Tag Archives: foreign languages/linguistics

Word Root Exercise: Phobia

Even though I’ve posted it elsewhere on this website, I’ve not put it up as a standalone document, so here is a worksheet on the Greek root phobia. It means, of course, fear. This root is amazingly productive in the English language, which suggests that there is a very well-endowed fund of anxiety in the Western world.

As I probably say too often, this is another of those Greek roots students interested in working in healthcare–especially the professions related to mental health care–will need to know this root.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

The Weekly Text, January 10, 2020: A Lesson Plan on the Latin Word Roots Bi and Bin

This week’s Text is a complete lesson plan on the Latin word roots bi and bin, which mean, of course, two and twice. In the hope that it will hint to students the meaning of these roots, I open this lesson plan with this context clues worksheet on the noun adjective dual. Finally, here is the word root worksheet that is the substance of this lesson.

If you find typos in these documents, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Word Root Exercise: Phot/o

Here is a worksheet on the Greek root phot-o. It means, simply, light, and as you will perceive, this is a very productive root at the base of many English words. It’s very productive in the life and physical sciences, giving us words like photosynthesis and photon.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Cultural Literacy: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

It’s probably safe say that because demand is low for this Cultural Literacy worksheet on the Latinism Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (“Thus passes away the glory of the world”) that it constitutes an adequate supply. The turn of the year seems like as good a time as any to post it, I guess.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Word Root Exercise: Phon/o, -Phone, -Phony

It didn’t take long to get to Friday this week. Here is a worksheet on the Greek roots phon/o, -phone and -phony. They mean, as you have no doubt inferred, sound and voice. I’ll further assume that you realize this is a very productive root in English, with, if nothing else, the word telephone growing from it.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Word Root Exercise: Scrib, Script

As I prepare to post this worksheet on the Latin word roots scrib and script–they mean, which you’ve already determined, to write–it occurs to me that I have a full lesson plan somewhere to go with this document. Stay tuned, I guess…

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Word Root Exercise: Phag, Phage

Here is a worksheet on the Greek roots phag and phage; they mean to eat. This is a word that shows up in words related to healthcare like esophagus. So, nota bene!

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Word Root Exercise: Retro

Here is a worksheet on the Latin root retro. It means back, backward, and behind–but you probably already figured that out. You probably also already understand that this is a very productive root in English, giving us words like retroactive and retrofit.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.

Aryans

Aryans: The people of the Rigveda, who invaded Iran and India from the northwest in the later 2nd millenium BC, By one theory they were responsible for the downfall of Indus Civilization. Their language was an early form of Sanskrit, the most easterly of the Indo-European tongues, but the use of their name to describe other Indo-European speakers is to be strongly deprecated.”

Excerpted from: Bray, Warwick, and David Trump. The Penguin Dictionary of Archaeology. New York: Penguin, 1984.

Word Root Exercise: Terr, Terra, and Terri

Here is a word root worksheet on the Latin word roots terr, terra, and terri. These three roots, which mean both earth and land, are very productive in English–you may even have a terrarium in your home or classroom.

If you find typos in this document, I would appreciate a notification. And, as always, if you find this material useful in your practice, I would be grateful to hear what you think of it. I seek your peer review.