字首字根簡介

大部分的英文字(70%)是可以"拆"開來的分析的:把單字拆開成字首,字根,字尾的部分以後,藉由對字首字根的了解,加強對每個單字的記憶.

First, let's look at several examples to understand how etymology works.

Prefix --> Meaning

pro -->forward

re -->back

trans -->across

Root -->Meaning

gress --> step

After understanding the meanings of prefixes (pro, re, trans) and the root (gress), we put them together to guess the meaning of the words.

Words / Etymology meanings / Meaning of the word (Answers.com)

Progress = step forward = To advance toward a higher or better stage

Regress = step back = To go back, to move backward

Transgress = step across = To go beyond or over. Exceed or overstep

Readily, we can see the strong bonds between etymology meanings and meanings of the words. Is this an accident? The answer is an emphatic NO. Etymology is designed this way. The reason "progress" is comprised of "pro" and "gress" is because it has the meaning of prefix of "pro" and meaning of root "gress". There is no accident!

From the analysis above, the word "progress" for you is not a word anymore. It's "pro" + "gress". Since you know what's the meaning of "pro" and "gress" respectively, you can deduce/guess the meaning of "progress" even though you haven't seen that this words before!

Dr. Tsai Q&A

Q1: 每個單字都可以分成字首,字根,字尾三部分嗎?

A1: 當然不是! 有些字可能只有字首+字根,有些字可能只有一個字首或字尾.也有些字完全不能分解,只能硬背. 曾經有個天兵學生把Banana分成 Ba+na+na,來問我說Ba是不是"香"的意思.