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patriot-ism, barbar-ism, wittic-ism. -Is, thing, condition: Thes-is, hypothes-is, metamorphos-is.

Grammatical Suffixes, or Inflections.

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Suggestions to Teachers. For the benefit of the youngest classes of pupils, it is important that the exercises in etymological analysis should extend to the practice of observing closely the character and import of the modifications which the slightest changes in thought produce on the final syllables of words. These modifications should be carefully traced, in the three great classes of inflected words, and reduced to writing, in forms adopted, at the discretion of the teacher, according to the mental condition of different classes. The following plan may be used as a suggestive outline.

(1.) Inflection of Nouns.

-'s, signifying possession. Examples: Man's life; the boy's book; the horse's head. —s, plurality; Book, books; hill, hills; river, rivers; horse, horses; house, houses; tree, trees. -s' plurality and possession: The horses' heads; the cows' stalls; the boys' hats.

(2.) Adjectives.

-ER, or R, signifying more. Examples: A greater and a wiser than Solomon. This book is larger than that. This is the longer one. -EST, or -ST, most: The greatest and the wisest of men; the widest and the longest river; the highest mountain; the fairest prospect.

(3.) Verbs.

-EST, or ST, signifying thou, and present time. Examples: Thou lookest, thou hearest, thou speakest ;

thou movest, thou lovest, thou seest, thou canst. —-s, -ETH, or -TH, he, she, or it, and present time: He looks, she moves, it sees; he looketh, she moveth, it seeth. -ED, or -D, action, or condition, and past time: I waited, he moved, they heard, we looked, she wandered, ye passed, they stopped. -EDST, or -DST, ac

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tion, or condition, past time and thou: Thou lookedst, thou heardst, thou waitedst, thou shouldst, thou movedst. -ING, action, or condition, and present time: He is walking, I am standing, they are sitting, we are moving, she is sleeping, thou art running, ye are resting, it is dying.

EXERCISE IN REVIEW. Give the meaning of the original English prefix a. Write examples: * read, and, if necessary, correct them. Go through all the classes of prefixes in the same manner. Give the meaning of all the classes of suffixes, and exemplify them in the same manner.

EXERCISE. (3.) Primitive and Derivative Words, and Roots.

Explanatory Observations. When the prefix and suffix of a word have been discussed, by reference to their primitive signification, in the part of our language from which they are derived, there remains for analysis, or for investigation, the portion of the word which lies between the prefix and the suffix. This may be an original English word; or it may be derived from a Greek or a Latin word, or from one existing in any of the modern languages from which our own language is accustomed to borrow terms in which it is itself deficient or less appropriately furnish

* Examples may be taken from the columns of any school dictionary. The number of examples required should of course be regulated by the ability of the pupil or class.

ed. This main part, or body of a word, from its importance, as principal, to the meaning of the whole, and from the life which it gives to the other component parts, is termed the root. To comprehend fully and appreciate properly the meaning of a complex word, such as we now refer to, we must ascertain the signification of the root, whether primitive or derivative, which we do by tracing it to its connection with the object or idea which it originally represented. If the root is an original English word, or comes from any one of the great family of Teutonic dialects of which the Saxon is one, we recognise its meaning perfectly at sight, as it has been uniformly associated, from our childhood, with a definite object, or with an idea of the mind. In such cases, therefore, we seldom need to resort to the dictionary for aid: although, owing to the changes which time is always making on a living language, we shall find that, even in relation to vernacular words, much light is thrown upon their meaning, when we trace them to their primitive form and signification. A peculiar significance and value may thus be given to a term perfectly familiar to us, in daily use, but of which we had not felt the full force, from inadvertency as to its derivation.

When the root of a word refers us to a Greek or Latin primitive, our conception of its sense must, unless we are somewhat versed in these languages, be comparatively dim and imperfect, since we cannot verify the meaning by comparing the term with that which it represents. A dictionary of sufficient extent to furnish the derivation of words, then becomes a friendly instructor, for the time, directing us to the information which we wanted. The use of such a dictionary, therefore, becomes indispensable to all pupils who are of sufficient age and capacity to perform the etymological part of word-exercises; and to the advanced student and the teacher its

value is inexpressible. It is, in fact, the only reliance, to all who are not skilled in ancient and modern languages, for a critically correct interpretation and use of words.*

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FORM OF EXERCISE. In writing the roots of complex words, the principal object of attention, with young pupils, is the entire separation of the root from the suffix; as the mechanical tendency of ear and eye, in consequence of the habit formed by early training in orthography and syllabication, is to present words divided not according to their derivation, but their style in oral and written spelling. The etymological part of wordexercises, should always contain an exact presentation of the entire root of every word, whether written on the blackboard, on the slate, or on paper.

Note. The apparent awkwardness of the combination of letters thus presented to the eye, is no objection to the practice recommended. On the contrary, it serves to aid a distinct impression on the mind, as to the fact which is, for the moment, before it; and the previous careful training in written spelling and syllabication, in the forms which have been suggested, will always afford a sufficient guaranty for the correctness of habit in the ordinary forms of writing.

The full plan of exercises in etymological analysis, including all the component elements of

*The octavo editions of Worcester and Webster, are sufficient for all the ordinary wants of students and teachers, in regard to etymology. Webster's, in particular, is very full, and highly instructive, in this branch. Reid's, formerly mentioned, is peculiary convenient for school use.

words, may be exemplified thus, on the words. Instruction and Destruction:

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act, or condition.

Suggestions to Teachers. The extent to which exercises on the roots of words may be carried, can be best decided, in all cases, by the teacher at the time of instruction. Classes too young for the use of a large dictionary, may have the roots of words inscribed for them, by the teacher or an advanced pupil, on the blackboard. All pupils, however, who are of sufficient age to be taught etymology, should be required to commit to memory, and exemplify fully, the prefixes and suffixes of words. No class in any school can be deemed so far advanced as not to be greatly benefited by a daily lesson in etymology; and of all word-exercises the etymological analysis should always be a prominent part.* The most accomplished adult student will find it a highly useful as well as pleasing exercise, to prescribe himself a daily task of this description. At no slighter cost can the student of the English language attain to that perfect mastery over it, which Milton attributes to the true scholar, whose words, he says, trip about him like so many nimble, airy servitors,

* The preparation of a daily lesson on a given number of words from the successive columns of a dictionary, for successive years, is a light tax to pay for an intelligent, correct, and appropriate use of our own language; and in few other ways can the hours of youth be more usefully or agreeably occupied. The etymological analysis of the principal words of, at least, every reading lesson, in every class of a school, should be regarded as forming an indispensable part of the preparation for the reading of the lesson.

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