by Francisco Gomes de Matos, a peace linguist from Recife,Brazil

Introduction

What was your linguistic education like? Did you learn how to organize words not only as to their form and meaning but also their use ? How about dignifying use? To help you do that, below you will find four sets of nouns ending in -ity. What do they share ? A semantic feature which we might call positivity. Do join in and add other nouns.
On using the data below,reflect on how blessed you are communicatively but also ask yourself: have I been activating these nouns in my life, so as to deserve being called a dignifier?

3-syllable nouns in -ity

amity
charity
dignity
liberty
probity
unity

4-syllable nouns in -ity

diversity
equality
felicity
fraternity
humility
identity
integrity
prosperity
serenity
tranquility
veracity
vitality

5-syllable nouns in -ity

affability
authenticity
commonality
cordiality
creativity
credibility
hospitality
magnanimity
nonlethality
positivity
reciprocity
sociability
solidarity

6-syllable nouns in -ity

collegiality
compatibility
congeniality
educability
learnability
memorability
responsibility
spirituality
sustainability

7-syllable nouns  in  -ity

communicability
individuality
justiciability

Received July 8th, 2010, revised July 12, 2010

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