How We Learn Vocabulary from Word Parts Part IV
In this series of articles, I have attempted to share what instructional approaches do and do not promote efficient vocabulary acquisition. In “The Problem with Most Vocabulary Instruction Part I,” I debunked the inefficient word list method of vocabulary instruction. In “How We Learn Vocabulary from Reading Part II,” I showed how wide reading at a reader’s challenge level of 5% unknown words is a much more efficient means to increase vocabulary. And, in “How to Double Vocabulary Acquisition from Reading Part III,” I detailed how to teach context clue strategies to help readers increase their percentage of word acquisition through reading.
In this article, I provide a rationale for teaching the word parts that are keys to academic vocabulary. Additionally, I will share the high utility word parts in priority order that get readers the most “bang for their collective bucks.
The morphological (meaning-based) word parts that form the basis of English academic vocabulary are primarily Greek and Latinates. Prefixes and roots carry the bulk of important word meanings; however, some key suffixes are important, as well. Over 50% of multi-syllabic words beyond the most frequently used 10,000 words contain a Greek or Latin word part. Since Greek and Latinates are so common in our academic language, it makes sense to memorize the highest frequency word parts.
Memorizing high utility Greek and Latin word parts is a very efficient tool to acquire academic vocabulary. Learning the most common word parts unlocks the keys to thousands of academic words which use one or more of those word parts. Even knowing just one word part will provide a clue to meaning of an unknown word. For example, a reader may not understand the meaning of the word bicameral. However, knowing that “bi” means two certainly helps the reader gain a sense of the word, especially when combined with other context clues such as synonyms, antonyms, logic-based, and example clues. For example, in the following sentence the example clue, “checks and balances,” combines with the word part clue, “bi” (meaning two) help the reader problem-solve the meaning of the unknown word: The bicameral legislature provided important checks and balances.
Word part clues are highly memorable because readers have frequent exposure to and practice with the high frequency word parts. Additionally, they are memorable because the simple to understand use of the word part can be applied to more complex usages. For example, “bi” means two in bicycle, just as it means two in bicameral or biped. Analogy is a powerful learning aid and its application in academic vocabulary is of paramount importance.
So here are the highest utility word parts that will assist readers in vocabulary acquisition, especially when paired with wide reading, using refined context clues. The final article in this series, “How to Teach the Most Efficient Word Parts Part V,” will demonstrate how to these these words in a variety of effective instructional strategies.
Most Commonly-Used Prefixes
This list, compiled by White, Sowell, and Yanagihara (The Reading Teacher, 42, p. 306), has the twenty most frequently-used prefixes. In fact these prefixes make up 97% of all prefixed words.
Rank Prefix Meaning Rank Prefix Meaning
1. un not 11. pre before
2. re again 12. inter between
3. in, im, il, ir not 13. fore in front
4. dis away from 14. de apart from
5. en, em in 15. trans across
6. non not 16. super above
7. in, im in 17. semi half
8. over above 18. anti against
9. mis not 19. mid middle
10. sub under 20. under too little
Frequently-Used Roots
Root Meaning Origin Example
aud hear Latin auditorium
mis send Latin mission
astro star Greek astrology
ped foot Latin pedal
bio life Greek biology
phon sound Greek telephone
dict say Latin predict
port carry Latin import
geo earth Greek geography
scrib, write Latin scribble
meter measure Greek thermometer
scrip write Latin scripture
min little, small Latin minimum
spect see Latin inspect
mit, send Latin transmit
struct build, form Latin instruct
Adapted from Stahl, S.A. and Shiel, T.G., Reading and Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Disabilities, 8, 223-241
Most Commonly-Used Suffixes
Suffix Meaning
_s, _es plural or verb tense
_ed verb tense
_ing verb tense
_ly how, when, where, or under what conditions
_er, _or one who
_er comparative adjective
_tion, _ion, the process or act of
_sion, _ition,
_ation
_able, _ible able to be
_al, _ial related to
_y consisting of or inclined toward
_ness state, quality, condition, degree
This list was adapted from the research compiled by Cooper 2000.
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