Lesson One – The Science of Language 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. cognate derivative diminutive inflection orthography 6. paradigm 7. philology 8. phonology 9. rhetoric 10. syntax 1. cognate Adj. Related by being derived, descended, or borrowed from the same word or root. Noun A word, word part, or language that is related to another by common descent or derivation. Ex: The English word father and the Latin word pater are cognate words. 2. derivative Noun a. a word formed from another word or root, such as by adding a prefix or suffix. b. Something taken or received from a specified source. Adj Made up of elements that have been borrowed from another source. Related Words: derivation (noun); derive (verb) Example: The words apparel and rampart are both derivatives of a Latin word that means “to equip.” 3. diminutive Noun. A word formed by shortening or by adding certain suffixes indicating primarily small size but also youth, affection, or contempt. Adj. a. relating or referring to a word, suffix or name that is diminutive in form. Related Words: diminution (noun); diminutively (adv). Example: The names of many young animals, such as duckling and owlet, are diminutives. 4. inflection Noun a. the change in the form of words that indicated a grammatical distinction, such as a number, gender, case person, tense, mood or voice. b. a word form of this kind. c. A change in the pitch or tone of voice. Related Words: inflect (verb), inflection (adj). Example: The plural form of books is formed by the inflection of the noun book, but the adjective bookish and the noun booklet are not the same thing. 5. orthography Noun The art or study of correct spelling according to established usage. Related Words: orthographic (adj); orthographically (adv). Example: The dictionary editors hire orthographers to check the spellings before publication. . 6. paradigm Noun a. A list of all the inflectional forms of a particular word. b. An example or model, especially one that is typical or particularly clear. Example: The paradigm of the noun sheep includes only two different forms, sheep and sheep’s. 7. philology noun a. the chronological study of language development. b. the study of literature and language as used in literature. Related Words: philological (adj), philologist (noun) Example: Philology is regarded as the science of language. 8. phonology Noun The science of speech sounds in a language. Related Words: phonological (adj); philologist (noun). Example: The use of the articles a and an, depending on the sound that follows, is governed by a rule of English phonology. 9. rhetoric Noun a. the art of using language effectively. b. the study of the elements used in composition or discourse. c. Insincere and pretentious language. Related words: rhetorical (adj); rhetorically (adv) Example: Students learn the grammar and vocabulary of a language quickly, but mastering its rhetoric takes time. 10. syntax Noun The way in which words are arranged or combined to form phrases, clauses and sentences. Related Words: syntactic (adj) Example: The placement of an adjective between the article and the noun is a rule of English syntax.