Vocabulary: Overall Vocabulary Mastery & Precision (C2) - Lesson 5: Understanding Historical and Etymological Layers of Vocabulary

The Lexicon Archive 🏛️

The Layers of English

កម្រិតនិងប្រភពនៃពាក្យ

Latin / Greek Formal / Scientific

French Elegant / Social

Germanic (Old English) Basic / Emotional

Precision & Register 🖋️

To sound direct, use Germanic words. To sound sophisticated, use French. To sound intellectual, use Latin.

📜 The Triplets (៣ កម្រិត)

Concept: To ask questions

Germanic Ask

French Question

Latin Interrogate

សួរ / សាកសួរ / សួរចម្លើយ (ផ្លូវការ)

Use "Ask" for friends. Use "Interrogate" for police or formal investigations.

Concept: To go up

Germanic Rise

French Mount

Latin Ascend

ងើបឡើង / ឡើង / ឡើងទៅកាន់ (ឋានៈ/ទីខ្ពស់)

The sun "rises". You "mount" a horse. A king "ascends" the throne.

Concept: To stop

Germanic End

French Finish

Latin Conclude

បញ្ចប់ / រួចរាល់ / សន្និដ្ឋាន(បញ្ចប់)

A story "ends". You "finish" work. A scientist "concludes" a study.

🔄 Doublets (ពាក្យភ្លោះ)

Frail vs. Fragile

Origin: Latin 'Fragilis'

Frail (French path): Weak (usually a person).
Ex: A frail old lady. (ទន់ខ្សោយ)

Fragile (Latin path): Easily broken (object).
Ex: Fragile glass. (ងាយបែក)

Warranty vs. Guarantee

Origin: Germanic 'W' -> French 'G'

Warranty: A written promise (legal contract).
(ការធានាលើផលិតផល)

Guarantee: A general promise or assurance.
(ការធានាជាទូទៅ)

Register Quiz 🖋️

Choose the most appropriate word.

Context: An academic paper summarizing results.

"In this study, we can _____ that..."

Context: Describing a grandmother's health.

"She is becoming quite _____ in her old age."

Context: A police officer questioning a suspect.

"We need to _____ the suspect."

Mission 📝

Register Shifting

Rewrite the Sentence

Change the following "Germanic" (casual) sentence into a "Latin" (formal) one.

"I asked my boss for a raise."

Try using words like:

• Requested (instead of Asked)
• Inquired (instead of Asked)
• Increase (instead of Raise)

Goal: "I requested a salary increase."