Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INEXPLICABLE

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connect today's word to others: Even though our word inexplicable does mean unexplainable, it isn't based on the word explain. I'll explain!  Literally speaking, to explain something is to make it flat or to make it plain. And to explicate something is to unfold it.  So, here's the literal meaning of inexplicable: "not able to be unfolded." Neat, right? Like a tangled wad of papers, an inexplicable situation resists our efforts to unfold it, to understand it, to get it to make sense. We can see how inexplicable is cousins with other words about figurative folding, like apply, complex, multiply, duplicate, and implicit. And it's similar in meaning to our word __eff____: "extremely hard (or impossible) to put into words." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "INEXPLICABLE" Let's start with "explicit." It literally means "folded out." So, something explicit is clear, plain, definite, or detailed. To explicate something is to describe it in a clear, plain, definite, detailed way. Something explicable is so clear, plain, and definite that it can be described in detail. And something inexplicable is so unclear, so complicated, or so mysterious that it doesn't make sense, or it can't be understood or explained. Pronunciation: IN eck SPLICK uh bull Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "an inexplicable thing." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was inexplicable.") Other forms: inexplicably, inexplicability/inexplicableness How to use it: I think of "inexplicable" as a heavy word that can sound like angry spitting or feel like an aggressive shrug, so I suggest using it for special emphasis. Talk about inexplicable choices, actions, incidents, feelings, statements, gestures, appearances, qualities, reasons, motives, causes, results, situations, relationships, etc. You can say that something is inexplicable to someone: "her violent reaction was inexplicable to me," "he washes his car every single day, a habit that's inexplicable to us." examples: To my eighth-grade mind, the assigned novel Ivanhoe was inexplicable, a dense lump of text that I raked my eyes over, line by agonizing line. That Bruno Mars song "Finesse" sounded inexplicably familiar. Was it a remake? Did it sample from some other tune? Eventually I learned it was written in an early-90's style, mimicking typical chord progressions and orchestral hits. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "inexplicable" means when you can explain it without saying "mysterious" or "defying explanation." try it out: Fill in the blank: "When I tried to understand _____, (it/they) grew even more inexplicable." Example: "When I tried to understand a chemical equation, it grew even more inexplicable." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. "Bits & Pieces." This month, we're playing with affixes and combining forms, the bits and pieces of our language, matching them to their meanings. The more of these bits and pieces you know, the better you are at decoding unfamiliar words, which is sooo satisfying! I'll share the answers in each subsequent issue. Here are the answers from our previous issue: 1. "-cade" means "show or procession." 2. "ethno-" means "people or culture." 3. "-machy" means "battle or contest." 4. "-polis" means "city or town." 5. "-tide" means "festival." Try this set today. It's about positioning: 1. "bathy-" means _____. 2. "cis-" means _____. 3. "-cline" means _____. 4. "sinistro-" means _____. 5. "trans-" means _____.    Answer bank:       A. deep       B. to lean or bend       C. to the left       D. on the near side       E. across or beyond review today's word: 1. The exact opposite of INEXPLICABLE is EXPLICABLE. But a close opposite of INEXPLICABLE is A. PANDEMIC. B. PATENT. C. PEDESTRIAN. 2. An example of a logical fallacy is the _____, in which a speaker rejects an idea for being inexplicable.  A. argument from incredulity B. argument from authority C. argument from silence Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A