1 Use Etymological Dictionary. Explanation is purposely omitted. 2 An erroneous distinction is often made in spelling the words disyllable, and tri-syllable, by inserting an unnecessary s in the former. 1 In Utopia the u is the Greek ou, "no;" so that u-top-ia means "no-place." 2 Eso-, "into," is found only in eso-teric. The meanings of these words are not given, in order that the pupil may find out their meanings for himself, in a dictionary if necessary, and may carefully trace the meaning of the prefix in the compound word. 18. Teutonic Prefixes. The following verbal prefixes are of importance: Be- and en-convert a noun into a trans. verb:1 be-fool. En- (Em- before a labial), en-slave. Un- (with sense of negation), un-sex. For-, fore- (German ver, connected with from or fro), from, For-bear, to keep one's self away from; for-swear, to swear away from the truth. For-give, to give away; fore-done (Spencer), made away with, wearied. This must be distinguished from Fore-, beforehand; fore-tell. 1 Be also makes an adjective and an intr. verb trans., as be-grim (e), be-howl. Gain- (a-gainst), opposition; gain-say. With- (not our modern with, but German wider), against; with-hold, with-stand. 19. Affixes. A knowledge of the affixes is not so necessary for understanding words as the knowledge of prefixes. We all know that liar is one who lies, without being told that -ar signifies a male agent. But some of the affixes have undergone curious corruptions which have obscured them. It is as well to know that sweet-heart has nothing to do with the heart, nor coward with herding cows. A list of the principal affixes liable to be misunderstood is therefore appended. 1 Only those affixes which seem to have some definite meaning (for example, more definite than the Latin ion, and y in victory or symmetry, affixes denoting a noun, or little more) are inserted in this and the following lists. Those which explain themselves, as -less, full, are also omitted. -icle (L.), -ic (Gr.), (originally a mere ad-epidem-ic, Anacre jective termination, ont-ic. diminutive, (farth-(i.e., fourth) ing. (creed, school of phi-) dogmat-ism, Pla utive, -le (A.-S.), form of (instrument, or dimin originally a diminutive cast-le, circ-le. -el (see above), -le (L.), -le(d)ge, -lock state, (A.-S.), -let (A.-S.), diminutive, }pad-dle, noz-zle. Jknow-ledge, wed lock. eye-let, stream-let. |