intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
INTRODUCTION TO ETYMOLOGY!!
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intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
Etymology Defined: the study of the sources and development of words.
From the root etymon which means "true sense" + logos which means "word"
= the study of the true sense of the word!
So, what parts of a word are we going to study? Part #1: The Root
A root is the core of a word, or the part that contains the most important element of the word's meaning.
EXAMPLE: "auto" is a Greek root that means "self." That means that when added to a word, "auto" will automatically (ha!) add the meaning of "self."
autobiography = biography of the self
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intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
Other parts of a word that are examined in an etymological analysis are prefixes and suffixes. Part #2: The Prefix
A prefix is a word part attached to the beginning of a base word or root. The meaning of a prefix combines with the meaning of the base word or root (to form the meaning of the word!)
Example:
The prefix "trans" means "across." That means whenever the prefix "trans" is added to a word it will automatically add the meaning of "across." E.G. transatlantic
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intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
Part #3: The Suffix
A suffix is a word part attached to the end of a base word or root. The meaning of a suffix combines with the meaning of the prefix (if there is one) and the meaning of the base word or root to form the meaning of the entire word.
Example: Take the word "active."
suffix: ­ ive means "inclined to"
root: act act+ ive = active ("inclined to act")
When added to a base word or root, many suffixes change a word's meaning or its part of speech.
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intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
By the way, does anyone know the
difference between a base word and a root word?
Base Word: a word that cannot stand on it's own; does not have its own meaning
Root Word: is an actual word; can look it up in the dictionary
nozzle vs. active 5
intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
Roots, Base Words, Prefixes, Suffixes, Oh My!
So, what will you be doing in terms of an "etymology analysis" this year?
Each week you will be given a list of 10 words (starting next week). For 2 of the 10 words, I am asking you to explain how each of the word parts, individually, add together to form the dictionary definition of the word.
Here is an example!
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intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
1) abstinence: N. voluntary avoidance of certain pleasures, especially foods or drinks.
"ab" is the prefix used and it means "away from"
"ence" is the suffix used and it means "the action"
The base word is "stin" which comes from the Latin word tenere which means "to hold"
Now your job is to show me how all of the above parts go together to form the meaning of the word
"abstinence" (i.e. voluntary avoidance) If you combine "away from" and "to hold" and "the action" you will get a combined meaning of "the action of holding away from." 7
intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
CM = "the action of holding away from" DEF: voluntary avoidance of certain pleasures, especially foods or drinks.
The combined meaning is the same thing as the definition because when Toby held
a candy bar away from himself, he obviously didn't want to eat it! Sarah commented to Toby that he seems to avoid food items, like candy bars, that he doesn't want to eat. "Avoidance" is the main part of the definition of abstinence!
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intro to etymology­ ap.notebook
August 14, 2015
All the words in this lesson contain the prefix trans­ or tra­, which means “over, ”across,” or “beyond.”
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