Happy #morphememonday everyone!
Happy Family Day to all of our Canadian Readers.
Last week’s prefix <en/em> was considered to be of both Greek and Latin origin and this week’s prefix <di> is also considered to be of Greek and Latin origin.
While these prefixes share the fact that they both have two places of origin, the difference can be seen in their meanings.
Last week’s prefix <en/em> have the same meaning regardless of the place of origin.
However, this week’s prefix <di> has two meanings, one associated with each place of origin.
Definition: Greek: twice, double; Latin: away from, opposite of, not
Origin: Greek and Latin
Examples: diversification, diverge, directive, dichloride, dichotomy, dihedral
<di> + <oxide> = dioxide
<di> + <graph> = digraph
<di> + <lemma> = dilemma
<di> + <late> + <ion> = dilation
<di> + <verse> + <ly> = diversely
<di> + <gress> = digress
- When a word containing the prefix <di> is of Greek origin, it means twice or double.
- When a word containing the prefix <di> is of Latin origin, it means away from, opposite of, or not.
- This prefix is suitable for students in the upper elementary grades because they will begin coming across vocabulary containing it more frequently.
- When teaching this prefix, you could say that you plan on talking about the prefix <di> today, but before you discuss it you would like the students to help you brainstorm different words containing it. Once you come up with a list as a class, you can then ask the students if they can try to come up with a meaning for the prefix based on the words they come up with. After a time, you can then discuss how there are actually two meanings for this prefix. For an in-class activity or homework, you can ask the students to sort the words they came up with earlier into the two columns based on their definitions.
Definition: skin
Origin: Greek
Examples: blastoderm, hypodermis, dermatoid, taxidermy, dermabrasion
<auto> + <derm> + <ic> = hypodermic
<epi> + <derm> + <al> = epidermal
<derm> + <o> + <graph> + <ia> = dermographia
<a> + <chromo> + <derm> + <a> = achromoderma
<derm> + <is> = dermis
- Technically speaking, this is considered a Greek combining form.
- This is not one that I would say is essential for all students to learn. It is a combining form that would be best taught to students in a biology class because while it isn’t very common in everyday conversation, it is more common in biology.
Definition: nature of, like, chemical term
Origin: Greek and Latin
Examples: civic, electronic, allergic, patriotic, scholastic
<poet> + <ic> = poetic
<hero> + <ic> = heroic
<graph> + <ic> = graphic
<metal> + <ic> = metallic
<art> + <ist> + <ic> = artistic
- When this suffix is added to a base, it forms either an adjective or a noun.
- When teaching this suffix, I would not teach all of the meanings at the same time. I would stick to the first two (nature of and like) to middle school students. I would leave teaching the definition of a chemical term until it is appropriate in a chemistry lesson. However, if the students bring up a chemical term using it, I would take it as a teachable moment and discuss it with them.
Last time, February 10, 2020, featured the morphemes were the prefix <di>, the root <derm> and the suffix <ic>.
Next week, February 24, 2020, will feature the morphemes will be the prefix <multi>, the root <man> and the suffix <ous>.
Be sure to check out more graphics for these morphemes on our Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter pages.
Be sure to check out more graphics for these morphemes on our Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter pages.
If there is anything we can do or post to help you learn more about the importance of morphological awareness (or any other topic for that matter) please send an email to blog@garfortheducation.com
Subscribe to Garforth Education’s Blog if you would like to be notified when a new post is up.
[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Subscribe Here”]