CHAPTER IV

WORD ANALYSIS

To learn English words thoroughly we must spend some thought on the way in which they are made up, on the language from which they have been derived, and on the changes in meaning made by adding prefixes and suffixes. Three important influences in building the English have been the Anglo-Saxon, the Greek, and the Latin languages. The simplest words in the language are Anglo-Saxon. The following exercises illustrate how words have been multiplied by Anglo-Saxon prefixes and suffixes.

=Exercise 46=

Name as many words as you can that make use of each of the following prefixes. Give only such as are recognizable English words without the prefix.

_a_--aboard _mis_--misjudge _be_--becalm _un_--unknown _fore_--foretell _up_--uproot

Give the meaning of each of the prefixes used above.

What part of speech does each prefix make?

=Exercise 47=

Using the following Teutonic suffixes, form English words. Be careful that the root taken alone is an English word.

_dom_--kingdom _ness_--goodness _hood_--manhood _ship_--friendship

What does each suffix mean?

What part of speech does it make?

=Exercise 48=

As above, form words using the following suffixes:

_en_--darken _ful_--fearful _en_--golden _ly_--smoothly _ish_--sweetish _like_--childlike _less_--fearless _some_--lonesome

Define each suffix.

What part of speech does it make?

=Exercise 49--Greek Roots=

Below is given a list of common Greek roots with the English meaning of each. Form words using one or more of the roots for each word, and define the words you make. For instance, give the meaning of _telephone_, _telegraph_, and _monarch_.

_Greek_ _English_ _Greek_ _English_

_phon_--hear _chron_--time _tele_--far _cycl_--circle _graph_--write _geo_--earth _scop_--see _polit_--government _micro_--small _cra_--rule _mono_--one _demo_--people _arch_--chief _hydro_--water _metr_--measure _poly_--many _baro_--pressure, weight _pluto_--riches

How many names of modern inventions have you made?

=Exercise 50=

What words belonging to your vocabulary end in the following suffixes? Choose only such as have an English word for the root.

Adjective Suffixes

1. _able_, _ible_--able to be, fit to be _Readable_, fit to be read.

2. _al_, _eal_, _ial_--relating to, having to do with

3. _ant_, _ent_--being, inclined to

4. _ate_--having the quality of, inclined to

5. _ic_--like, relating to

6. _ive_--relating to, of the nature of, belonging to

7. _ory_, _ary_--relating to

8. _ous_--full of, abounding in

Verb Suffixes

1. _ate_--to make

2. _fy_, _ify_--to make

3. _ise_, _ize_--to make

Noun Suffixes

1. _age_--condition, act, collection of

2. _ance_, _ancy_, _ence_, _ency_--state of being

3. _ary_, _ory_--one who, place where, that which

4. _ant_, _ent_--one who

5. _ist_, _ite_--one who

6. _ion_, _sion_, _tion_--act of, state of being

7. _ity_, _ty_--quality of being

8. _ment_--that which, act or state of being

9. _or_, _er_, _ar_--one who

10. _try_--state of

11. _tude_, _itude_--condition of being

12. _ure_--condition of being, that which

=Exercise 51=

The following is a list of the more commonly used Latin prefixes:

1. _a_, _ab_--away from 16. _intro_--toward the inside 2. _ad_--toward 17. _mono_--one 3. _ante_--before 18. _non_--not 4. _anti_--against 19. _ob_--in the way of, against 5. _bi_--two, twice 20. _per_--through 6. _circum_--around 21. _pre_--before 7. _con_--together with, against 22. _post_--after 8. _contra_--against 23. _pro_--before 9. _de_--from, apart from, down from 24. _re_--again, back 10. _dis_--apart, not 25. _semi_--half, partly 11. _dia_--through 26. _se_--away from 12. _ex_--out of 27. _sub_--under, below 13. _in_, _en_--into 28. _super_--above, more than _en_--to cause to be 29. _trans_--across 14. _in_, _un_--not 30. _uni_--one 15. _inter_--between

=Exercise 52=

Analyze the following words, telling prefix, root, suffix, part of speech, and meaning:

business package truthfulness unsuccessful useless anteroom workmanlike agreement prefix monotone nervousness uniformity beautify breakage disrespectful misguidance semicircle pleasant perfection crystallize kingship sameness progressive precaution incase subway undeniable imaginary enrich disown displeasure supernatural pianist readmit endurance melodious bicycle adjuster reaction interlineal

=Exercise 53=

When the prefixes _ad_, _con_, and _in_ are used to form English words, the final consonant of each is often changed to the initial consonant of the root to which it is joined.

_Ad_ assumes the forms _ab_, _ac_, _af_, _ag_, _al_, _an_, _ap_, _ar_, _as_, _at_, assimilating the _d_ with the first letter of the word to which it is prefixed; as,

ab-breviate al-literation ar-rest ac-cept al-lot as-sign ac-cumulate an-nex as-sist af-fect an-nounce at-tract af-flict ap-position at-tribute ag-gregate ap-prove at-tune

_Con_ assumes the forms _col_, _cor_, _com_, by assimilation; it takes the form _com_ before _p_; and it drops the _n_ before a vowel; as,

col-lateral com-mercial com-pose col-lect cor-relate co-operate com-mission cor-respond co-ordinate

_In_ assumes the forms _il_, _im_, _ir_, by assimilation and takes the form of _im_ before _p_.

il-lusion im-migrate ir-ruption im-port

=Exercise 54--Peculiar Adjective Endings=

The suffixes _able_ and _ible_ are sometimes troublesome because it is difficult to know which ending to write. As a rule, if the new word was made from another English word, the ending is _able_, as _blamable_. The words ending in _ible_ are derived from the Latin, and, as a rule, the ending cannot easily be separated from the root and still leave the latter an English word. Examples are:

divisible intelligible digestible audible visible permissible flexible incredible possible terrible horrible indelible

The suffixes _ant_ and _ent_ must also be carefully noted. No rule can be given for using one rather than the other. Whenever in doubt, consult a dictionary. Note the following:

_ant_ _ent_ important independent pleasant convalescent triumphant competent luxuriant convenient stagnant confident

The endings _eous_ and _ious_, where _e_ and _i_ are often confused, are illustrated in the following:

_eous_ _ious_ hideous delirious miscellaneous impious courteous studious

The endings _cious_ and _tious_ are shown in the following:

_cious_ _tious_ conscious fictitious precious superstitious delicious cautious gracious ambitious suspicious nutritious

The endings _gious_ and _geous_ are illustrated in the following:

_gious_ _geous_ religious courageous

=Exercise 55--Peculiar Noun and Verb Endings=

Nouns in _ance_ and _ence_:

_ance_ _ence_ acceptance intelligence appearance reference annoyance patience acquaintance negligence remittance diligence ignorance residence

Nouns in _sion_, _cion_, and _tion_:

_sion_ _cion_ _tion_ exclusion coercion acquisition aversion suspicion precaution

Verbs in _ise_, _yze_, and _ize_:

_ise_ _yze_ _ize_ advise analyze baptize supervise paralyze recognize

Verbs in _ceed_, _sede_, and _cede_:

_ceed_ _sede_ _cede_ exceed supersede concede proceed intercede succeed precede

=Exercise 56=

What other words can you form from the following? Explain what prefixes or suffixes you use in each case and what part of speech you form.

success consider real change please doubt publish attend occur apply regular satisfy emphasize industry operate assess second busy practice resist expense distribute organ define depend locate work sense attract install desire preside effect vital count sign

=Exercise 57=

There are many words the meanings of which are easily confused. The spelling and the definitions of such must be mastered. Analysis in this exercise and in the one following does not require separation into prefix, root, and suffix, but it necessitates a careful study of the words, first, to note the difference in spelling; second, to consult a dictionary, if necessary, for the difference in meaning.

Define each word clearly.

Use each in a sentence to illustrate its meaning.

accept--except common--mutual add--annex complementary--complimentary advice--advise continual--continuous affect--effect contraction--abbreviation after--afterward contradiction--denial ascend--assent currant--current assure--promise defective--deficient attain--obtain deprecate--depreciate benefit--advantage effective--efficient brief--concise eligible--illegible center--middle eminent--prominent claim--maintain expect--hope combine--combination intelligent--intelligible

=Exercise 58=

As above, define each word carefully and use it in a sentence to illustrate its meaning.

healthful--healthy proficient--efficient inventory--invoice proscribe--prescribe invite--invitation purpose--propose last--latest quiet--quite later--latter recommend--recommendation liable--likely--apt refer--allude loose--lose repair--fix need--want requirement--requisite--requisition perspective--prospective respectfully--respectively positive--definite scarcely--hardly practicable--practical stationary--stationery precede--proceed therefore--accordingly principal--principle

=500 SPELLING WORDS=

Lesson 1

business losing surprising height receive loosely Saturday depth believe across Wednesday eighth wholly whether excellent daily obliged describe exercise earnest

Lesson 2

attached decision probable seize attacked buying usable siege gentlemen studying salable friend although relying desirable Messrs. thoroughly occasion honorable nickel

Lesson 3

disappoint knew acquittal stopped disappear design occurrence referred disapprove forty compelling planned disagree fourth beginning swimming anxious purpose permitted submitted

Lesson 4

all right persuade Norwegian variety already pursued possession prairie tongue prepared accumulate neighbor separate repaired dissatisfy soldier crystal necessary dissolve shoulder

Lesson 5

their awkward opportunity scheme advise mucilage development schedule advice familiar statistics accurately laboratory peculiar accidental efficient until similar competent Spaniard

Lesson 6

policy patient merchandise conscious rough ancient mercantile precious disease partial scarcity suspicion balance facial indebted physician decease ambitious estimate caution

Lesson 7

ascend noticeable vengeance emergency assent serviceable address compliance minute manageable salary reference conceal exchangeable currency apparel immense advantageous withhold typical

Lesson 8

edition especially appreciate imitate addition pamphlet essential initial identify illustrate eligible official illegal February legible curtain nuisance punctual illegible adjacent

Lesson 9

later crystallize lieutenant lenient latter neutralize anthracite naphtha weighed conceit bituminous liquid destroy catarrh rheumatism gauge indelible colonel influential sieve

Lesson 10

duly interfered analyze attorneys durable transferred analysis specialty mutual reconcile paralyze sympathy bargain accidental banana campaign misspell irregular molasses mattress

Lesson 11

ached designate vicinity recognize social available guardian technical forfeit adequately celebrate hygiene opposite subordinate porcelain angel parallel sufficient poultice angle

Lesson 12

society associate rumored remittance sirloin definitely courtesy remuneration laborer spherical obstinacy restaurant visitor commercial financial government souvenir permissible sapphire acquaintance

Lesson 13

quite appropriate convenient knowledge least distinguish exaggerate principal, _a_ written mysterious confidential stationary, _a_ among appearance endeavoring judgment psalm conference immediately implement

Lesson 14

assure greatly embarrassment auxiliary expect grateful organization conciliate prompt deserve advertisement principle, _n_ eliminate bureau assessment stationery, _n_ illuminate deficient accommodate parenthesis

Lesson 15

coupon indispensable measure proprietor length innumerable condemn transient vehicle investigate security persistent customer incandescent liniment signature costumer effervescent mosquito mischievous

Lesson 16

canal company's repetition sulphur channel real estate abbreviated benefited liquid equivalent unabridged unanimous recent assignment assurance itemize trough extravagant pneumatic calcimine

Lesson 17

precede freight authority leisure proceed achieve mortgage neuralgia procession between specimen dyspepsia precision imagine solicitor substantial extinguish autumn coöperates passenger

Lesson 18

merely mechanical preliminary omitted cashier permanent miscellaneous omission urgent prominent subscription committee hesitate precaution incredible commission anchored interval anticipation precisely

Lesson 19

specify preparation athletics deceit equity coincidence excursion receipt accrue irresolute suggestion obstacle concrete vaccination courageous promissory summary glycerine concession compulsory

Lesson 20

deficit sceptical anniversary rhythm mansion conscience presumption rhubarb mention interruption guaranteed fatigue reckoned approximately prejudice synopsis license avoirdupois privilege emphatic

Lesson 21

scholar Elkhart industrious collision scissors Memphis hideous delusion career Niagara artificial oxygen sincere Raleigh cantaloupe martyr chiffonier Oregon unscrupulous apology

Lesson 22

receipt Cincinnati sovereign chemical welfare Des Moines committee frontier feigned Decatur ingredients fulfilled chord Dubuque counterfeit facsimile scythe Alleghany responsible identical

Lesson 23

exceed Paducah foreign Cheyenne succeed Eau Claire solemnity metallic secede Peoria assassinate nauseated immigrant Savannah pneumonia invariably emigrant Manila diphtheria injurious

Lesson 24

adoption Minneapolis fraudulent mahogany scientific Indianapolis negligence corduroy guidance Syracuse diligence Schenectady syllable Milwaukee ridiculous duplicate Fort Wayne Valparaiso comparative reënforce

Lesson 25

Duluth Massachusetts preferable periodical Missouri Connecticut preferred insertion Wisconsin enthusiastic publicity excursion luxurious acknowledgment prevailing plateau twelfth professional damageable tragedy