C1 - Lesson 2: Deconstructing Complex Words
The Puzzle of Long Words
Have you ever seen a long, academic word and felt intimidated? Words like 'interconnectedness' or 'decentralization' can seem like monsters, but they are actually just puzzles. They are built from smaller, meaningful blocks. To deconstruct1 a word means to break it down into its core parts: the prefix, the root word2, and the suffix. This lesson will teach you a systematic process to solve these word puzzles and understand their meaning.
Step 1: Identify the Affixes (Prefix & Suffix)
Look at the beginning and end of the word for the affixes you know. These provide clues about the word's meaning and function. For example, in unbelievable, you can immediately spot `un-` (not) and `-able` (can be done).
Step 2: Find the Root Word
The part left in the middle is the root, which holds the core meaning. The root often comes from Latin or Greek, so its etymology3 is important. Let's look at some common roots:
| Root | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| port | to carry | transport, import, portable |
| spec | to see, look | inspect, perspective, spectator |
| dict | to say, speak | predict, contradict, dictionary |
| struct | to build | construct, destruction, infrastructure |
| bene | good, well | benefit, benevolent, beneficial |
Step 3: Reassemble the Meaning
Put the meanings of the parts together to infer the word's definition.
Example: `contradiction`
- Prefix: `contra-` (against)
- Root: `dict` (to speak)
- Suffix: `-ion` (the act or state of)
- Reassembled Meaning: The act of speaking against; a statement that opposes another.
Guided Deconstruction Practice
Let's apply this three-step process to some complex words.
1. Word: Intergovernmental
- Prefix: `inter-` (meaning 'between')
- Root: `govern` (meaning 'to rule')
- Suffix: `-mental` (meaning 'relating to')
- Inferred Meaning: Relating to something that happens between governments.
2. Word: Benefactor
- Prefix: `bene-` (meaning 'good')
- Root: `fact` (meaning 'to do or make')
- Suffix: `-or` (meaning 'a person who does')
- Inferred Meaning: A person who does good things (e.g., by giving money to a cause).
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. The root 'struct' means 'to build'. What does 'to deconstruct' literally mean?
- a) To build again.
- b) To build badly.
- c) To take apart what was built.
Click to see the answer
Answer: c) To take apart what was built. (The prefix 'de-' often means 'down' or 'away from').
2. If 'port' means 'to carry', something that is 'portable' is...
- a) ...able to be carried.
- b) ...not able to be carried.
- c) ...the act of carrying.
Click to see the answer
Answer: a) ...able to be carried. (The suffix '-able' means 'able to be').
3. What is the root word in 'inspiration'?
- a) in-
- b) spir (meaning 'to breathe')
- c) -ation
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) spir (meaning 'to breathe'). (Literally, to breathe in ideas or feelings).
edit Your Mission
- Deconstruct This: Take the word `retrospective`. In your notebook, identify its prefix, root, and suffix. What do you think its literal meaning is? (Hint: the root `spec` means 'to look').
- Real-World Challenge: Find one long (10+ letters) academic or formal word from an English news site or book. Try to deconstruct it into its parts. Write down your guess about the meaning, then check with a dictionary. Were you close?
- Root Expansion: The root `dict` means 'to speak'. Can you think of two other English words (besides the ones in this lesson) that use this root? Write them down.
book Lesson Glossary
- To Deconstruct (verb) - Khmer: បំបែក (bɑm-baek) - To break something down into its separate parts in order to understand its meaning. ↩
- Root Word (noun phrase) - Khmer: ឫសគល់នៃពាក្យ (reuh-kol ney peak) - The most basic part of a word that holds its core meaning, before any affixes are added. ↩
- Etymology (noun) - Khmer: និរុត្តិសាស្ត្រ (ni-ruk-ti-sah) - The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history. ↩