Word Root: Vocabulary

What are root words?

The base of a word is its root. A prefix can be added to the root word to change its meaning. In that root word, you can also add a suffix at the end. They can assist us in deciphering new words’ meanings. Despite their resemblance, a root word is not the same as a suffix. They are both parts of the English grammar structure in general from word roots. 

A root word can be applied to various situations in the English language. One of the most effective ways to memorise a word or literary device is to use it in a sentence.

The primary common source of English root words is Latin; other sources are Greek and even Old English.

Many word roots are complete, while others are fragments of words. Some root words have evolved into free morphemes, allowing them to be used and analysed as separate words, while others have not.

Here is the list of word roots.

• aud
• dict
• fac
• fort
• ject
• mal
• rupt
• spect

Let’s look at an example to see how English root words work with simple language. Have you come across the term “philanthropy” before? This word connotes humanity’s love and devotion. It alludes to a variety of societal charitable and welfare acts. It’s made up of two English root words:

Phil means “love” in English.

Humankind, or humans, is referred to as Anthop/anthropy.

We hope you are now clear with the question: What are root words?

Prefixes

It’s time to start looking at prefixes after you’ve established the concept of the root word and a word family. A prefix is a single letter or a group of notes added to the beginning of a word to alter its meaning.

Suffixes

A suffix is a letter added to the very end of a word to change its meaning or ensure that it fits grammatically into a sentence.

Affixes consist of suffixes and prefixes. In contrast to prefixes, which are added to the front of words, suffixes are added to words’ back. A suffix that changes the meaning of a word frequently transforms it into a different part of speech. Prefixes add to the word roots’ word family by creating an entirely new word.

How do Word Roots Help?

What is the point of learning Latin if you know and speak English? The connection between the two can be challenging to make at times. Many students may complete a funny face when told that they need to learn Latin and Greek word roots. The good news is that understanding these roots and recognizing patterns is not difficult. You aren’t studying the entire language, including its grammar and peculiarities. You have to memorise a few keywords from the English language.

Large, new words can be broken down into smaller units to discover their meanings using root words.

Knowing just one-word roots in English can help you understand many other words. As a result, by learning just ten or even twenty root words, you can add hundreds of new comments to your English vocabulary.

Vocabulary is a component of many standardised tests. Students who study these roots may notice an increase in their vocabulary test scores right away. Even if they don’t, they’ll still test your vocabulary somehow, so knowing these roots will help you figure out what words you’ve never seen before. 

Second, learning these roots can help you get a head start if you discover another Romance language. Because these languages are based on Latin, they share a lot of vocabulary with English. It would be best if you knew more about Latin and its grammar to get the most benefits in that regard.

How to Start Learning Word Roots?

There are a plethora of word roots to become acquainted with. Some are of Greek and Latin origin. Some of the words are derived from German or another language. You can practise these languages using this method.

First, learn some of the most common word roots that we encounter in our daily lives. Start learning about the prefixes and suffixes one by one once you’ve mastered and understood those roots. Begin learning and expanding your knowledge once you have received an understanding sign.

Learning and understanding every aspect of root words is beneficial in various ways for people who are learning a new language. Root words, particularly those from other languages, can reveal a lot. It will tell you about how a language evolved from time to time, how it shows its relationship with other languages, and what different historical backgrounds influenced it. In other words, a root word can’t be broken down any further, and it’s the essential part of the words it forms.

We can better understand the entire language by learning root words, which contain most of the meaning.

A word family is a collection of words derived from a single root word. You’ll have an excellent foundation for learning the entire family by knowing a root word, as they’re referred to in the context of word families. If you devote some time to learning the most common affixes and root words, your vocabulary will expand far beyond your wildest dreams. When you consider how many new words you can use by simply knowing root words and affixes, those small mistakes are well worth making.

Conclusion

You’ll be able to understand many other languages, not just English if you study roots. Many English word roots come from Latin and Greek, both highly systematic languages. Because many word roots for modern sciences and studies come from Greek and Latin, you’ll have a better understanding of all of these languages and their word-formation processes.