One Step Now Education
December 6, 2024
attitude
This is probably a familiar word for everyone reading this. However, I learned of a new meaning for this word while listening to a podcast. Then, as I thought about its spelling, I wondered about its structure as well. Let’s explore…
Meaning
What is this word’s meaning and how does the word function?
Most of us probably use attitude in a way that matches the first entry in the Collins dictionary, “the way you think and feel” about something. The second definition is also one we use often, “a striking style of behavior.”
His attitude often gets him into trouble.
If you scroll further down, you get entries from other Collins dictionaries. I found the definition used in the podcast there. In aeronautics, attitude is “the orientation of an aircraft’s axes in relation to another plane, like the horizon.” This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, “adjust your attitude.”
Structure
What are the elements that make up this word’s structure?
Students often struggle with whether they should have one letter or two in words like attitude. There are many reasons for “double letters” in spelling, and “doubled letters” too. One reason is an assimilated prefix. Could this be that?
at + titude
I’ve also seen resources that list <-tude> as a suffix.
at + ti + tude
I’m skeptical about a <ti> base. Of course bases may only be two letters like the <st> in stable and constant, but this one is making me wrinkle my forehead a bit.
The entry in Etymonline will give us the root and history of our word. From there, we can apply what we know to obtain the English base. We learn this word entered our lexicon in the 1660s via French. French obtained the word from Italian and Italian obtained the word from Late Latin aptitudo. We see now that attitude and aptitude are doublets. Doublets are words that are derived from the same root but enter our lexicon through different linguistic routes.
I’m going to look at the entry for aptitude to see if I can find any more information. This word is from aptus, a Latin word meaning “fit; join.” This is the root for our word apt.
There is not an assimilated prefix here. Is there a suffix <-tude>?
The entry for <-tude> in Etymonline says that this is the syllable formed when the suffix <-ude> is attached to bases or suffixes ending with <t> or <te>. This reminds me of how people say <-tion> is a suffix when the <t> is actually part of a preceding suffix or base.
att + ite/ + ude
Relatives
What are the word’s relatives and history?
Our matrix including attitude is very small indeed. Perhaps we would include attitudinal, but I’m not finding much else.
However, a matrix for <apt> would give us adapt, adaptation, and aptly. There is an etymological relationship with adept and even lariat.
Graphemes
What can the pronunciation of the word teach us about the relationship of its graphemes and its phonology?
The “double <t>” in our word may be pronounced with a flap in some dialects. A flap is an allophone of <t> , or here <tt>, that occurs when the grapheme is intervocalic. In this particular word, we are coming off of what is sometimes referred to by educators as a “short <a>” and then going into a schwa.
A flap is a light tap of the tongue on the back of the teeth. We can also hear it in words like water or bottle in General American English. In connected speech, we can hear it in the sentence, “I got another call.” The <t> at the end of got is intervocalic in context. It can be confusing for some spellers who want to use a <d> instead of the <t> or <tt>.
Next Steps
What can we learn next about the English orthographic system?
There was an additional use of the word attitude in ballet as well. What are some other words to explore that have different meanings in different subject areas? For instance the word plane means something very different in geometry class, and the word plain means something different in geography class.
What other words can you gather that end with the spelling <tude>?
What if we explored other doublets like attitude and aptitude?
Stay curious,
Brad
P.S. My favorite thing ever is reading replies to these investigations with something they learned. Or better yet, something they already knew but appreciated being reminded of. Best? Stories of students the investigation triggered. So reply to this email and let me know, eh?
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