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Compiled from an analysis by Danny Cripps (Sept 2005)

L: volv(ere) ‘roll, turn’

    volut(us) ‘rolled’

Initial Investigation

In an investigation of the twin base : <volve / volute> Danny discovered the relationship between a <revolver> and <evolution>. A connection he hadn't previously been aware of.

Revisiting...

Danny’s analysis of this twin base has made it easy to assess that the <t> must belong to the base element in words like <revolution> as this word sum demonstrates:

re + volute + ion → revolution

Danny’s Discoveries

Another twin base investigation generated this word net from Danny and raised the question of the connection between this twin base and <plaud / plause>. Both seemed to have a denotation related to ‘clapping or making a noise’.  Are they related? This seemed an ideal opportunity for another etymological investigation.

<plode / plose>

Danny Cripps has become a veteran real speller who seems to have a panache for twin bases. In the process of discovering the truths about the English writing system, Danny has also developed his own style of script; one that is both legible and efficient. There was a reason why his earlier word webs were computer produced.

Danny has been working on the “no such suffix as <*-tion>” project and has made some interesting discoveries along the way. His previous analysis of <volve/volute> had already proven that the letter <t> belonged to the base element and not to the suffix in words like <evolution>, <revolution> and <convolution>.

It was during an analysis of the word <circumvention> and its related family members such as <prevention>, <invention> and <convention> that Danny discovered the second base.

Any etymological investigation revealed the connection to the Latin root ven(īre) meaning ‘come’ and as Danny is also a student of the French language, he was able to make the connection to the French verb <venir>.

The discovery of the <vene> form of the base was confirmed with an investigation of the words <intervention> and <intervene>, <convention> and <convene>, and <contravention> and <contravene>.

Danny discovered that while the words taking the <-ion> suffix used the <vent> base and were all nouns, the verb could take either one or the other of the twin bases as in <prevent>, <invent> <circumvent> or <convene>, <intervene>, <contravene>.

This final discovery gave Danny the proof that the suffix had to be <-ion>:   in + vent + ion → invention

Danny is still working on the project—so expect more!

20/06/2006

< vene / vent >

On this page you’ll find investigations for:

<plode/plose>

<vene/vent>

< volve/volute>