Gaining word power

By Dorothy Rubin

Party one

Combining forms and vocabulary derive from combining forms

Introduction

As a means of helping you to use combing forms to increase your vocabulary, some terms should be defined. There are a great number of words that combine with other words to from new words to form new words with different but related meanings, for example, grandfather (grand + father) and policeman (police + man) –both compound words. Many word are combined with additional letters or syllables—either at the beginning (prefix) or at the end (suffix) of word—to form a new, related word, for example, replay (re + play) and played (play + ed).

In the words replay and played, play is a root, re is a prefix, and ed is a suffix. A root is the smallest unit of a word that can exist and have meaning. It cannot be divided further. Replay is not a root word because it can be divided into re and play. Play is a root wood because it cannot be divided further and still keep a meaning relate to the root word.

Combining forms are usually defined as roots borrowed from another language that join together or that join with a prefix, a suffix, or both a prefix and suffix to from a word. Often the English combining forms are derived Greek and Latin roots. Because the emphasis in this book is on the building of vocabulary meanings rather than on the naming of word parts, prefixes, suffixes, English roots, and combining forms will be referred to as combining forms. Combining forms in this book are defined as any word part that can join with another word or word part to from a word or a new word.

The exercises build on previously learned combining forms. Care is taken not to present those that are similar in appearance in the same exercise.

Knowledge of the most common combining forms is valuable in helping you to learn the meaning of an unfamiliar word. For example, knowing that pseudo means ‘false’ helps you to ‘unlock’ pseudoscience, which means ‘false science.’ Knowing that bi means ‘two’ and ped means ‘foot’ helps you to determine the meaning of biped as a two-footed animal.

As an indication of the power of knowing a few combining forms, it has been estimated that with the knowledge of thirty combining forms (which are included in this text), one can unlock the meanings of as many as 14000 words. Obviously, familiarity with a mere thirty forms is the quickest way to learning the largest number of words. It is also a method that, once learned, helps you to unlock new words all through your life.