In the years up to the 1960s, Australian students were educated in word building through Latin and Greek roots. Then with the change in literacy policy it was scrapped. Hence the slow dumbing down of education.
The English language developed over centuries through intermingling of Saxon, Celt, Latin and French. Most words are based on Latin that came to England through the Roman and French invasions. French words were based on Latin. So English had language impact from two Latin sources.
There are many Latin based words that students can learn through vocabulary extension. Even PNG through conquest by Australia and Britain has long distant links with the Roman Empire. As an English teacher in PNG, I had introduced students to words based on Latin.
Ago (actus) I do
one who does (actor, agent)
doing (act)
do something in response (react)
not doing (inactive)
Annus a year
every year (annual)
every two years (biannual)
twice a year (biennial)
payment once a year (annuity)
pay after years of work (superannuation)
Cedo (cessus) I go
go forward (proceed)
act of going forward (procession)
go back (recede)
act of going back (recession)
a way to go forward (procedure)
Caput the head
the head person (captain)
headline in media (caption)
head city (capital)
cut off head (decapitate)
Centum a hundred
a hundred years (centurion)
in charge of 100 men (centurion)
one hundred years (century)
100 years celebration (centenary)
hundredth of a dollar (cent)
Cor the heart
full of heart (courage)
brave of heart (courageous)
of the heart (coronary)
Sacred Heart - French (Sacre Coeur)
Corpus the body
leads a body of soldiers (corporal)
dead body (corpse)
body of companies (corporation)
body of people (corps)
fat of body (corpulent)
body in the blood (corpuscle)
body of Christ (Corpus Christi)
Decem ten
tenth month old calendar (December)
based on ten (decimal)
reduce by one tenth (decimate)
Dens (dentis) a tooth
a specialist (dentist)
a false tooth (denture)
relating to teeth (dental)
meat of the tooth (dentine)
Duco (ductus) I lead
a leader (duke)
an Italian leader (Il Duce)
lead forward (produce)
act of leading forward (production)
a canal to lead fluid (duct)
a canal to lead the ova (oviduct)
a Roman stone canal (via-duct)
to lead down an idea (deduce)
Facio (factus) I make
a place that makes (factory)
to make by hand (manufacture)
make it happen (facilitate)
Fides faith
faithful dog (fido)
talk in faith (confide)
to have faith (confidence)
faithfulness in marriage (fidelity)
no faithfulness (infidelity)
having no faith (infidel)
Finis the end
to end (finish)
the end (final, finale)
Frango (fractus) I break
a piece (fragment)
breakable (fragile)
to break a rule (infringe)
a break in a bone (fracture)
Fundo (fundus) I pour
a pouring of money (fund)
to pour back (refund)
a device for pouring (funnel)
pouring forth (profound)
Jacio (jectus) I throw
throw forward (project)
act of throwing forward (projection)
throw back (reject)
act of throwing back (rejection)
throw between (interject)
throw out (ejact, ejaculate)
throw in (inject)
act of throwing in (injection)
Manus the hand
by hand (manual)
made by hand (manuscript)
to handle (manage)
that which handles matters (management)
old-fashioned handcuffs (manacles)
to attack with hands (man-handle)
Pars (partus) a part
a small part (particle)
part of a sentence (participle)
part of a structure (compartment)
part of an organization (department)
take part (participate)
one who takes part (partisan)
Pendeo (pendus) I hang down
on a woman's neck (pendant)
on a flag pole (pennant)
on a clock (pendulum)
on a man (penis)
hang down mood (pensive)
a hanging desire (penchant)
to hang on (depend)
a hanger on (dependant)
not hanging on (independent)
hanging on between (interdependent)
Scribo (scriptus) I write
an ancient writer (scribe)
baby writing (scribble)
writing from the Bible (Scripture)
write down (describe)
act of writing down (description)
write in (inscribe)
act of writing in (inscription)
document for chemist (prescription)
Specio (spectus) I see
something worth seeing (spectacle)
worth seeing (spectacular)
animal seen (species)
see into (inspect)
look down (despise)
Terra the earth
relating to the earth (terrestrial)
middle of the earth (Mediterranean)
firm land (terra firma)
under the earth (subterranean)
bury a body (inter)
Video (vissus) I see
able to be seen (visible)
not able to be seen (invisible)
sight (vision)
to see again (revision)
type of TV set (video)
Volvo (volvus) I roll
to roll a Government (revolution)
a gun that rolls (revolver)
a car that rolls (Volvo)
Latin roots can enrich understanding of PNG and Australian students. But most younger teachers did not learn Latin and Greek roots at school. There are many more that will be posted here soon.
What is the Tok Pisin word from Latin? It is 'amamas' from the Latin 'ameas' meaning happy or love. Other countries in the Roman Empire took the root word too - French (amour) Italian (amo) English (amicable, amiable and amorous).
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