Here are two Examples of form-based word families:
word - wordy - word (verb) - wording
- word-list … (but not: worth, worry)
family - familiar - unfamiliar -
familiarity - familiarize … (but not: famine, famous)
Each of these families is bonded by a common root word, although the resultant
connections of meaning form an important bonding feature.
Here are two Examples of based word families:
big - little
- size
dog - puppy -
kennel
Why are word families important?
Form-based families are important because they sometimes reveal hidden
patterns of spelling in words that already known; for Example:, the verb root
pronounced 'seev' is spelt ceive (receive, deceive, conceive), and always
corresponds to ception in the corresponding noun (reception, deception,
conception).
Meaning-based families are important because they reveal links and
patterns of meaning in words that already known; for Example:, many adjectives
and nouns are related as in the trio big - little - size. The specific meaning
relations they contain (see below) are also an important component of reasoning
skills.
An understanding of word families also allows either the form or the meaning of
unfamiliar words to be guessed with some confidence. For Example:, we can guess
that someone using a skate-board is a skate-boarder engaged in skate-boarding,
and if we see the word unteachability we can guess from knowledge of other word
families that it means 'state (-ity) of not (un-) being able to be (-abil-)
taught (teach)'.
A sound understanding of word classes is important for the study of
both kinds of word families. |
