1. The English Language …and why it’s so darn complex!

2. Did you know…  Many English words consist of prefixes, suffixes, and roots; these are called morphemes. A morpheme is the smallest part of a word that can have meaning.  Ninety percent of English words with more than two syllables come from Latin and Greek.  Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIzFz9T5rhI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIzFz9T5rhI

3. In the spirit of our love for and use of words…  You’re going to be studying the etymology of the vocabulary in each short story we read.  et·y·mol·o·gy (noun): the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.  Use the chart to explore the six vocabulary words.  This is the method we will use for our short story unit.

4. Let’s practice  To find the etymology, you will have to break the word down into the prefix, base, and suffix. These do not always correspond with the syllables!  Example: palpablepalpable  Etymology and part of speech: Latin: palpate(root) + -ble (suffix); adj (adjective)  Variations, synonyms, antonyms: palpability (noun); tangible; obscure (ONE variation is fine)  Symbol/Logo/Icon:  Definition: able to be felt, easily perceived  Sentence: The tension during the exam was palpable. (Be careful! Your sentence must give clues as to the meaning of the word.)