词根课件GreekandLatinRoots.pptVIP

Greek and Latin roots Week 11 Extensive Reading Greek and Latin Roots Many English words come from other languages. Examples: tortilla, en route, pizza Some English words evolved from other, very old, languages. Two of these very old languages are Greek and Latin. These words are special If we know the meaning of the root/s of the word, we can guess what the whole word means. Greek and Latin Roots What is a root? A root is the part of the word that is left after all suffixes, prefixes etc. are taken away; the root contains the main meaning of the word. Example: nationality The root nation, the suffixes –al and –ity. Even if we’ve never seen the word nationality before, we know, based on the root, that it has something to do with the idea of nation. Greek and Latin Roots Example of using roots to figure out meaning: Quadruped (A bear is a quadruped.) quad(r) = four ped = foot Thus, a quadruped is a four-footed animal. Why should we learn roots? If we know the roots of words, we can safely guess the meaning of a word containing those roots. This is especially important if we cannot use a dictionary. Greek and Latin Roots Note: this technique only works with words that come from Greek and Latin. Other words in English may look like they have the same roots, but they don’t. Example: un- The root un- means not, as in words like unhelpful There is also an “un” in the word unity, but it does not have the meaning of not. (The clue is that it is not pronounced the same way!) Learning roots allows you to take your best guess when you encounter unfamiliar words. Practice In groups, come up with as many words as you can think of that contain the following roots: hemi, semi, demi mono, uni du(o/a), bi, di tri penta deca, deci oct cent milli What do all these mean? Greek and Latin Roots Work with a partner or in a small group to fill out the worksheet. Use your book, or any other materials you may have with you, to find words that contain these roots. YOU M