LECTURE I. Having made these introductory observations, I now proceed to the more immediate subject of the series of Lectures that I have undertaken; which is

Having made these introductory observations, I now proceed to the more immediate subject of the series of Lectures that I have undertaken; which is, to point out the extent to which the English language has had incorporated into it, from time to time, words derived from Latin roots, which I call exotics or foreign, in contra­distinction to the Anglo-Saxon, which may, com­paratively speaking, be considered indigenous to the soil of the language of Great Britain.

In carrying out this design, I purpose taking in order words derived from Latin verbs, nouns, and adjectives, successively. In the first place, however, it will be necessary to enumerate the several Latin prepositions, which are used as pre­fixes, in the composition of English words derived from that language; with a view to explain their meanings in the original, and to point out the way in which they are applied, and what signi­fication they are intended to convey, when used as prefixes in English. I am aware that in this there will be nothing new to many whom I ad­dress, as being acquainted with the useful Dic­tionary of Professor Sullivan; but yet a reference to those prepositions is necessary as an introduc­tion to the subject of these Lectures; and a due consideration of the prefixes, which are so closely connected with the composition of Latin-derived words in the English tongue, is essential to a cor­rect understanding of this part of our language.

LECTURE I. 15

There are twenty-six Latin prepositions thus employed, more or less, in the composition of English words adopted from that language, each of which I proceed to notice and explain.

Ab is frequently thus employed, signifying from, as " abduct," to carry from. It is some­times found written abs, as in "abstract," to draw from; and sometimes a only, as in " avert," to turn from.

AD, that is, to, is often changed to ac, where euphony requires it, for example, when preceding the letters c and q, as " accommodate/' " acquire;" and sometimes it is at, as in " attract," to draw toward, and as] as in " assist," to stand to, that is, to help; but more usually it remains ad, as in " advent," a coming to.

Ante signifies before, as in the word "ante­cedent," and is to be distinguished from anti, a Greek preposition signifying against, as " anti­pathy," a feeling against another.

Bis (or bi) signifies two, in composition, as " bisect," to cut in two; " biped," a two-footed animal.

Circum is about or around, as "circumspec­tion," looking about one; and sometimes the final letter is dropped, as in " circulate," to carry round.

Contra is against, as " contradict," to speak against, or in opposition to. In some words, especially those that have come to us through the

Дата добавления: 2015-07-19