Class 10th

Etymology in English language is the study of the origin and evolution of words, that includes their constituent sounds and meanings across time. It's a subfield of linguistics that examines how words change and develop.

A root word has nothing added at the beginning or the end. While some root words are standalone words in English, others need a prefix and/or a suffix to create a meaningful word.

Root words often combine with prefixes and suffixes to change both their meaning and word class. For example, adding prefixes like dis– and un- changes the meaning of the root. Like, discomfort aor unhappy, are the opposites of comfort ad happy, the root words.

Understanding etymology can enhance vocabulary, understand the nuances of language, and recognize patterns in word formation. It can also provide insights into cultural and historical contexts.

Etymology is studied by researching about the history of words, their origins, and keeping a track of how their forms and meanings have changed over time. This is often done with the help of etymological dictionaries, analyzing older texts, and comparing different languages.

Students need to be clear that while etymology is the study of the origin and history of words, roots are the core, unchangeable part of a word, often derived from ancient languages like Latin or Greek. Look for affixes (prefixes and suffixes): These are word parts added before or after the root, modifying the meaning but not the core of the word. Identify related words with the same root, showing the word's evolution.

Word roots are the basic units of meaning in a word. They can be termed as the 'stem' of the word with prefixes and suffixes adding specific nuances to the meaning. It's that part of the word that's left after all affixes are removed — the prefixes like "un-" or "anti-" and suffixes such as "-able" and "-tion." For example, in a word like "lovely," when you take away the suffix "-ly," you're left with the root word "love."  

Etymology in English language is the study of the origin and evolution of words, that includes their constituent sounds and meanings across time. It's a subfield of linguistics that examines how words change and develop.

A root word has nothing added at the beginning or the end. While some root words are standalone words in English, others need a prefix and/or a suffix to create a meaningful word.

Root words often combine with prefixes and suffixes to change both their meaning and word class. For example, adding prefixes like dis– and un- changes the meaning of the root. Like, discomfort aor unhappy, are the opposites of comfort ad happy, the root words.