UNDERSTAND VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
Languages have their vocabulary and keep it developing. There are many ways to create new words as well as develop vocabulary, and one of the methods is borrowing. Hence, they take words from other languages to enrich their vocabulary. Similarly, the English language has its own vocabulary but many words are taken from Latin and Greek language. The roots of those words are in donor languages.
ROOT WORDS
A root word is the most basic form of a word that cannot be further divided into meaningful segments. A root word has no words at the beginning or end. Root words are used to form new words by adding prefixes and suffixes.
Example- Happy, anti, mono, civil, legal, manage, etc. are root words.
In the English language, traditional root words come from Latin and Greek and generally do not stand alone as a complete word in the English language. They need something joined to them to make a whole word in English. Examples-
- aud - hear (audience, audible, audio)
- dict - say (diction, dictate, edict)
- gen - birth (genesis, genetics, generate)
- micro - small (microbiology, microcosm, microscope)
- tele - far (telephone, telegraph, television)
But, some root words can be used independently or as part of other common words in the English language.
- act - to move or do (actor, acting, reenact)
- ego - I (egotist, egocentric, egomaniac)
- legal - related to the law (illegal, legalities, paralegal)
- phobia - fear (arachnophobia, claustrophobia, hydrophobiA
- Civics is formed from root word ‘civ’.
- Cycle is formed from root word ‘cyc’.
- happy - unhappy, happily, happiness.
- play- playful, playing, played
- Root words hold the most meaning. These are like the roots of a tree. New words are built up from there.
- Learning root words can help us see how the meaning of words builds and grows. Knowing the root words can give a clue to define an unfamiliar word.
- Understanding the meanings of common roots can help you work out the meanings of new words.
- Remember-
- Understanding the meaning of the roots can help you in general, but it won't always provide us with a clear definition.
- antidote: remedy given ‘against’ a poison
- antibiotic: drug given ‘against’ the life-form bacteria which has invaded a body
- antifreeze: a liquid used ‘against’ the freezing of cars’ engines
- antiperspirant: product used to help fight ‘against’ perspiration
- antisocial: of going ‘against’ being social
- Antarctica: continent ‘opposite’ the Arctic on the globe
- antonym: word ‘opposite’ another in meaning
- antacid: tablet used ‘against’ stomach acid
- antagonist: one who goes ‘against’ another, usually the protagonist
- antimatter: matter that is the ‘opposite’ of normal matter
AFFIXES
An affix is a group of letters that are generally added to the beginning or the end of a root word that can change either the meaning or the category of the word. The root is the portion of the word that remains when all prefixes and suffixes have been removed.
IMPORTANCE OF AFFIXES
- Affixes are used to create new words
- They enhance vocabulary
- They help to understand words.
TYPES OF AFFIXES
There are two types of Affixes
1. Prefixes
2. Suffixes
A. PREFIXES
A prefix is either a letter or a group of letters placed before the root of a word. They create a new word with a new meaning.
For example- ‘happy’ is a root word and we use ‘un’ before it the new word is unhappy. ‘un’ is a prefix because it is placed before the root word ‘happy’.
| Meaning | Examples |
a-, an- | without | amoral, atypical |
ante- | before | antecedent, antenatal |
anti- | against | anti-establishment |
auto- | self | autopilot |
circum- | around | circumvent |
co- | with | co-conspirator, co-pilot |
com-, con- | with | companion, contact |
contra- | against | contradiction |
de- | off | delist, devalue |
dis- | not | disappear |
en- | put into | enclose, envelop |
ex- | out of, former | extract, ex-governor |
extra- | beyond, more than | extracurricular |
hetero- | different | heterosexual |
homo- | same | homonym, homophone |
hyper- | over, more | hyperactive |
il-, im-, in-, ir- | not, without | illegal, impractical, inconsiderate, irresponsible |
in- | into | insert |
inter- | between | internet, intersection, |
intra- | inside | intranet, intravenous |
macro- | large | macronutrients |
micro- | small | microscope |
mono- | one | monocle |
non- | not, without | nonentity, nonstarter, |
omni- | all, every | omnipresent, omniscient |
post- | after | post-mortem |
pre-, pro- | before, forward | precede, project |
sub- | under | submarine, substandard |
syn- | same time | synchronize |
super- | above | supervisor, superhuman |
trans- | across | transmit |
tri- | three | tripod, triceratops |
un- | not | undone, unfinished, |
uni- | one | unicorn, unilaterally |
B. SUFFIXES
A suffix is either a letter of a group of letters placed at the end of a root word to create a word with a new meaning.
For Example-‘happy’ is a root word and we use ‘ness’ at the end of it the new word is 'happiness'. ‘ness’ is a suffix because it is placed at the end of the root word ‘happy’.
TYPES OF SUFFIXES
COMMON SUFFIXES
Suffixes | Meaning | Examples |
-able, -ible | can be done | comfortable, passable |
-al, -ial | having the characteristics of | personal |
-ed | past-tense verbs (weak verbs) | danced, jumped |
-en | made of | golden, wooden |
-er | comparative | tidier, nicer |
-er, -or | one who | actor, narrator, worker |
-est | superlative | nicest, greatest |
-ful | full or full of | cupful, careful |
-ic | having characteristics of | linguistic, sarcastic |
-ing | verb form (present participle and gerund) | dancing, singing |
-ion, -tion, -ation, ition | act or process | attraction, attrition |
-ity, -ty | state of | humility, infinity |
-ive, -ative, itive | the adjective form of a noun | expensive, plaintive |
-less | without | topless, fearless |
-ly | adverb ending | nicely, quickly |
-ment | action or process | enjoyment, entrenchment |
-ness | state of, condition of | eagerness, kindness |
-ous, -eous, -ious | possessing the qualities of | erroneous, joyous |
-s, -es | plural | tables, foxes |
-y | characterized by | fatty, plumy, |
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