The Structure of Words: Understanding Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words

This book is a thorough primer on word structure. In straightforward prose, it explains the roles of phonemes, word roots, prefixes, suffixes, contractions, abbreviations, and a host of other linguistic elements. The subjects are reinforced by charts, photographs, “Quick Tip” boxes, and “Eat Your Words” asides, which describe funny blunders—for instance, a toddler notes that “Mices are smaller than sheeps.” Readers also learn which languages words such as toboggan, potato, juggernaut, and yogurt come from. This is an excellent resource for those who want concise explanations regarding word formation or the casual reader looking for interesting linguistic facts. Back matter includes a list of common phonemes and graphemes, a glossary, a list of text and online resources to “Find Out More,” several suggested research topics, answers to quizzes, and an index.