Get Back to Your Roots Intentional Word Study

Get Back to Your Roots! Intentional Word Study with Greek and Latin Roots

Rationale • English language has 1, 200, 000 – 2, 000 words! • Estimated that technology is contributing 20, 000 new words a year • 90% of English words with more than 1 syllable are Latin based • Most of remaining 10% are Greek based • Single root can help us understand 5 -20 related English words

Rationale, cont. Reading Comprehension “Decades of research have consistently found a deep connection between vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension, and academic success…vocabulary [is] a bridge between the word level processes of phonics and the cognitive processes of comprehension” (Rasinsky, et al, 2008, p. 15).

History of the English Language • Ancient Romans spoke Latin and conquered most of Europe § Julius Caesar and his adopted son, Augustus, gave their names to the months of § July and August. § September means seventh § October means eighth § November means ninth § December means tenth. o The Roman calendar started with March, so the numbering is off from today’s calendar, although the names remain. o The terms “czar, ” for the leaders of Russia, and “kaiser, ” emperors of Germany, came from Latin. All Latin words starting with “C” made the sound of “K, ” so the term kaiser may have sounded a bit like the name of the leader of Rome, Caesar.

History of the English Language Continued… • Long after the fall of Rome, Latin was used throughout Europe. • The Latin word for the language of the common people evolved into the word “vulgar” used today. • Romans were in Britain for 400 years; a strong impression was made on local speech and thought. • When sharing with students about Roman road building, remind them that many cars today: Audi, Corolla, Fiat, Mercedes, and Volvo, are Latin names! • 5 th-6 th centuries - Britain became officially Christian • Latin was the language of the Church • Many words used in the church at this time are incorporated into today’s English. For example, the word “pope” comes from Latin “papa, ” for father.

A Little Bit of History… The earliest Greek civilizations lived around 3, 000+ years ago. Some historians put the earliest dates of Greek society around the time of the first Olympic games – 776 B. C. Others extend the beginning to circa 1000+ years B. C.

GREEK INFLUENCE The Greeks loved philosophy and art , were interested in science and medicine, and were deep thinkers who loved to discuss politics. English absorbed words from ancient Greek for these intellectual subjects.

Historical side note on Greek influence… The probable origin of the caduceus to symbolize the medical profession…

Caduceus, continued…

A Little Bit More History… The Roman Influence… The Roman Empire circa 44 B. C. … lasted until circa 1453 A. D.

Romans, who spoke Latin, came from Rome (now Italy). Romans conquered and controlled all of these lands for hundreds of years.

Those who have the power determine the language. The people of the conquered lands had to learn many Latin words to be able to communicate with the people who ruled over them. Latin became the language of religion, medicine, business, and law.

Kinds of Roots • Base root words • Affixes • Prefixes • Suffixes

Roots affixes bases prefixes suffixes

Parallel Latin and Greek Roots Parallel Latin & Greek bases Definition water Latin aqua- Greek hydro – foot, feet ped- pod – earth terr- geo -

Broadening the Cognate Approach English Innovative Spanish Inovador nov Nuevo Nueva Novice Novelty Renovate

Base Root • “vis/vid” examples as base roots – vis/vid are not words by themselves, but they are roots that mean “see”. • Experience the Consensus Board!

Some examples… • A visionary sees ahead to how the project could unfold. • A visor protects your eyes from the sun. • The vivid colors were so bright, we could see them clearly from far away. • Readers with a good imagination visualize the action or setting of the story. • Because it was so foggy, the visibility was very poor. • It is so fun to watch You. Tube videos of the screaming goats! • The girl felt invisible as she started her first day at the new high school.

Prefixes • Prefixes – give direction, negate, or intensify • Most English prefixes derived from Latin (about 25) • The four most frequent prefixes account for 97 percent of prefixed words in printed school English… • dis-, re-, un-, & in-, im-, il-, ir-

What do you think these words mean? Pop Quiz!!!!! Create a four chart graphic organizer Word Megalosaurus Pachyderm Rhinoceros Tyrannosaurus rex Velociraptor Brontosaurus Stegosaurus Protoceratops Pterodactyl Triceratops What I Think it Means What it REALLY means Word Origin

Check your work! Word What I Think it Means What it REALLY means Word Origin Megalosaurus Mega = long, large, great Saurus – lizard, reptile Greek Pachyderm Pachy= thick Derm = skin Greek Rhinoceros Rhino= nose, snout Cera= hirn Greek Tyrannosaurus rex Tyrannikos= tyrant Saurus = lizard Greek Velociraptor Veloci= speedy Raptor = robber Latin Brontosaurus Bronto= thunder Saurus = lizard Greek Stegosaurus Stego = roof, cover Greek Protoceratops Protos= first, earliest Cera = horn Tops = face Greek Pterodactyl Preto= wing, feather Dactylos= finger Greek Triceratops Tri = three Cera = horn Tops = face Greek

Parallel Latin and Greek Roots Parallel Latin and Greek prefixes Definition against around many over under, below Latin contra-, contro-, circummultisuper-, sursub- Greek anti – peri – poly – hyper – hypo -

Directional Prefixes • Most of the prefixes students encounter in school texts are directional in nature. • Examples: • at-, ad- = to, toward, add to • de - = down, off • dis - = apart, in different directions • con- = with, together • re - = again

Suffixes • Least important component in terms of understanding a word’s meaning • Usually used to indicate a part of speech • Only a few suffixes merit intensive scrutiny • - ology = “study of” • -er = “more” • -est = “most” • -ful = “full of” • -less = “without, lacking” • -able, -ible = “can, able to”

Vocabulary list Greek/Latin Root aequus canto credo fundo, fusum locus nego per possum satis spiritus verbum Meaning equal sing believe pour, thing poured a place deny through be able enough breath word Modern Word equal, equation chant, cantor credible, incredulous effusive, transfusion local, dislocate negate perceive, persist, persevere possible, potent satisfy inspire, spirit verbal

Independent Practice • For each of the vocabulary words you are to create a word web like the one seen below. (Meaning) Believe (Other words) Credence Incredible Creed (Root Word) Credo (Modern Word) Credibility (Sentence) I doubt his credibility because he lies.

L. 2 Activity • Construction • Obstruct • Deconstruct • Infrastructure • Reconstruct (Latin base stru, struct; prefixes con-, de-, infra-, ob-, re-, )

Vocabulary list L. 2 GREEK/LATIN 1. ago, acta 2. Caput 3. culpa 4. Genus 5. loquor 6. nihil 7. phobos [g] 8. pugno 9. scio 10. totus 11. verto MEANING do, things done head blame kind, origin speak nothing fear phobia, to fight know whole turn MODERN WORDS agent, enact, transact captain, decapitate culpable, culprit generic, congenital eloquent, loquacious nihilism, annihilate claustrophobia impugn, pugnacious science, conscious totalitarianism avert, convert, anniversary

Word Prefix: Root: Suffix: Prefix Definition Root Definition Suffix Definition Other words with this prefix Other words with this root Other words with this suffix

Activity 3 Look at the following subject headings. Add more, if you wish. Look at the list of Greek and Latin words, below, and assign them to the subject they go with. For example, “geometry” would be under the math heading. Some words may fit two topics. Law Governm ent Addition Antonym Cerebral Culpable Fungus Homonym Legislature Monarchy Optician Photosynthesis Primeval Pulmonary Subtraction Medicine Adjective Arthritis Chant Custody Geography Incarcerate Metaphor Narrative Organ Political Primitive Radius Testify Vaccinate Math Science Alias Assault Chromatic Democracy Geometry Judiciary Microscope Nasal Orthodontist Politics Prologue Song Theology Verb Religion Gramma History r/ literature Allegation Biography Colonies Despot Holocaust Jugular Militant Neuropathy Paragraph Pope Pronoun Species Theorem Music Altar Calculus Crime Divorce Homicide Larva Minister Opera Penal Pragmatist Psychosis Subcutaneous Totalitarian

Getting Started • Early elementary – start with compound words and show they can be broken apart • Then add negating words with prefixes (un-, in-) • Then add directional words with prefixes (pre-, re-) • Then add easy suffixes (-er, -est, -able) • Bases