1. Increase spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension
English Words
from Latin & Greek
Increase spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension
Susan Ebbers 2005

2. Developing content-specific, academic vocabulary depends on a basic understanding of Greek and Latin
Sixty percent of the words in English texts are of Latin and Greek origin Bear et al., 1996; Henry, 1997
Susan Ebbers 2005

3. Basic Terms
root form: a word with no prefix or suffix added; may also be referred to as a base word inspector, thermal
affix: meaningful part of a word attached before or after a root or base word to modify its meaning
prefix: an affix which is placed before the stem of a word re-, un-, dis-
suffix: an affix which is placed after the stem of a word -able, -ive, -ly
derivation-a word formed from an existing word, root, or affix: electric, electricity
Susan Ebbers 2005

4. Derivational Suffixes
Derivational suffixes change the part of speech
words ending with –tion are often nouns
words ending with –ive are often adjectives
words ending with –ish are often adjectives
words ending with –ity are often nouns
What about -ment, -ous, -ness?
Susan Ebbers 2005

5. 20 Most Frequent Prefixes in School Texts
1. unable
2. review
inedible (impotent, illegal, irresponsible)
distrust
enlighten (empower)
nonsense
inside, implant
overcome
misguided
submarine
prefix
interrupt
forewarn
derail
transfer
supersonic
semicircle
antitrust
midterm
underfed
Analysis: White, Sowell, and Yanagihara 1989
Susan Ebbers 2005

6. Prefixes: Meaning and Connotation
Often Negative
dis-, de-
non-
sub-
in-
un-
mis-
mal-
anti, contra a-
Somewhat Positive
pro-
co-
bene-
super-
com-
be-
en-, em-
ad-
Susan Ebbers 2005

7. Greek Combining Forms hydro graph geo pyro polis neuro ortho scope
photo
therm
crat
psych
chron
phobe
pseud
onym
crypt
helio
logy
sphere
the, theo
Susan Ebbers 2005

8. Counting in Greek and Latin
mono
uni di bi
du, duo
tri
tetra
quadri
penta
hexa
sept
oct
nove
deca
deci
cent
milli
poly
multi
semi
hemi
Susan Ebbers 2005

9. Content-Specific Greek Terms
Anatomy and Medical Terms
esophagus, thyroid, diagnosis, psoriasis, dyslexia
Studies and Sciences
biology, seismology, morphology, geochronometry
Animals and Plants
arachnid, amphibian, chlorophyll, dinosaur, nectar
Theatre and the Arts
charisma, drama, chorus, muse, symphony, acoustics
Susan Ebbers 2005

10. Look Inside—Look Outside
pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
Look inside the word for known word parts: prefixes, roots or combining forms, suffixes.
Use the analogy strategy—“I don’t know this word, but I know pneumonia and I know volcano, so by analogy, this word might have something to do with lungs and heat.”
Look outside the word at context clues, visuals
The coal miners, coughing and wheezing, suffered from pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
Susan Ebbers 2005