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Charlotte O'Connell

Flect, Flex this Root!

In Latin, flectere means “to bend” and English words containing flect or flex are related to something bending, turning, or diverting. Material things can be flexible (easy to bend) and nonmaterial things can be flexible too: a flexible policy can be easily adapted to suit different circumstances. 


The verb reflect combines flect with “re” a prefix meaning “back” or “again.” If you shine a light at a mirror, the mirror will reflect the light back to you. Your reflection is your image being turned back to you in the mirror. The mental act of reflecting on something is one in which you turn thoughts over in your mind, seeking a clearer understanding.


A reflex is an involuntary response to a stimulus.  When the doctor taps your knee just so with a little hammer, you’ll have a “knee-jerk” reaction: your leg will momentarily jerk.  We also have reflexive emotional reactions.  A person who “knows how to push your buttons” can trigger a response by saying or doing something that elicits a reaction.


The Latin prefix “de” means “down, off, or away.” To deflect a frisbee that is flying toward you is to swat it away so it doesn’t hit you. You could deflect an insult with a clever quip that would turn it away from you. And sometimes we modestly deflect compliments out of self-consciousness.


The inflection of a person’s speech refers to fluctuations in tone: the voice “bends” toward lower and higher pitches. When someone speaks with little inflection, the sound is rather flat and unemotional.


In Latin, “genu” means “knee,” so to genuflect is literally to bend the knee to convey respect and humility. Generally, genuflection is not a knee-jerk response, though for someone who is habitually weak in the knees when encountering authority figures, maybe it is!


Author: Carol J. Cook


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