Roots and AffixesHow words are created

Today’s Warm-up

•How do we figure out what a word means if we don’t know it?

Learning Objective•Define affix, prefix, suffix, and root word•Analyze the use of root words and affixes•Analyze the use of Greek and Latin word roots

to *determine the meaning of words.

Vocabulary

•English vocabulary include short words like the article a as well as longer word such as inextricably and denunciation.

•Short word such as speak and solve are called base words

•Base words cannot be reduced to smaller parts.

•Other words can be added to them to produce longer words with various meanings.

Word Parts•There are two kinds of word parts: roots

and affixes.•A root is a word part that comes from

another language, such as Greek or Latin.

•An affix is a word part that can be attached to either a root or a base word to create a new word.

Affixes•Affixes can be divided into two categories:

prefixes (appear at the beginning of words) and suffixes (appear at the end of words).

Common Prefixes Common Suffixes

Bi- two -al adjectival suffix

Anti- against -fy verb suffix

Inter- between -ic adjectival suffix

Pre- before -ion noun suffix

Super- above -ism noun suffix

Trans- across -ize verb suffix

Dis- not -ous adjectival suffix

Prefixes:Prefixes:

un- un- undoundore- re- refillrefillpro- pro- for,for,

forwardforwardPrefixes are at the beginning

of words.

pre- means before fix means attach, repair

APK

SuffixesSuffixes:: -ful -ful joyfuljoyful -ly -ly sadlysadly -ness -ness kindnesskindness

Suffixes are at the end of words.

So, “prefix” means “attached before.”

A root is a set of letters that have meaning. It is the most basic form . Affixes are added to the root to create a new word.

•A root can be at the front, middle or end of a word.

Example:The Latin root ject means “throw”So project can mean “to throw forward”

English words can have all three parts: prefix + root + suffix

ab + duct + edaway from + to lead/pull + verb: past tense

abducted means ”pulled or lead away from”i.e. The general was abducted by masked gunmen.

Word Meaning

geology earth study / study of the earth

telegraph distance writing / writing that travels far

tricycle three wheels

asocial not being companionable / not wanting to join others

Check it out

Roots Affixes

Latin Root: tang, meaning “touch”

Prefix: in-, meaning “not”

Greek Root: chrome, meaning “color”

Suffix: -ible, meaning “able to”

Apply•For example one could analyze the word

intangible, using the chart shown previously.•First break the word into its parts:PREFIX ROOT SUFFIX ENGLISH

WORD In- + tang + -ible = intangible

Tang is a latin roots meaning “touch”In- is a prefix meaning “not”-ible is a suffix meaning “able to”

Meaning

•The meaning of a word is related to the meaning of its word parts.

•To unlock the meaning of an unfamiliar word, break the word down into its component parts; then think about the meaning of the word’s affixes and root.

•Which one of the following shows a root with an affix?

1.bicycle 2. hippopotamus

How did you know?

Word Families

•A group of English words may be derived from the same word part of root. Such a group is called a word family.

•You can use this knowledge to help you determine the meaning of unknown words.

•Try this out:Shared roots: solo, solitary, solitudeRoot: sol= ?

Answer: Alone, can you think of other words in the family?•Solitare•Soloist•Based on your knowledge of the root and

the meaning of other words in the same family, try to define the meaning of the above words.

•Solitare- a card game played by one person•Soloist- one who performs alone

root + suffix

astrologyastro = stars

-logy = study of

So it means:"the study of stars”

biologybio = life

-logy = study of

So it means:“the study of life”

prefix + root

empathyem- = having

pathy = feeling

So it means:“having feeling”

The soldier had empathy for the prisoner.

enamoren- = havingamor = love

What does enamor mean?

“having love”

root + root

pseudonympseudo = falsenym = name

”false name”

Samuel Clemens wrote under the pseudonym “Mark

Twain.”

aqueductaque = water

duct = to lead/pull

What is an aqueduct used for?

How do you know that?

Try one:

Words: •Diminish•Diminutive•Minimum

•What do these words have in common?•Which words do you know?•What do you think the meaning of the root

is?

Word Family Practice Questions:•Word family: ethnicity, ethnic,

ethnographer Root: ethn Meaning:

▫Ocean▫Nation▫Hesitation

Word Family Practice Questions:•Word family: maniac, maniacal

Root: mania Meaning:

▫Education▫Sanitation▫Madness

Word Family Practice Questions:•Word family: epidermis, dermatology

Root: derm Meaning:

▫Skin▫Body▫Mind

Word Family Practice Questions:•Word Family: laboratory, labor

Root: lab Meaning:

▫Work▫Good▫Weak

Let’s see what you know:•Divide and indivisible are members of the

same word family. Which root so they share? A. –vis- B. -visible- C. -div-

•What is the meaning of this root? A. separate B. shrink C. junk

•What is another member of the same word family?

A. December B. dividend C. invisible