Etymology

 Maureen Lindell

Etymology is designed to help develop students’ vocabulary through the study of Greek and Latin prefixes, roots and suffixes, and words derived from these word elements.  Vocabulary comprehension and appreciation will be emphasized.

Welcome to Etymology

In this class you will learn about the history of many of the words we use on a daily basis and how we can figure out the meanings of words based on their roots, prefixes and histories.  Why would you want to do this?  Besides improving your vocabulary, learning etymology will enable you to write more effectively, present more convincingly and score more impressively on standardized exams. 

Your work will be listed on the Moodle site on a weekly basis so if you want to work ahead of the class, you are welcome to do so.  Be sure to check back on the site to ensure that you are always on the right track!

Enjoy!

Mrs. Lindell

The Name Game

When parents think about what to name a child, they go through lots of discussion.  Should we name him/her after a relative?  Should it be some funky name like Apple or Brooklyn?  Who knows?  Well...soon you will.  Tonight for homework you will have to go home and find out about your own name.  How did your parents think of it?  Were there other names they discussed? 

Once you find out their information, go to a website and find out the etymology of your name (if there is one).  Be sure to note the website from which you got the information on your name.  If you find it just too challenging to find your own name, you may choose one famous person whose name you can research.  This assignment is due tomorrow and you will be required to discuss your findings in class.  Good Luck!!

FYI- My first name is Maureen, and in the Celtic it means little Mary (in Hebrew it means bitterness).  Maureen's language of origin is Hebrew and Celtic, and it is used largely in the English and Irish languages. From Hebrew and Celtic roots, its meaning is 'little Mary' - in this context, Maureen is usually used in the English language. Maureen is the Anglicized form of Máirín.

Maureen is a variant form of Mary (English) in the English and Irish languages. It is of Latin origin, and its meaning is "star of the sea" Maureen is rare as a baby name for girls. At the modest peak of its usage in 1948, 0.234% of baby girls were given the name Maureen. Its ranking then was #88. The baby name has since suffered a substantial drop in popularity, and is of only irregular use today. In 2008, out of the group of girl names directly linked to Maureen, Mary was the most frequently used

My middle name is Patricia.  which is from the Latin and is a feminine form of the word patricius "patrician, noble" 

My last name was O'Connor - The descendants of Conor or Concovar, an Irish chieftain, who died in the year 971. Conor was known as the chief of men, powerful among men, a leader.

My married name is Lindell: 

Swedish: ornamental name composed of the elements lind ‘lime tree’ + -ell, a common suffix of Swedish surnames, from the Latin adjectival suffix -elius.

1. English: habitational name from Lindal, Cumbria (formerly in Lancashire) or Lindale, also in Cumbria; both are named from Old Norse lind ‘lime tree’ + dalr ‘valley’.

Why even study etymology? How will etymology help you in your life? In this module, you will take some time to read the following articles about etymology and come up with a justification for why EVERYONE should take etymology!