- Some of the problems may be convoluted. He doesn’t expect you to unconcolve them.
unconvolve
verb; derivation
To break down into simpler, uncomplicated pieces. Intended Meaning: to break down into simpler, uncomplicated pieces Analysis: convoluted -> convolve -> un- convolve not to complicate Possible reason used: Person wanted a simple way to relate the notion of solving a problem by breaking it into parts. Since she had already described the problem as convoluted, she changed this adjective into a verb through a change in ending. There is no apparent verbal suffix morpheme used, but she may have been thinking of the morphologically similar verbs revolve and devolve when she coined the verb convolve rather than using the correct verb form convolute. To negate the verb, she added the negation prefix un-.
Etymology : Derivation from CONVOLUTED, plus prefix UN-.
Source : TA for ELEC class regarding problems on an upcoming test
Last modified: 10 June 2008