单词之中看世界(2)
表示数字1~10的前缀就有两种,分别来自希腊语和拉丁语。希腊语的对应前缀是mono-,duo- / di-,tri-,tetra-,penta-,hexa-,hepta-,这是1~7,10是deka- / dec-;拉丁语的对应前缀比较完整,1~10分别是uni-,b
表示数字1~10的前缀就有两种,分别来自希腊语和拉丁语。希腊语的对应前缀是mono-,duo- / di-,tri-,tetra-,penta-,hexa-,hepta-,这是1~7,10是deka- / dec-;拉丁语的对应前缀比较完整,1~10分别是uni-,bi- / duo-,tri-,quad- / quart-,quint-,***t-,sept-,oct- / octo-,nona- / novem-,dec- / deca-。此外,与数字有关的前缀还有cent-(one hundred),multi-(many),prim- / prin-(first),second- / second- / sec-(second),ambi-(both),equi-(equal),omni-(all),semi- / sem-(half),demi-(half),这些源自拉丁语;hemi-(half),pan-(all),这几个源自希腊语。
后缀比较单纯,其基本作用是表示否定、词性等等。最常用的表示否定的后缀就是-less了,这个后缀也表示这个词为形容词,其它常用的形容词后缀还有-able / -ible,-ac / -iac,-al,-ant,-ent,-ful,-ic / -ical,-ine,-ish,-ive,-ly,-ose,-ous等等;常用的名词性后缀也有不少,如-ability / -ibility,-acy / -cy,-age,-ance / -ancy,-ary / -arium,-dom,-ence / -ency,-er / -or / -yer,-ery,-hood,-ion / -tion,-ism / -ist,-ness,-oid / -oda / -ode,-ory / -orium等等;常用的动词性后缀有-ate,-fy,-ize / -ise等等;许多副词以-ly结尾,但是一个名词加上-ly时成为形容词,如friendly。
英语中许多由词根构成的单词显得比较正式,通常用于正式场合,而平时使用时,人们常常会用一个更通俗一点的词语(或合成词)来表达相同的含义。例如,somnambulism(梦游)对应的通俗词是sleepwalking,euthanasia(安乐死)对应的是mercy-killing,bibliophile(书痴,藏书家)对应着book-lover,occidental对应western,oriental对应eastern等等。这些通俗词实际上也是所对应的正式用词的解释,很多通俗词也是合成词,我们将合成词的成分分解开就是构成正式用词的那些词根的含义了。
掌握好英语单词的词根词缀有助于我们大量扩充词汇,遇到需要表达的新概念时,我们也可以根据这样的构词法创造新词。
英语里有很多学科名称以-ology或-logy结尾,这个词根的意思是study of,因此前面的词根就决定了到底是什么学科了。常见的例如:
anthropology(人类学),the scientific study of people, their societies, cultures etc.;
archaeology,archeology(考古学),the study of ancient societies by examining what remains of their buildings, graves, tools etc.;
astrology(占星术,占星学),the study of the relationship between the movements of the stars and planets and their influence on people and events;
cytology(细胞学),the scientific study of cells from living things;
dermatology(皮肤医学,皮肤病学),the part of medical science that deals with the skin, its diseases, and their treatment;
entomology(昆虫学),the scientific study of insects;
etymology(语源学),the study of the origins, history, and changing meanings of words;
geology(地质学),the study of materials such as rocks, soil, and minerals, and the way they have changed since Earth was formed;
gerontology(老人医学),the scientific study of old age and the changes it causes in the body;
ichthyology(鱼类学),the scientific study of fishes;
meteorology(气象学),the scientific study of weather conditions;
neurology(神经学,神经病学),the scientific study of the nervous system and its diseases;(责任编辑:www.360gaokao.com)
特别说明:由于各方面情况的不断调整与变化,360高考网所提供的所有考试信息仅供参考,敬请考生以权威部门公布的正式信息为准。如有出入,欢迎大家予以指正!