THE LATIN PARTITION

(Goals)
1. Establish the Basic Structure of the Latin Verb
2. Establish the Structures of the Present and Past
Perfect Participles
3. Establish the Phonological Rules that Distort
the Basic Structures
4. Illustrate the Patterns of Borrowings from Latin
to English
5. Illustrate a basic Set of Roots from which
English Forms New Words
 The Latin Infinitives
• amaare ‘to love’ moneere ‘to warn’ regere to rule’ audiire ‘to hear’
• creaare ‘to create’ credeere ‘ to believe legere ‘to read’ finiire ‘to finish’

• amaa+re ‘to love’ monee+re ‘to warn’ rege+re ‘to rule’ audii+re ‘to hear’
• creaa+re ‘to create’ credee+re ‘to believe’ lege+re ‘to read’ finii+re ‘to finish’

• am+aa+re ‘to love’ mon+ee+re ‘to warn’ reg+e+re ‘to rule’ aud+ii+re ‘to hear’
• cre+aa+re ‘to create’ cred+ee+re ‘to believe’ doc+e+re ‘ to teach’ fin+ii+re ‘to finish’

• aa- tense, ee- tense, e – short , ii-tense

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 The Structure of
Latin Infinitives
Latin Infinitive: ROOT + VOWEL thematic +
RE (infin. Suf.)
STEM thematic = ROOT + VOWEL thematic
THEMATIC VOWELS :
A-tense (aa), I-tense (ii), E-tense (ee), E-short(e)
 Four Types of
Latin Derivatives in English
• 1. The Root Derivatives
Root Derivative = ROOT+ Derivational Affix

• 2. The Stem Derivatives

Stem Derivative = ROOT + VOWEL thematic +Derivational Affix

• 3. The Stem PPP (Past Participle)

Stem ppp = ROOT + VOWEL thematic + T (ppp suf.) + Derivational Affix

• 4. Stem PRP (Present Participle)

Stem PRP = ROOT + VOWEL thematic +NT (prp suf.) + Derivational Affix

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 Root and Stem Derivatives
with Examples
• ROOT Derivatives (examples):
College = con +leg(e) (Latin Infin.: legere, root=
leg)
Probe = prob(e) (Latin Infin.: probaare, root=prob)
Compute = con +put(e) (Latin Inf.: putaare,root=put)

• STEM Derivative (examples):

Probable = prob+aa+ble (Latin Infin.: probaare,
root=prob)

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 STEM ppp Derivatives
with Examples (a, i, e tense)
• Thematic Vowel: a- tense (aa)
- create = cre+aa+t(e)
• Thematic Vowel: i- tense (ii)
- audit = aud+ii+t (fr. L audiire)
• Thematic Vowel: e- tense (ee): e-tense
changes to i before PPP suffix “t”
- credit = cred+ee+t (fr. L credeere)
- debit = deb+ee+t (fr. L debeere)

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 STEM ppp Derivatives
with Examples (e - short)
• Thematic Vowel: e- short (e): e- short is deleted before “t” (E or
Vowel Deletion)
correct = con+reg+e+t (fr. Latin regere)
1. Consonant Assimilation (n>r before r = nr>rr)
2. E or Vowel deletion
3. Consonant Assimilation (g>c before voiceless ‘t’ = gt >ct)
fact = fac +e+t
1. E or Vowel Deletion
action = ag+e+t+ion (fr. Latin agere)
1. E or Vowel deletion
2. Consonant assimilation (gt>ct)
3. Assibilation (t -> [ʃ] before –ion)
picture = pig ‘paint’ +e+t+ure (fr. L pigere)
1. E or Vowel Deletion
2. Consonant Assimilation (gt>ct)
3. Assibilation (t -> [ʧ] before –ure)

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 Assibilation in Stem ppp
derivatives with e- short
Assibilation: the conversion of a sound into
sibilant:
• Sibilants: any one of the sounds [s], [z], [∫] (ex.: shake)
[t∫] (ex.:church) and [ʒ] (ex.: measure)
• -t- in spelling but [∫] in pronunciation. Ex.: action
• tt–> ss. When Latin had a root ending in d or t the
combination of these consonants with the Past Participle
suf. t formed an ss sequence.
• sed + t –>tt (Assimilation) –> ss (Assibilation) session

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Stem ppp Derivatives if the Root
Ends in [d] or [t] (1)
– session = sed ‘sit’+e+t+ion (Assibilation is specific if the
root ends in dental consonants [t] or [d] ). SS in session
sends the following messages:
1. the root is dental (d or t)
2. the word is a PPP derivative
3. There is –e- or vowel deletion
4. There is assibilation

- session= sed+e+t+ion
1. E ot Vowel Deletion
2. Cons. Assimilation: dt>tt
3. Assibilation: tt>ss

- mission = mit+e+t+ion
1. E ot Vowel Deletion
2. Assibilation (tt>ss)

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Stem ppp Derivatives if the Root
Ends in [d] or [t] (2)
– vision = viid+e+t+ion (One S in session sends the following
messages:
1. the root is dental (d or t)
2. the word is a PPP derivative
3. There is –e- or vowel deletion
4. There is assibilation
5. There is Degemination

– vision = viid +e+t+ion

1. E or Vowel Deletion
2. Consonant Assimilation dt>tt
3. Assibilation: tt>ss
4. Degemination (the loss of one of the identical pair of consonants
(geminates), ex.: ss > s

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 Three Conditions for Degemination
in Stem ppp with e-short
• The loss of one of the identical pair of
consonants (geminates) is called
degemination: ss –> s.
1. Fuud(‘u’ is long/tense) +e + t + ion => fusion
(dt–>tt–>ss–>s)
2. Claud (two root vowels) + e + t => clause
( dt–>tt–>ss–>s )
3. Expend (two consonants after the root
vowel) +e + t + ive => expensive (dt–>tt–
>ss–>s )
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Examples on Assibilation and Degemination in
Stem ppp derivatives with e- short (1)

Pension = pend +e+t+ion

1. E or Vowel Deletion
2. Consonant Assimilation (dt>tt)
3. Assibilation (tt>ss)
4. Degemination (ss>s) because there are two consonants after the
root vowel
Incision = in+ciid+e+t+ion
1. E or Vowel Deletion
2. Consonant Assimilation (dt>tt)
3. Assibilation (tt>ss)
4. Degemination (ss>s) because the root vowel is tense

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Examples on Assibilation and Degemination in
Stem ppp derivatives with e- short (2)

Occasion = ob+caad+e+t+ion
1. Consonant Assimilation (bc>cc)
2. E or Vowel Deletion
3. Consonant Assimilation (dt>tt)
4. Assibilation (tt>ss)
5. Degemination (ss>s) because the root vowel is tense

Section = sec+e+t+ion
1. E or Vowel Deletion
2. Assibilation (t in spelling, but [ʃ] in pronunciation)

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 Special case of Stem ppp
Derivative if it Ends in ‘X’ )
Annex: ad+nect+e+t (from nectere “to tie”)

1. Consonant Assimilation (dn>nn)

2. E or Vowel Deletion
3. Assibilation (tt>ss)
4. Degemination (ss>s)

Annecs > annex (cs = x)

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 Complex Case of Stem ppp
Derivative (Double ppp Case)
Compensation (double PPP case)
Con+ pens (pend +e+t)+aa+t+ion
Con+pend+e+t+aa+t+ion
1. Cons. Assimilation (n>m before ‘p’)
2. E or Vowel Deletion
3. Cons. Assimilation (dt > tt)
4. Assibilation (tt > ss)
5. Degemination (ss > s)
6. Assibilation ( “t” in spelling, but [ʃ] in pronunciation)

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 Exceptions: Stem ppp with i -tense

Sense (from Latin sentiire “to feel”)

• Sent+ i (tense) +t(e) (i tense is
deleted in this case, though the rule is
ii+t -> it)
Convent (from Latin veniire “to come”)
• Ven+i (tense) + t (i tense is deleted in
this case, though the rule is ii+t->it )

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 Stem prp Derivatives (Present
Participle)
Stem PrP = Root + V thematic +NT (PrP
suffix) + Derivational Affix
• Potent = pot +e+nt
• Agent = ag+e+nt
• Applicant = ad+plic+aa+nt
• Regent = reg+e+nt

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 Assibilation in Stem prp
Derivatives
Agency = ag+e+nt +ia+y
• (‘t’ > ‘c’ [s] assibilation)
(Examples: potency, solvency, urgency, etc.)

Confluence = con+flu+e+nt(e)+ia
• (‘t’ > ‘c’ [s] assibilation)
(Examples: evidence, adherence, confluence, radiance,
etc.)

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed
Words (Prefix ad- ‘to’)
Ad- (to) Subject of Assimilation
• d + l > l + l (ad+loc+aa+t(e) = allocate)
• d + r > r + r ( ad+re+st = arrest)
• d + n > n + n (ad+nihil+aa+ t(e) = annihilate)
• d + f > f + f (ad+flu+e+nt = affluent)
• d + s > s + s (ad+sed+e+t = assess)
• d + g > g + g (ad+greg+a+t(e) = aggregate)
• d + c > c + c (ad+cord = accord)
• d + p > p +p (ad+plaud = applaud)
• d + b > b + b (ad+brev +iaa+t(e)= abbreviate)
• d + t > t + t (ad+tend = attend)

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix ad- ‘to’): Special Case
Special case: when the root begins with
s+consonant
Ad+ spec +e+t = aspect
1. Consonant Assimilation ( d>s before ‘s’)
2. E or Vowel Deletion
3. Cluster Simplification as+spect -> aspect (Cluster
Simplification happens when one out of three or
more consonants is deleted)

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The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix dis- off, away, opposite) (1)
s + voiced consonants: dis+reg+e+t->direct
1. Consonant Assimilation (s >z before ‘r’)
2. Consonant Deletion direct (zr >r) (Consonant Deletion happens when
one out of two consonants is deleted). Do not mix it with Cluster
Simplification (one out of three or more consonants is deleted)
3. E or Vowel Deletion
4. Cons. Assimilation (gt >ct)
s + voiceless consonants except ‘f’ (no
assimilation)
1. dispense = dis+pend+e+t(e)
2. dispute=dis+put(e)
3. dis+cord=discord
4. dis+tend=distend

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix dis- off, away, opposite) (2)
s + f > f + f (assimilation) dis+fer+e+nt ->
different

Productive rules (no change) – new

words:
• dis+robe= disrobe (English native)
• dis+miss=dis+mit+e+t (Medieval Latin)
• dis+gust=disgust (Middle French)
Ex.: direct old – dismiss new
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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix ex- ‘out’) (1)
ex – before voiceless consonants but ‘s’ and ‘f’:
ex+port=export, ex+tend=extend, ex+pend=expend,
ex+clud(e)=exclude
ex- before vowels: ex+ag+e+t = exact, ex+i +t = exit *
*There are four verbal roots that do not require any thematic vowel:
‘i’ – to go, ‘da’ – to give, fa – to speak, sta – to stand
ex before s+consonant: ex+spec+e+t ( x = cs/ks):
ecs+spec+e+t -> expect
1. Cluster Simplification (one ‘s’ out of four consonants is
deleted)
2. E or Vowel Deletion

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix ex- ‘out’) (2)
ex- before ‘f’ (if the root begins with ‘f’) ex+fort,
ecs+fort
1. ecf+fort (Consonant Assimilation)
2. eff+fort (Consonant Assimilation)
3. effort (Cluster Simplification: one ‘f’ out of three is deleted)
ex- before voiced consonants: ex+duc+aa+t(e)=educate
ecs+duc+aa+t(e)
1. ecz+duc+aa+t(e) Consonant Assimilation
2. egz+duc+aa+t(e) Consonant Assimilation
3. ez+duc+aa+t(e) Cluster Simplification (one out of three
consonants is deleted)
4. e+duc+aa+t(e) Consonant Deletion (one consonant out of two
consonants is deleted)

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix abs- ‘away’)
abs- before c[k] and t:
• abs+ced+e+t -> abscess, abs+ten+e+t+ion +> abstention
ab- before the following voiced consonants: d,n,j,l,r
abs+rup+e+t ->abrupt (similar examples: abs+duc+e+t -
>abduct, abs+norm+al ->abnormal)
• abz+rup+e+t Consonant Assimilation or Voicing assimilation ( s > z
before voiced consonants)
• abrup+e+t Cluster simplification (z is deleted – one consonant out
of three consonants)
ab- before ‘s’ abs+sorb = absorb
• Cluster Simplification ( s is deleted – one consonant out of three
consonants is deleted)

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix red-/re- ‘back, again’)
red- before the roots that begin with vowels: red+ag+e+t =redact,
red+ol+e+nt = redolent, red+und+e+nt=redundant

re- before the roots that begin with consonants (Consonant

deletion): red+spond = respond, red+tard+aa+t+ion = retardation,
red+place -> replace

re- is a naturalized suffix in many words. It is used now before

even native English words (ex.: rebuild, recall, redo, etc.) and
re- but not red- even before the English roots that begin with
vowels: ex.: reopen.

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix prod-/pro- ‘before, forth ’)
prod- before the roots that begin with
vowels:
• prod+ag+al -> prodig+al
pro- before the roots that begin with
consonants (Consonant deletion):
prod+duc(e) -> produce (Consonant Deletion)
prod+mitt+e+t(e) = promise*
• Consonant Deletion, E or Vowel Deletion, Cluster Simplification,
Assibilation, Degemination

* mission = mit+e+t+ion
• E or Vowel Deletion and Assibilation

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix sed-/se- ‘apart ’)
sed- before the roots that begin with
vowels:
sed+i+t+ion -> sedition (the root ‘i’ – ‘to go’
doesn’t require any thematic vowel)
se- before the roots that begin with
consonants (Consonant deletion):
sed+duc(e) -> seduce;
sed+leg+e+t -> select
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 Prefixes that end in ‘d’ and the
roots that begin with ‘d’
ad – Assimilation ad+duc(e) -> adduce

red - Cons. Deletion red+duc+e+t+ion -> reduction

prod – Cons. Deletion prod+duc+e+t+ion -> production

sed – Cons. Deletion sed+duc+e+t+ion -> seduction

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix sub- ‘under’) (1)
sub- is subject of assimilation before: c [k], f, g, p
sub+ p > supp sub+plic+aa+t(e) > supplicate
sub + g > sugg sub+ges+e+t > suggest
sub + c > succ sub+ced+e+t > success
sub + f > suff sub+fud+e+t(e) > suffuse
sub- is not subject of assimilation before dentals:
sub+sta+nt+(i)al > substantial
sub+ trag+e+t > subtract
sub+duc+e+t > subduct

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix sub- ‘under’) (2)
sub- is reduced to [s] in the following cases:
• sub+ten+e+nt(e)+ia > sustenance
• sub+cap+e+t+ible > susceptible
• sub+pend > suspend
• sub+spec+e+t > suspect

• sub- there are some hybrids with this prefix:

• sub+floor > subfloor
• sub+head+ing >subheading

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix ambi- ‘both’)
ambi - before consonants
• ambi+val+e+nt > ambivalent

amb- before vowels (the rule of

Contraction, when two (often identical)
vowels will contract to a single vowel)
• ambi+i+t+ion > ambition

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix trans- ‘across’) (1)
trans- before vowels and voiceless consonants
• trans+i+t+ion > transition
• trans+ag+e+t+ion > transaction
• trans+fer > transfer
• trans+fuud+e+t+ion > transfusion
• trans+port > transport

tra- before voiced consonants

1. trans+duc(e) -> tranz+duc(e) Cons. Assimilation
2. tranz+duc(e) -> traz+duc(e) Cluster Simplification
3. traz+duc(e) -> tra+duc(e) Consonant Deletion

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 The Latin Prefixes in Borrowed Words
(Prefix trans- ‘across’) (2)
trans- remains in the words that appear
to be later creations (newer words)
• trans+mont+ane > transmontane
• trans+vert+e+t > transverse
• trans+duc(e) > transducer
• trans+mit > transmit

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