Words can be mysterious.

Words are made up of

small units of meaning.

If you know the meaning

of the units, then you can

unlock the meaning of the word.

Greek and Latin roots are the keys.

Etymology

• “Etymology” means the study of word origins.

“atymon” = early form of a word

“logia” = study

How Words Are Made

• Sound: sometimes a word might sound like the word.

Examples: buzz, hiss, guffaw, whiz, pop

• This is also known as onomatopoeia.

How Words Are Made

• The sound of most words is arbitrary, meaning the sound of the word does not relate to its meaning or value.

Examples: tree, shoe, dream

• As long as everyone agrees that an arbitrary sound can stand for a certain object, a word can be created.

How Words Are Made

• Some of our words are borrowed from other languages.

• For example, the word “travel” comes from the French “travail” meaning work.

• Linguists think that

this is because in the

olden days traveling

was a lot of work!

How Words Are Made

• Sometimes words are created by combining words.

Example: base + ball = baseball

How Words Are Made

• Sometimes a word can be changed by adding a prefix or a suffix.

• If you take the word “bake,” a verb meaning to cook bread in an oven. . .

• And add the suffix “-er” meaning

one who does. . .• Then you have “baker”.

The Origin of English

• English is a language born out of an ancient language called Latin.

• Latin is a name for a group of ancient people who lived in

Italy on the Latium Plain. • Today we call this area Rome.

The Origin of English

• However, before the Romans, there were the Greeks.

• The Romans’ language, called Latin, originated from Greece.

English Is Alive!

• So, English is a language born out of other languages.

• English is a living language, which means it is changing all the time with new words being added, words changing meaning, changes in spelling and grammar, and some words simply falling out of use.

What Does It Mean?

• With a partner, guess at the meaning and word origin of the following words:

• atlas, thug, salary,

papier-mâché, butler, denim, hamburger, ketchup, monster

The Answers• atlas - Greek god's name, often shown carrying the world

on his shoulders • thug - Indian word for 'assassin' • salary - Latin 'sal', meaning 'salt'. Roman soldiers were

paid with salt • papier-mâché - French meaning 'chewed paper' • butler - Old French 'bouteillier', meaning 'bottle bearer' • denim - French 'serge de Nîmes', a type of cloth from

Nîmes • hamburger - German 'Hamburger steak', meaning meat from Hamburg • ketchup - Chinese, meaning 'fish sauce' • monster - Latin 'monere', meaning 'to warn'

Greek & Latin Roots• This year you will be learning over 100

Greek and Latin roots.• You will make a flashcard for each root.• Save all your flashcards during the year.• The front of the card will look like this:

root

Greek & Latin Roots

• The back of the card will look like this:meaning

derivatives

autos

pater

mater

frater

demos

pop

urb

nom

rect / regking

regalrectituderectangleregimerectorerectregulationreignviceroyregiondirectorroyalty

gen

birth, origingenesisgeneticgenerationgeneraloxygengentlemangenerousgeniusgenderindigenous

arch

ruleranarchyarchbishoparchitectmonarchmonarchypatriarchmatriarch

civ

citizencitycivilizationcivilcivilizedCivil War

• You will be completing 3 vocabulary assignments:1. Flashcards, 2. Definitions, 3. Name Etymology

• Staple additional papers to the back.• Keep your flashcards on your ring. • Study the roots and their meanings. • You will have a test on Friday. • Completed assignments are due on Friday.

Directions

• Complete flashcards as instructed in class .• Dictionary Definitions: There are some

flashcards with derivates that are missing definitions.

• For each of these cards, choose at least two derivates and look them up in the dictionary.

• Write the definitions on the back of the flashcard.

Mandatory:

Mandatory

• Your Name: Look up the etymology of your first name.

• On a separate sheet of paper, include: • your name in big letters; • the origin (or origins) of your name; • the meaning (or meanings) of your name; • and a paragraph describing how you relate (or don’t

relate) to the meaning of your name;• lastly, include a picture related to the meaning.

• Check your work for grammar and spelling. • This activity should be completed in your neatest

handwriting in blue or black ink, or typed. • If it is messy, it will be returned to you.• Suggestion: http://www.behindthename.com/