through with a sketchbook in hand.)

The dash has traditionally been referred to as the “em” dash because it is the length of the letter “m.” The dash has been used from Medieval times, when scripts and speeches were written to be read aloud. It was commonly used by Shakespeare and in classical English poetry. The usage of the dash has expanded with modern writing.

The dash is used for three primary purposes:

1. To introduce a sudden interruption, an aside, or a shift in direction, most commonly in conversation or dialogue. Examples:

I was asking, “Do you think he will ever call—”when the phone rang.

We’ve been sitting here for three hours — can you believe it? — waiting for that train that was supposed to always run on time.

2. To amplify or emphasize a statement. Examples: There is only one hot drink for me — strong, black coffee! We just finished counting the ticket sales — over three hundred dollars in one afternoon.

3. To use in place of parentheses if the writing is more casual. Examples: She is a wonderful hostess— her homemade desserts are amazing—and we look forward to her invitations.

Multiple dashes may be used to indicate the omission of letters or words. Examples: Mr. S—— was surprisingly absent this morning. What the h—— are you doing?

This week’s Manuscribit lesson was short and sweet—much like the dash. The ellipsis, which we will examine next week, is used in ways similar to the dash, but in more serious, formal, and informational writing.

Until next week, may God’s peace be with you.

I have a special drawer in my desk in which I’ve placed dozens of prized letters penned (and penciled) by friends and family members. I treasure them not so much for the message each one contains (although that is wonderful), but for the time that the writer spent in transcribing the letter to me. That was the most generous gift of all. (Welcome to all new visitors to Manuscribit. For best results, please begin with the first post and work your way through with sketchbook at the ready!)

A well-written letter exemplifies not only a gift of the writer’s time, but the care which the writer uses in producing it. Similarly, when we use correct punctuation, we show that we cared enough to make it right. In this final post about comma usage, we will look at commonplace rules that we all should follow, but often ignore.

1. A comma should be used to set off “Yes,” “No,” or other interjections at the start of a sentence. Examples: Yes, you may go. No, that’s not what I meant. Well, that’s a start.

2. Commas are placed outside of the beginning of a quote and inside the end of a quote. Examples: He called out, “The dog is outside,” but she didn’t hear him. “Wait for me,” the girl pleaded, “because I have the tickets!”

3. In writing a letter, a comma follows the Salutation and the Closing. (Never use a dash.) Examples: Dear Sir, Sincerely yours,

4. Items in a date are set off by commas. Example: Friday, October 28, 1955.

5. Place a comma between a person’s name and any degrees or credentials that are listed after. Examples: Gregory Boyle, S.J. Loretta Jones, C.P.A

6. Always place a comma between a city and state, or a city and country. Examples: She lived in London, England and Lawrence, Kansas (While there are postal abbreviation for each state in the U.S., it is better to write out the full name of the state.)

7. When you insert a prepositional phrase or adverb in front of the subject, always insert a comma after the phrase. Examples: At night, I always turn on the porch light. Besides that, what else should we include? In the end, it won’t matter either way. Today, I am starting my diet. Surely, you must remember him.

8. If I have missed any, please let me know! As you can see, the comma is truly the heavy hitter of punctuation.

Next week, we will examine the ways in which the Dash is properly used.

Until then, may God’s peace be with you!