Make Your Point > Archived Issues > LATENCY

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"LATENCY" Meaning: Something latent really does exist, but you can't see it.  So, latency is a state of hidden existence. In other words, something's latency is its quality of being real but invisible. Latency can also be reaction time: the lag or wait-time between a cause and its effect. Pronunciation: LAY tin see Part of speech: Uncountable noun. (Like “milk,” “rice,” and “education,” uncountable nouns are words for stuff that can’t be broken into exact units. You talk about “some milk,” “the rice,” and “a lot of education,” but you don’t say “a milk,” “three rices,” or “many educations.” Likewise, talk about “the latency,” “such latency,” “a state of latency,” “no latency,” and so on, but don’t say “latencies.”) Other forms: latent ("LAY int") & latently  How to use it: Talk about the latency of some quality, characteristic, feeling, desire, skill, talent, disease, problem, etc., when you mean that it really does exist and yet it's currently hidden, invisible, or not yet developed. (You can phrase ideas like this as "the latency of the quality" or "the quality's latency.") For the second meaning of "lag time," talk about message latency, transmission latency, a ten-second latency, a device or screen or site that exhibits or suffers from latency, avoiding or reducing latency, and so on. After a four-year latency throughout college, my love of reading for fun could finally be indulged. A latency of ten seconds irritates us so much that we stop trying to play the video or load the site. When did we get so impatient? Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "latency" means when you can explain it without saying "dormancy" or "concealment." Think of something you really enjoy that you almost never do, and fill in the blanks: "_____ would awaken my interest in _____ from its latency." Example: "Working with another Korean-speaking family would awaken my interest in learning that language from its latency." Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Playing With Words: This month, challenge your powers of memory and recall (or just get ready to reign supreme on Wheel of Fortune) as we play with two-word phrases that you’ll find in a dictionary. We’ll start off with easy tasks and advance to harder ones as the month goes on. See the right answer to each question the following day. You might even see a new phrase that inspires your curiosity and makes you look it up. Have fun! (Note: Every dictionary recognizes a different set of two-word phrases. I used the OED to make these game questions.) Yesterday's question: What six-letter word fits into each phrase below? ______ bush ______ contestant ______ culture ______ culturist ______ doctor ______ man ______ mark ______ pageant ______ parlour ______ patch ______ product ______ salon ______ shop ______ show ______ sleep ______ specialist ______ therapist ______ therapy ______ treatment ______ wash ______ water Answer: beauty. Try this one today: What four-letter word fits into each phrase below? ____ bank ____ chip ____ complex ____ doping ____ frequency ____ gun ____ pool ____ silencing ____ splicing ____ therapy A Point Well Made: Albert Einstein: “Never lose a holy curiosity.” 1. One opposite of LATENCY is A. MISDIRECTION B. MANIFESTATION C. MULTI-MODALITY 2. Frustrated by the latency of _____, we've begun to develop technologies to _____ them. A. processes occurring within the brain .. view B. all types of chemical addictions .. combat C. one diet after another .. optimize Answers are below. To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A Exploring the archives: "Latent" describes qualities, such as talents or desires, that are present but hidden. Your latent talents are there, but you're not using them. Could you recall a synonym of "latent" that starts with "f"? It describes qualities that are hidden and undeveloped, like a perfectly good stretch of land that's not being used to grow any crops. The implication is that the quality is wasted--but with today's word, "latency," the quality just hasn't shown itself yet.