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How
English words are formed
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Over the centuries, the English language has been influenced
by a number of other languages. In particular, many words were
taken from Greek and Latin.
The languages of Greek and Latin are known as the Western
Classical Languages and have had a major impact on the English
language. It is helpful to know something of the structure
of Greek and Latin, to appreciate how English uses these languages
for the composition of its vocabulary.
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Greek and Latin are called inflecting languages. 'Inflecting'
means that the meaning of words are changed by the addition
of prefixes and suffixes. Prefixes are added to the beginnings
of words, while suffixes are added to the ends of words.
For example:
The underlined
part of the above words is called the 'root.' The Latin root
scrib (with the alternative form scrip) means
'to write.'
How would you divide the following words into parts?
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Knowing some high frequency roots will help you to guess the
meaning of new words in English. It is useful to try to learn
an example word for each root. For instance, if you wanted to
remember that the root spect means 'to look', you might
commit to memory the word 'spectator' meaning 'someone who looks.'
In the following table you can see some common roots. For each
root an example word is given. You might be able to think of
another example word.
| Root |
Example
Word |
| bio
= life |
biology |
| ced-,
ceed, cess = go |
proceed |
| dict
= to say |
predict |
| duc-,
duct- = lead |
conductor |
| fer-,
lat- = carry |
transfer |
| flu-,
flux- = flow |
influx |
| graph
= write, draw |
autograph |
| ject-
= throw |
eject |
| locat-
= place |
relocate |
| meter-
= measure |
thermometer |
| mit-,
miss = send |
transmit |
| mov-,
mot- = move |
demote |
| pel-,
puls- = push, drive |
propel |
| phon-
= sound |
telephone |
| photo-
= light |
photograph |
| pon-,
pos- = put, place |
dispose |
| port-
= carry |
import |
| press-
= press |
icompress |
| scope
= instrument for seeing |
microscope |
| scrib-,
script- = write |
inscription |
| sect-
= cut |
dissect |
| spect-
= look |
inspect |
| struct-
= build |
construction |
| tain-,
tent- = hold |
contain |
| tract-
= drag |
extract |
| vis-
= see |
revise |
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Just
as it is useful to learn some common roots, it is also very
good to know some high frequency prefixes. Remember, these are
added to the beginnings of words and usually change the meaning
of the base word.
| Prefix |
Example
Word |
| ab-,
a- = away, from |
abduct |
| ad-,
ac-, a- = to, towards |
admit |
| circum-
= around |
circumspect |
| con-,
com-, col- = with, together |
collocate |
| contra-
= against |
contradict |
| de-
= down away, reversal |
destruction |
| dis-,
di- = apart, in different directions, reversal; also =
not |
dismiss |
| ex-,
e- = out |
expel |
| in-,
im- = in, into, on |
inject |
| inter-
= between, among |
intercede |
| micro-
= small |
microscope |
| post-
= after, behind |
postscript |
| pre-
= before |
precede |
| pro-
= forwards; also = on behalf of |
promote |
| re-
= back, again |
retract |
| se-
= apart, away |
seduce |
| sub-,
sup-, sus- = under, from underneath |
support |
| super-
= above, over; also = beyond |
supervise |
| tele-
= far, from a distance |
telegraph |
| trans-
= across |
transport |
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As
you might have guessed, your knowledge of the formation of English
words would not be complete without some awareness of common
suffixes. Remember, suffixes are added to the ends of words
and usually change the function of a word. For example, the
addition of the suffix -ity changes an adjective to a
noun.
| Suffix |
Function |
Meaning |
Example
Word |
| -en |
Adjective
=> Verb |
to
cause to have or increase the stated quality |
blacken |
| -ify |
Adjective/Noun
=> Verb |
to
cause an increase in the stated quality; to become |
simplify |
| -ise/-ise |
Adjective
=> Verb |
to
cause to become |
modernise |
| -al |
Verb
=> Noun |
the
action described by the verb |
arrival |
| -er/-or |
Verb
=> Noun |
the
person or device that does the activity |
collector |
| -ion/-ation/-ition/-ision |
Verb
=> Noun |
the
process or condition associated with the verb |
education |
| -ism |
Adjective/Noun
=> Noun |
social,
political or religious beliefs or ways of behaving |
modernism |
| -ist |
Adjective/Noun
=> Noun |
a
person with a particular set of beliefs or way of behaving,
or with a knowledge of an area of study |
extremist |
| -ity |
Adjective
=> Noun |
the
state or quality referred to by the adjective |
sincerity |
| -ment |
Verb
=> Noun |
the
action or process described by the verb, or its result |
government |
| -ness |
Adjective
=> Noun |
the
quality or condition described by the adjective |
illness |
| -able/-ible |
Verb
=> Adjective |
used
to add the meaning 'that can be' or 'worth being' |
desirable |
| -al |
Noun
=> Adjective |
connected
with the stated thing |
national |
| -ful |
Verb/Noun
=> Adjective |
having
the stated quality to a high degree, or causing it |
fearful |
| -ly |
Adjective
=> Adverb |
in
the stated way |
loudly |
| Word |
Answer |
| production |
pro/duct/ion |
| reproduction |
re/pro/duct/ion |
| reproductive |
re/pro/duct/ive |
| productivity |
pro/duct/iv/ity |
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