Building Vocabulary from Word Roots

1. Building Vocabulary from Word Roots Lesson 9 Latin Bases verand fall, fals, fail, fault

2. ver The Latin base ver means “true.” This base, in general, is associated with the positive qualities of truth.

3. Fall, fals, fail, fault The Latin bases fall, fals, fail, and fault mean “false,” “mistake,” or “fail.” In general, words built from this are associated with the negative ideas of dishonesty.

4. Prefixes The Latin bases ver, fall, fals, fail, and fault all associate with three Latin prefixes: Ad- (to, toward, add to) De- (not, down) In- (not)

5. ver= “true” ver+ y (inclined to) = very—“inclined to” the “truth” ver + dict (speak) = verdict—a “statement” of “truth” ad- (to, towards, add to) + ver = aver—to “add to” the agreeement of the “truth” ver + fy (to make) = verify—to prove or “make” “true”

6. Fall, fals, fail, fault= “false, mistake, fail” fals+ -e= false—not true fail + -ed = failed—ended in “falseness” Fals + -ify (to make) = falsify—to “make” something “false” Fault = fault—a mistake or “false step” In- (not) + fal + -ible (able to be) = infallible—“not” “able to be” “false” or “wrong”

7. When the jury delivered its very surprising verdict, not everyone averred that it had been verified by the evidence. • How do each of the bolded words mean “true”? Because a witness gave false testimony and the attorney failed to present solid evidence, some people found fault with the verdict. Juries are not infallible! • How do each of the bolded words mean “false, mistake, fail”?

8. How do the bolded words mean “true” and “false”? • In spite of her reputation for honesty, her veracity now came into question. • He sang in a screeching falsetto that made an unpleasant sound. • His good memory made him a veritable fountain of knowledge. • After losing her job, she defaulted on the loan. • “Verily, great grace may go with a little gift; and precious are all things that come from a friend.” • Theocritus, third century B.C.