<pter> “feather, wing” from Greek pteron Word Sums Pter + ide + ine -> pteridine Pter + ide + ine + s -> pteridines Pter + in -> pterin Pter + ine -> pterine Am + ine + o + Pter + in -> aminopterin Pter + an + Odon -> pteranodon Pter + an […] More
What is grammar? The popular notion is actual or presumed prescriptive notions about the correct use of a language. But linguistics define grammar differently. Grammar is the study of the internal structure of words (morphology) and the use of words in the construction of phrases, clauses, and sentences (syntax). The Form-Function Method for teaching grammar […] More
Learn about the use of verbs and verb phrases as noun phrase complements in English grammar. More
I love all forms of word play. Before Easter, I heard a local news reporter pronounce the word <lambasted> “to criticize harshly, to assault violently” as /læmbeɪstɪd/, with the second syllable of the word pronounced like <baste> (rhymes with <waste>). I figured that he had had a slip of the tongue, which happens. No big […] More
<kin> “family; race; kind, sort, rank; nature” from Old English cynn Word Sums Kin a + Kin -> akin Kin + Folk -> kinfolk Kin + s + Folk -> kinsfolk Kin + ship -> kinship Kin + hood -> kinhood Kin + State -> kinstate Kin + State + s -> kinstates Kin […] More
<rain> “water from clouds” from Old English regn “rain” Word Sums Rain Rain + s -> rains Rain + ed -> rained Rain + ing -> raining Rain + y -> rainy Rain + y + er -> rainier Rain + y + est -> rainiest Rain + y + ly -> rainily Rain + […] More
Structured Word Inquiry word sums and matrix of the base
The other day I read a tweet that made some claims about adverbs: “The -s in “unawares,” as in “they were caught unawares,” is completely distinct from the pluralizing -s. It’s an adverb suffix, and it’s also in “always” and “nowadays,” and in “nights,” “weekends,” etc., as in “they work nights/weekends.” #FunWithMorphology” The -s in […] More
<pink> “pale red color” meaning “pale rose color” first recorded 1733 “small” from Dutch pink “small” Word Sums pink Pink + s = pinks Pink + ed = pinked Pink + ing = pinking Pink + en = pinken Pink + en + s = pinkens Pink + en + ed = pinkened Pink + […] More
<yester> “former, earlier, previous” from Old English geostran “yesterday” Words Sums Yester Yester + s = yesters Yester + Day = yesterday Yester + Day + s = yesterdays Yester + Eve = yestereve Yester + Eve + s = yestereves Yester + Even = yestereven Yester + Even + s = yesterevens Yester + […] More
<somn> “sleep” from somnus “sleep” Words Sums Somn + us = somnus Somn + o + G(e)n(e) = somnogen Somn + o + G(e)n(e) + s = somnogens Somn + o + G(e)n(e) + ic = somnogenic Somn + ole + ism = somnolism Somn + ole + ent = somnolent Somn + ole + […] More
Are the words yesterday, today, and tomorrow adverbs or nouns? Oxford Living Dictionaries identifies all three words as an adverb first and a noun second. Etymonline lists yesterday as a noun and adverb but today and tomorrow as only adverbs. Wiktionary defines today and tomorrow as adverbs first and nouns second but yesterday as a […] More
I recently shared a photo across my social media accounts of the grammar textbook that I currently use with my oldest. I included the following caption: “I always have to fix my kids’ grammar books. Plural means “not one.” If you have zero or less than zero of something, you use the plural form: ‘I […] More
<thaumate> “wonder, astonishment, thing to look at, miracle,” from Greek thauma (genitive thaumatos), literally “a thing to look at,” from root of theater Words Sums Thaumate + ic = thaumatic Thaumate + in = thaumatin Thaumate + in + s = thaumatins Thaumate + Urge = thaumaturge Thaumate + Urge + s = thaumaturges Thaumate […] More
<thauma> “wonder, astonishment, thing to look at, miracle,” from Greek thauma (genitive thaumatos), literally “a thing to look at,” from root of theater Words Sums Thauma Thauma + s = thaumas Thauma + Trope = thaumatrope Thauma + Trope + s = thaumatropes Thauma + Vore = thaumavore Thauma + Vore + s = thaumavores […] More
<ichor> “ethereal fluid that serves for blood in the veins of the gods,” from French ichor or Modern Latin ichor, from Greek ikhōr Word Sums Ichor Ichor + s -> ichors Ichor + ous -> ichorous Ichor + Heme + i + a -> ichorhemia Petr + Ichor -> petrichor Morphemes ichor: ethereal fluid that […] More
<morrow> “morning” from Middle English morwe, variant of morwen, from Old English morgen Word Sums Morrow Morrow + s = morrows Morrow + ed = morrowed Morrow + ing = To + Morrow = tomorrow To + Morrow + s = tomorrows To + Morrow + er = tomorrower To + Morrow + er […] More
I recently tweeted my post entitled Using Nouns and Noun Phrases as Indirect Objects. To my tweet, I received a comment that argued that, although the cat in I gave the cat a bath is indeed a recipient, the cat is not an indirect object but rather a direct object. Analyzing the cat as a […] More
<aqu> “water” from Latin aqua “water, the sea, rain” Word Sums Aqu + a -> aqua Aqu + a + s -> aquas Aqu + ate + ic -> aquatic Aqu + ate + ic + s -> aquatics Aqu + ate + ic + al + ly -> aquatically Aqu + a + Mare […] More
<birth> “bear offspring,” from Old Norse burðr, byrd, replacing Old English ġebyrd “birth, descent, race; offspring; nature; fate,” from PIE *bhrto past participle of root *bher- “to carry; to bear children” with -th suffix meaning “process” Word Sums Birth Birth + s = births Birth + ed = birthed Birth + ing = birthing Birth […] More
