1 Greek Morpheme Lessons, Alene H. Harris, Ph.D. © 2009. INTRODUCTION & LESSON ONE

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Greek Morpheme Lessons, Alene H. Harris, Ph.D. © 2009.

INTRODUCTION

&

LESSON ONE

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Greek Morphemes

Introduction

In the English language, big words are often made up of small word parts, called morphemes, that come from other languages – especially Greek.

When you know the meanings of these small word parts, you can unlock the meaning of some real jawbreakers.

You have no idea what it means. But once you know the following, you can figure out the word.

MICRO- = small

ARCHAE = ancient

GYN = woman

-PHOBIAC = one who has a fear of

You ask, “Is it a REAL word?” It is if enough people use it.

For example, take the word

So --

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In the English language, big words are often made up of small word parts, called morphemes, that come from other languages – especially Greek.

When you know the meanings of these small word parts, you can unlock the meaning of some real jawbreakers.

This is a name with a definite meaning...

THEO = God

PHIL = love

(O)US = full of

This is the name given to the person to whom the book of Acts is addressed.

Or, take the name

So --

Greek Morphemes

Introduction

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Some morphemes are “place bound” – that is, some are prefixes and always come at the beginning of a word (for example the morpheme “pre-”)

and others are suffixes and always come at the end (for example the morpheme “-ology”). Still others, known as roots, can come anywhere in a

word, and these can have prefixes and suffixes attached to them.

In each lesson, you’ll start by taking notes on some Greek roots, then add prefixes and suffixes.

Start by heading your paper properly, and for the name of this assignment write Greek Morphemes Lesson 1 Notes.

Greek Morphemes

Introduction

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Our first Greek root in Lesson One is the morpheme ANTHROP.

Now think -- what word do you already know that has ANTHROP in it?

What does an anthropologist study?

On page 2 of your student book, write the morpheme meanings.

Roots

1. anthrop =

ANTHROPOLOGY or ANTHROPOLOGIST

Chances are you probably thought of the word

Societies, civilizations, people, ...

man; mankind

So ANTHROP means...

Greek Morphemes – Lesson One – Notes

Part One: NOTES - Figuring out what you already know...

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Our next Greek root in Lesson One is a morpheme that has two forms: BIBL and BIBLIO.

Now think -- what words do you already know that have BIBL or BIBLIO in them?

What do these words have in common?

BIBLE and BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Chances are you probably thought of the words

A book, a list of books ...

Roots

1. anthrop = man or mankind

2. bibl, biblio =

So BIBLIO and BIBLIO mean...

book



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Our next Greek root has two forms: GRAPH and GRAM.


A drawing, lead in a pencil, a written record of a person’s life, language, a message, ...

Roots


2. bibl, biblio = book

3. graph, gram =

So GRAPH and GRAM mean...

Now think -- what words do you already know with GRAPH or GRAM

in them?

GRAPHITE BIOGRAPHYGRAPH TELEGRAPH

GRAMMAR TELEGRAM PROGRAM



write, draw, record

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Our next Greek root is MISO.

Roots



3. graph, gram = write, draw, record

4. miso =

This one is not so obvious – but with a mental trick you can

remember it.

hate

Just keep in mind that a MISer would HATE to part with his gold,

and you’ll remember that MISO means...



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Our next Greek root is PHIL.

Roots




4. miso = hate

5. phil =

You know the name of a city – Philadelphia. The nickname

of this city is “the city of

love

So – the “city of brotherly love” and the “love of wisdom.”

PHIL must mean...

brotherly love.”

Did you think of the word PHILOSOPHY?

This word literally means “the love of wisdom.”



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Our next Greek root is PHON.

Roots




4. miso = hate

5. phil = love

6. phon =

How many words can you think of with PHON?

sound

MEGAPHONE

TELEPHONE

PHONOGRAPH

STEREOPHONIC

PHONICS

MICROPHONE


The sounds of letters, a funnel device to make the voice sound louder, device that carries voice sound over a

distance, an electronic device that amplifies sound, a device that plays music, sound coming from two directions, ...

So PHON mean...



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Our last Greek root in Lesson One is a morpheme that has two forms: SCOP and SKEPT.

So SCOP and SKEPT mean...

Now think -- what words do you already know

with SCOP or SKEPT in them?

Roots




4. miso = hate

5. phil = love

6. phon = sound

7. scop, skept =

TELESCOPE

PERISCOPE

MICROSCOPE

SKEPTIC

If someone shows you something and you are skeptical of it, what do you do to it?

look at; examine

What do the first three words have in common?



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Now we are ready to take notes on a set of prefixes.

Notice that there is a dash after each prefix to remind you that this is where you add the root(s) – following the

prefix.

So A– and AN– mean...

Now think -- what words do you already know that have the prefix A– or AN–

at the front of them?

7. scop, skept = look at; examine

Prefixes

8. a–, an– =

Not having enough red blood cells, something that makes pain go away, and cells that reproduce by

dividing – there is no male or female

What do the three words have in common?

The first Greek prefix in Lesson One is a morpheme that has two forms: A– and AN–.

ANESTHETIC ASEXUALANEMIC

not; without



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Our next Greek prefix is CACO–.

Again, this one is not so obvious – but with a mental trick you can

remember it.bad; ill

Imagine that you drank some cocoa made with sour milk. It tasted BAD

and it made you ILL.

7. scop, skept = look at; examine

Prefixes

8. a–, an– = not; without

9. caco– =

CACO– (which sounds something like cocoa) means...



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Our next Greek prefix is EU–.

Perhaps you know the word EULOGY as name for the speech

at a funeral where the speaker tells many good things about

a person who passed away.

good

EU– means...

And perhaps you know that “passed away” is a

EUPHEMISM for “died”?

Prefixes


9. caco– = bad, ill

10. eu– =



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Our next Greek prefix is MACRO–.

This one is easy to remember as an opposite.

large

So MACRO– means...

The prefix MACRO– means the opposite of MICRO-, which you already know means “small.”

Prefixes



10. eu– = good

11. macro– =



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Our next Greek prefix has two forms: MEGA– and MEGALO–.

large

Something that enlarges the sound of a voice, a big dose of vitamins, and a person

who has delusion of grandeur

Prefixes



10. eu– = good

11. macro– = large

12. mega–; megalo– =

Now think -- what words do you already know with MEGA– or MEGALO– in them?

MEGAVITAMIN

MEGALOMANIAC

MEGAPHONE

So MEGA– and MEGALO– mean...

What do the three words have in common?



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Our next Greek prefix is MICRO–.

And you know

MICROSCOPE

MICROPHONE

MICROBE

small

You know that MICRO– means...

Prefixes



10. eu– = good


12. mega–; megalo– = large

13. micro– =



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Our next Greek prefix has two forms: SYM– and SYN–.

with; together

Prefixes



10. eu-– = good



13. micro– = small

14.sym–; syn– =


with SYM– or SYN– in them?

SYMPATHY

SYMPHONY

SYMPTOM

SYNONYM

SYNCHRONIZE

“LIP SYNC”

In a symphony, how do the instruments play – one at a time?

No, they play WITH each other, they play TOGETHER. How do the ideas of “with” or “together” work

in the other words?SYN– and SYM– mean...



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Our last Greek prefix has two forms: TEL– and TELE–.

far; distantSomething that carries your voice over a distance,

something that allows you to see far away, ...

TEL– and TELE– mean...



TELEPHONE

TELESCOPE

TELEVISION

Prefixes



10. eu– = good



13. micro– = small

14.sym–; syn– = with; together

15. tel–; tele– =


with TEL– or TELE– in them?

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Now we are ready to take notes on a set of suffixes.

Notice there is a dash in front of each suffix to remind you that this is where you would add the root(s) – before the suffix.

So –IC at the end of a word...

Many English words end in the letters –IC, and if they do they

are either a noun or an adjective – they name or

describe something.

15. tel–; tele– = far; distant

Suffixes

16. –ic =

The first Greek suffix in Lesson One is the morpheme –IC.

makes n. or adj.



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So –MANIA at the end of a word means...

So what does it mean to have a “MANIA” for something?


Suffixes

16. –ic = makes n. or adj.

17. –mania =

The next Greek suffix is the morpheme –MANIA.

a madness for



Some people have a mania for collecting comic books, others

a mania for cleanliness, and others a mania for chocolate.

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So –MANIAC at the end of a word means...

If “–mania” means “a madness for,” then a MANIAC would be...?


Suffixes


17. –mania = a madness for

18. –maniac =

The next Greek suffix is the morpheme –MANIAC.



one who has a madness for

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So –PHOBIA at the end of a word means...

What does it mean to have a PHOBIA of something?


Suffixes



18. –mania = one who has a madness for

19. –phobia =

The next Greek suffix you already know is –PHOBIA.



Some people have a phobia of spiders, some of snakes, still

others of homework...

a fear of

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So –PHOBIAC at the end of a word means...

If “–phobia” means “a fear of,” then –PHOBIAC would be...?


Suffixes




19. –phobia = a fear of

20. –phobiac =

And since you know “phobia,” you also know –PHOBIAC.



one who has a fear of

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The suffix –Y at the end of a word makes...

Think of the many English words ending in –Y. A few are...


Suffixes





20. –phobiac = one who has a fear of

21. –y =

The last suffix – and last morpheme of this lesson is –Y.



HONESTY

BEAUTY

BRAVERY

The suffix –Y indicates a specific grammar identification – it makes the name of something that

is not tangible.makes abstract noun

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Suffixes





20. –phobiac = one who has a fear of

21. –y = makes ab. n.



Now we have the set of Greek suffixes for Lesson One.

You now have all of the notes for Lesson One (of Twelve).

Lesson One is the longest because it is the foundation on which you

will build in the coming other eleven Greek Morpheme lessons.

When you finish these lessons, your vocabulary and your ability both to figure out and to create words will

be MUCH GREATER than when you began!

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Now you are ready to use your knowledge to decode words.

Part Two: WORDS TO WORK - Applying what you now know...

Words to Work

In Lesson One you will find the following words to “work” – that is, to analyze their meanings by (1) identifying the Greek morphemes and meanings in each, (2) synthesizing that knowledge in a possible definition,

and (3) comparing your synthesis to a dictionary definition.

Greek Morphemes – Lesson One – Words to Work

Words to Work

1. anthropophobiac

2. philanthropy

3. misanthrope

4. bibliomaniac

5. euphonious

6. cacography

7. megaphone

8. microscope

9. macroscopic

10. telegraph

11. bibliophile

12. symphony

13. megalomaniac

14. skeptical

15. aphonic

16. bibliography

These words are on page 4, instructions are on page 5,

and space to work your words is on pages 6 and 7.

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How to “Work a Word”


Let’s begin the first assignment together. On page 6, start by writing the first word...

Then beneath it, one morpheme per line, identify the ones you find in the word.

1. anthropophobiac

anthrop = man; mankind

-phobiac = one who has a fear of

M.D. =

D.D. =

M.D. = “my definition”

D.D. = “dictionary definition”

one who has a fear of mankind

one who has an intense fear of human society

Next, synthesize your knowledge...

Finally, compare your knowledge...


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For each word, compare and see how close you

can come with your knowledge to what the

all-knowing dictionary has to say...

Tomorrow, be prepared to share

how you worked your words.


“Working Words”

DAY 1 HW

Your first assignment is to work the first 8 words on page 5 in the

numbered spaces on page 6 of your book.

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“Working Words” continued



DAY 2 HW

Your second assignment is to work the last 8 words on page 5 in the

numbered spaces on page 7 of your book.

For each word, compare and see how close you

can come with your knowledge to what the

all-knowing dictionary has to say...

Tomorrow, be prepared to share

how you worked your words.

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Part Three: CONTEXT CLUES - Hints for a Reader...(page 8 in your book)

Sometimes when we read, we come across a word we’ve never seen before, and we could use a clue to figure it out.

There are four main types of clues that often help solve a “mystery word,” and as a writer you can use one of these clues to give

your readers a hint for a challenging word:

Greek Morphemes – Lesson One – Context Clues

1. Definition in context

2. Synonym

3. Antonym

4. Examples

The aphonic giraffe was incapable of making a vocal sound.

The final letter e of the word was aphonic, soundless.

The gorilla was loudly vocal; but the giraffe, aphonic.

In the words cake, hope, and file, the final letter e is aphonic.

DAY 3

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Part Three: CONTEXT CLUES - Hints for a Reader...

Greek Morphemes – Lesson One – Context Clues

Tomorrow you’ll have the opportunity to read aloud your sentences, saying “blank” for the word you chose, and see if your instructor or another learner can use your clue to identify

what word from the Lesson One list belongs in the blank.

Tomorrow, you’ll have the opportunity to challenge your instructor or another learner with your created words.

DAY 3 HW

Step A: Select any 8 of the 16 words you worked and create a context clue sentence with each (on page 9 in your

book).

Use at least one clue of each of the four types.

Your third assignment has two steps:

Step B: Using the roots, prefixes, and suffixes from Lesson One, create and work two new words. In place of the DD, write a context clue sentence (CCS) for your new word (on page 9 in your book).

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Part Four: REVIEW...

Greek Morphemes – Lesson One – Pencil & Paper Review

Hopefully, you’ll get a laugh or two (or possibly a groan) as you figure them out.

Tomorrow, we’ll go over the sheets just before taking a quiz on Greek Morphemes Lesson One.

DAY 4 HW

The quiz will have about 8 words for you to work – through the level of My Definition.

Step A: Practice breaking apart the words on the first review sheet (page 10) by drawing braces and writing meanings

above each work (see the first one for an example).

Step B: Once you have determined morpheme meanings and a possible definition for each “word,” try matching the “funny definitions” on the second review sheet (page 11) with what you have on the first sheet.

The fourth assignment for Lesson One is a three-step review.

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LESSON ONE



In the back of your book you will find twelve sheets of color paper – one for each lesson.

To make your study cards, tear out the page for Lesson One, cut it apart on the marked lines, and hole-punch each card in the upper corner as indicated.

Take a card and write your first morpheme on the front of it.

DAY 4

Now turn that card over so the hole is at the bottom,

Set that card aside, and do the same for each of the other morphemes.

Now place the card with “Lesson One” written on it on the top of your stack, hook them together with a band or ring, and begin reviewing. If you have a three-ring binder for

English materials, hook your cards there for easy access.

man; mankind

and write the meaning on the back.

anthrop

Step C: Make yourself a set of study cards (refer to page 12).

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LESSON ONE



Step C continued: When you finish making your set of cards, begin using them to review and check and improve your knowledge.

Start with the cards in your hand so that the LESSON ONE is

showing.

Say silently to yourself the meaning of the morpheme anthrop.

DAY 4

man; mankindNow flip the card over the check yourself

against the answer on the back.

anthropFlip over the title card and look at the first morpheme – anthrop.

man or mankind

Now flip over that card and do the same with the next one – and the rest. Once you learn them Greek-to-English, trying reviewing

them English-to-Greek.

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LESSON ONE


LESSON TWO LESSON

THREE LESSON FOUR LESSON

FIVE LESSON SIX

LESSON SEVEN LESSON

EIGHT LESSON NINE LESSON

TEN LESSON ELEVEN LESSON

TWELVE

Thus you will have the cards as a study aid throughout the entire lesson.

Whenever you have a bit of extra time, pull out your cards and review.

In future lessons you will have the opportunity to make these study cards immediately

after you take the notes.

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Part Five Coming Tomorrow: Demonstrating What You Know...

Greek Morphemes – Lesson One – Taking the Quiz

The quiz will have about 8 words for you to work through the MD level.

Most of them will be “real words,” but there may be one or two of your “created words” as well.

There will be one “point” for identifying each morpheme in the words, and one point for synthesizing your knowledge into a definition.

REMEMBER -- If a word has two or more morphemes, and you remember one but not the other, make a PARTIAL DEFINITION for PARTIAL CREDIT.

DAY 4 TEST PREVIEW

Unless you are told otherwise on a very few words, you do NOT need to memorize a dictionary definition.

1. microbibliophobia

MD

+1 point

+1 point

0 point

+ 2/3 point

equals +2 2/3

points out of 4

micro– = small

Something to do with small books

biblio = book

–phobia =

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1 Greek Morpheme Lessons, Alene H. Harris, Ph.D. © 2009. INTRODUCTION & LESSON ONE