Product Description

A classic reference for students of the English language. Perfect for word fanatics, puzzlers, and writers. English is a hybrid of Greek, Latin, and some ten other languages. Word Stems defines and deciphers thousands of the most commonly used foreign words that form the foundation of our English words.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #711557 in Books
• Published on: 2003-07-01
• Released on: 2003-07-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .81 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 297 pages

From Amazon
English may be one of the world's premier languages, but it's a real hodgepodge of roots, thanks to the interesting vicissitudes of history, as explained in brief by John Kennedy. Fully three-fifths of the roots are Latin, and a good share come from Greek too. There are also Scandinavian roots and roots from nine or so other languages. Following the history comes the comprehensive list of word stems, from "Abb" ("father, religious leader. Syriac, abba.") to "Zym" ("ferment. Greek, zumoo."), defining and deciphering thousands of the most commonly used foreign words that form the foundation of English.

From School Library Journal
YA. This handy guide for students, wordsmiths, and language lovers includes a four-page history of the development of English from its Latin, Greek, and other roots. Two alphabetically arranged lists follow: common words with their word stems highlighted in boldface type and word stems with definitions and language roots. Although the introductory explanation mentions a listing of prefixes and suffixes, only prefixes are provided. The user-friendly format and easy readability make this a good addition to dictionary collections.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.