SIMPLE AND COMPOUND WORDS. 19 LESSON ΧΙ. SIMPLE AND COMPOUND WORDS. What words are joined together to form the word watchman? The words watch and man. What words united make penknife, full-blown, nevertheless ? Words formed in this way from other words are called compound words. Words not composed of other words are called simple words. Thus the words watch and man are simple words. Compound words are formed by merely placing the simple words together, as in watchman, nevertheless, or by joining them with a mark (-) called a hyphen; as in full-blown, all-wise, schoolboy. The hyphen is not used in more common and permanent compounds; as, moonbeam, horseman, bluebird, penknife, spoonful. A simple word is one that is not composed of other words. A compound word is one that is composed of two or more simple words. Exercises. Write compounds from the following simple words, joining any two that may be properly united, and using the hyphen where required. Bird, pen, ship, cage, wreck, knife, mouse, moon, beam, trap, shine, sun, day, week, time, mint, pepper, church, box, man, arm, yard, watch, clock, maker, rail, school, road, master. EXAMPLES. Bird-cage, penknife, shipwreck, mousetrap. [In case of doubt as to the use of the hyphen or not, the pupil must be allowed to consult the dictionary.] LESSON ΧΙΙ. PRIMITIVE AND DERIVATIVE WORDS. How is the word greatly formed? By adding the syllable ly to the word great. In the same way state how each of the following words is formed : What is a syllable called that is placed after a word, such as ed, ion, or, etc.? It is called a suffix. What is a syllable called that is placed before a word, such as dis and un? It is called a prefix. Which words in the above list have prefixes? Which have suffixes? What are words formed in this way called? They are called derivative words. What are the words called from which they are derived ? They are called primitive words. A primitive word is a word not formed from any simpler word. A derivative word is a word derived from some simpler word. Exercises. 1. Write five derivative words each containing the suffix ment. 2. Write five words each containing one of the following suffixes: ly, or, ion, less, ard. 3. Write five words each containing one of the following prefixes: dis, mis, over, un, under. 4. Write as many derivative words as you can from each of the following primitive words: Command, Appear, Construct, Elect, Cover, Press, Inhabit, Destroy. Write the primitive word in large letters, and underneath, a little to the right, place the derivatives. EXAMPLE.-Conceal. Concealed. Concealing. Concealment. Unconcealed. Review. Into what may words be divided? Of what does each syllable consist? For what is the diæresis used? What is a simple word ? What is a compound word? For what is the hyphen used? What is a primitive word? What is a derivative word? What is a prefix? What is a suffix? LESSON XIII. SPELLING. Spelling is the art of expressing words by their proper letters. This important art is to be acquired by means of the spelling-book or dictionary, by observation in reading, and by the constant use of words in writing. There are, however, a few general rules that are of considerable value, especially in the formation of derivative words. Primitive words sometimes undergo a slight change when a syllable is added. Thus when ing is added to please, the derivative is pleasing, the final e being dropped. So also when the syllable ure is added to please, the derivative is pleasure. Thus, too, from force we have forced, forcing, and forcible; and from love, loving and lovable. This is expressed in the following RULE. The final e of a primitive word should generally be omitted before a suffix beginning with a vowel. Exception. When the final e of a primitive word is preceded by c or g, it should be retained before able and ous. Because the letters cand g have the hard sounds (as in cat and get) before a, o, and u, and are soft (as in cell and gem) before e, i, and y, therefore, to avoid hardening cand g the final e is retained; as, peaceable, changeable, outrageous, etc. Exercise. Write derivatives from each of the following words, as in the pre Such monosyllables as rob, fit, plan, quit, etc., double the final consonant when the suffix begins with a vowel. Thus : Rob-robbing, robbed, robber. Fit-fitting, fitted, fitter. Plan-planning, planned, planner. Quit-quitting, quitted, quittance. But when the monosyllable has a diphthong, the final consonant is not doubled. Thus: Toil-toiling, toiled, toiler. Heal-healing, healed, healer. Quit looks like an exception, but it is not, as u here performs the office of a consonant, the pronunciation being kwit. When the last syllable of any word contains a single vowel, and the accent falls on that syllable, the final consonant is also doubled. Thus: Commit-committing, committed, committee. SPELLING OF DERIVATIVES. Begin-beginning, beginner. Acquit-acquitting, acquitted, acquittance. 23 Accent is the stress placed on a particular syllable in a word, and is sometimes indicated by the mark ('). Thus, permit', dif'fer. Hence we have the following RULE. -Monosyllables, and words accented on the last syllable, when they end with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant before a suffix that begins with a vowel. Exercise. Write derivatives from the following words, as in the preceding Primitive words ending in y generally change y into i when a syllable is added. Thus: Pity-pitied, pitiless, pitiful. Merry-merrier, merrily, merriment. But before ing, y is retained, to prevent the doubling of i. Thus : Flying, pitying, decrying, beautifying. Also, when a vowel precedes the final y, it is retained. Thus : Gayly, coyness, joyous, enjoyment, moneyed. |