arch-, begin, be first, rule: archaic, archæology, monarch, monarchy, patriarch (ruler of a family), hierarchy, archangel, arch (chief), archbishop, anarchy, archon, archetype.

arct-, bear (animal): arctic, antarctic, Arcturus.

aristo-, best: aristocrat, aristocracy.

aster (astr-), star: asteroid, asterisk, disaster, astronomy, astrology, astronomic, astrophotometry.

auto-, self: autograph, autobiography, autocrat, automatic, automaton, automobile, autonomy, autopsy.

bar-, heavy barometer, barometric, barytone.

biblio-, book: Bible, bibliomania, bibliography. See Library, § 381. bio-, life: biography, biology, biograph, amphibious.

bol- (bl-), throw: symbol, hyperbola, hyperbole, parabola, diabolic, problem, parable, emblem.

card- (compare Latin cord-, § 407), heart: cardiac, cardiometer, cardiograph, carditis, endocarditis.

chron-, time: chronology, chronometer, chronicle, chronic, anachronism, anachronistic.

clin- (cli-; compare Latin clin-, § 407), slope, incline, lean: clinical, clinic, climate, climax, anticlimax.

cosmo- (cosm-), order, world: cosmogony, cosmography, cosmopolitan, cosmopolite, cosmic, cosmetic.

crat-(-cracy), power, rule: democrat, democracy, democratic, aristocrat, aristocracy, autocrat, plutocrat, plutocracy.

cri-,separate, judge: critic, critical, criticism, criterion, diacritical, crisis. cycl-, circle: cycle, cycloid, cyclone, bicycle, cyclometer. cyn-, dog: cynic, cynical, cynicism, cynosure (§ 381). deca, ten: decagon, Decalogue, Decameron, hendecagon. dem-, people: democrat, democratic, democracy, epidemic, demagogue, Demosthenes (strength of the people).

derm-, skin: epidermis, hypodermic, dermatology, dermatitis, taxidermy, taxidermist, pachyderm.

doc- (dog-), think: doxology (= doc-sology), orthodox, orthodoxy, heterodox, paradox, dogma, dogmatic.

dyna-, power: dynamite, dynamo, dynamics, dynasty, dynastic, dynamograph, electrodynamics, hydrodynamics.

eco-, house: economy, economics, economize.

erg-, work: energy, erg, ergometer, ergon.

eu-(ev-), well: euphony, eulogy, Eucharist, evangelist, euphemism, euphuism, eugenics.

gam-, marry: bigamy, monogamy, polygamy, bigamist, monogamous, cryptogam.

ge-, earth: geography, geology, geometry, George (earth worker, farmer), apogee, perigee.

gen-(gon-; compare Latin gen-, § 407), produce: genesis, Genesis, genealogy, eugenics, hydrogen, biogenesis, cosmogony, endogenous, exogenous.

graph- (gram-), write: graphite, graphic, telegraph, telegram, biography, geography, diagram, epigram, program, grammar, cryptogram.

helio-, sun: heliotrope, heliograph, heliotype, helioscope, heliometer, heliotherapy.

hippo-(-ip-), horse: hippodrome, hippopotamus, Hippocrene (horse's fountain), Philip (lover of horses).

homo-, same: homogeneous, homologous, homonym.

hydr-, water: hydrant, hydrophobia, hydraulic, hydraulics, hydroplane, hydrogen, hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, hydroelectric, hydrographic, hydrometer, hydrolysis, anhydrous.

icon, image: icon, iconoclast, iconoclasm, iconography, iconometer, iconometry, iconoscope.

idio-, peculiar: idiotic, idiom, idiosyncrasy.

lith-, stone: lithograph, lithography, monolith.

log-, word, speech: monologue, dialogue, geology, theology, philology, logic.

lysis, loosening: analysis, analyze, paralyze, electrolysis.

meter (metr-), measure: meter, diameter, perimeter, thermometer, barometer, electrometer, metric, metrically, symmetry.

micro-, little: microbe, microcosm, micrometer, microscope. mon-, alone, single: monosyllable, monolith, monastery (minster), monogram, monarch, monologue, monotype, monopoly. nau-, ship: nautical, nautilus, nausea, nauseate, nauseous. necro-, dead: necropolis, necromancy, necromancer, necrology, necrosis, necrophobia.

nom-, law: astronomy, astronomer, Deuteronomy, autonomy, anomaly, anomalous, economy.

od-, way: exodus, Exodus, period, method, synod, cathode, anode. onym-, name: anonymous, synonym, synonymous, patronymic, pseudonym, homonym.

op-, see: optic, optical, optician, synopsis, optometer, optometry, optometrist, thanatopsis.

ortho-, straight, right: orthography, orthodoxy, orthodox, orthoepy, orthopedics.

pan- (pant-), all: panoply, Pan-American, pantheism, pantomime, pantograph, panorama, pandemonium.

path-, suffer (compare Latin pat-, § 407): pathos, pathetic, sym

pathy, sympathetic, antipathy, pathology, homeopathy, allopathy. ped-, boy: pedagogue, pedagogy, pedagogics, encyclopedia (instruction in the circle of arts and sciences).

phe- (phon-), voice: prophet, euphony, euphemism, phonetics, phonograph, telephone, megaphone, symphony.

phil-, love: philter, philology, philosophy, Philadelphia, Philip (lover of horses), philanthropy, bibliophile.

phos (phot-), light: phosphorus, photography, photometer.

physi-, nature: physics, physical, physiology, physiography, physician, physiognomy.

pod- (compare Latin ped-, § 407), foot: tripod, antipodes, podagra. poli-, city polity, politics, political, police, metropolis, acropolis, necropolis, cosmopolitan.

pseudo- (pseud-), false: pseudoprophet, pseudonym, pseudoclassic, pseudo-Gothic.

rheu- (-rrh), flow: rheum, rheumatic, catarrh.

scop- (skep-), see, look: microscope, telescope, spectroscope, skeptic, skeptical.

soph-, wise: philosophy, sophism, sophist, sophistry. sta-, stand: apostate, ecstasy, hydrostatics.

strat-, army: strategy, strategic, stratagem, strategist.

tag- (tac-), arrange: taxidermy

tax, tactics, tactical.

tag-sidermy), taxidermist, syn

tele-, at a distance: telegraph, telephone, telegram, telescope, telepathy.

theo- (the-), God: theology, theological, theist, atheist, atheism, pantheism, pantheon.

therm-, heat: thermometer, thermal, isotherm, thermodynamics, thermostat.

thesis (the-), placing: hypothesis, synthesis, antithesis, hypothetical, antithetical, parenthesis.

tom-, cut: anatomy, atom, entomology, epitome, tome.

trop- (troph-), turn: tropic, trophy, trope, heliotrope.

zoö- (zo-), animal: zoölogy, zoological, zodiac, zodiacal, zooid, zoögeography.

CHAPTER VI

USES AND ABUSES OF WORDS

Zounds, I was never so bethump'd with words,

Since I first called my brother's father dad. — SHAKESPEARE.
He multiplieth words without knowledge. - THE BIBLE.

411. Exaggeration. In this period of our great physical progress we strive to make our language as gigantic as our achievements. We seem to think that our inherited speech (which is indeed a priceless inheritance), although good enough for the centuries of repose of our forefathers, is too feeble for men of our might; and in our ignorance of its power we create slang and heap words on one another, thinking to increase their efficiency thereby, with the result that our language teems with jargon and gross exaggeration. In the eyes of the world we are a people of raw and untutored strength, whose opinion in literary matters is neither trained nor organized. Until we become less satisfied with intellectual shoddy, and seek cultivation and taste, we can hardly expect to attain an exalted position in the leadership of mankind.

412. Slang. Objections to slang have already been mentioned (§ 380).

413. Redundancy, tautology. The needless repetition of ideas (§§ 192, 193) by the multiplication of words not only adds nothing to the thought, but robs words of a part of their meaning, distorts the sense, and by improper emphasis distracts the attention from the main point. Study the following examples of faulty expressions; omit the italicized words:

Successful achievements; absolute misunderstanding; complete master; completely intact; unfair distortion; the real, positive truth; deep passion; genuine pity; delicate grace; solid erudition; very perfect; absolute perfection; selfish vindictiveness; very careful investigation; sincere uncertainty; unsuccessful attempts; truly remarkable fact; perfectly right; perfectly all right; panacea for all ills (look up panacea in the dictionary); surrounding circumstances (see circum-, § 405); joint partnership; evidently seem; temporary loan; respectfully solicited; Rio Grande River ('Rio Grande' means Great River); Loch Lomond Lake (* Loch' means lake); Mount Ben Lomond (Ben' means mountain); divinely beautiful; extremely handsome; very elegant; supremely brilliant; perfectly (or absolutely) exquisite; scrutinize very carefully; practice again and again; decide fully (or very definitely); absolutely necessary; absolutely essential; absolutely indispensable; absolutely requisite; absolutely charming; final drowning; final completion; actual explosion; absolute scandal; positively shameful; entirely misleading; steadfastly resolved; really improved; utterly banished; absolutely prohibited; absolutely unique record; very much delighted; splendidly ready; distinctively new; convincingly worthy; very full program of events; very roughly; very rudely; very fiercely (§ 414); absolutely differing points of view (different points of view, or, widely different points of view); the case was contested with extreme bitterness on both sides.

"Vulgarism in language ", Lord Chesterfield once wrote to his son, "is the next and distinguishing characteristic of bad company and a bad education. Proverbial expressions and trite sayings are the flowers of the rhetoric of a vulgar man. Would he say that men differ in their tastes, he both supports and adorns that opinion by the good old saying, as he respectfully calls it, that what is one man's meat is another man's poison. He has always some favorite word for the time being, which, for the sake of using often, he commonly abuses, such as vastly angry, vastly kind, vastly handsome, and vastly ugly." (See pet expressions, § 417.)