Word-building and word-blending CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED

CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN USE ADVANCED

UNIT 88

Word-building and word-blending

A

Common well-established word parts Many literary or academic words in English are formed using Latin and ancient Greek prefixes and roots. Many English speakers are not aware of the meanings of the word parts listed here, but knowing them can help you to understand and remember new words. word part meaning example auto- self an autonomous region [self-ruling] bio- life, living things biodegradable packaging [able to decay naturally] cyber- relating to computers and robots a cybercafé [café where customers can use computers and the internet] de- opposite action demotivate [make someone feel less interested and enthusiastic about something] mono- single, one monocycle [cycle with just one wheel] -graph- writing a monograph [long article or short book on a single subject that the writer has studied for a long time] -gress- step, walk, go a congress [a conference, i.e. a meeting where people come together] -ics an area of study or knowledge obstetrics [the study of pregnancy and childbirth] -phon- sound phonetics [the study of human speech sounds] -ology study criminology [the study of crime and criminals] -pre (opp=post) before prepaid tickets [tickets paid for in advance] retro- back, backwards retroactive law [taking effect from a date in the past] techno- relating to advanced machines technophobia [fear of using technology such as computers] tele- over a distance telepathic experience [feeling something from a distance] Language help Although the word parts above will help you to understand words, you cannot use them as freely to form new words as the prefixes and suffixes in Units 86 and 87.

B

Blends An interesting, if much less common, way of forming words is by combining two well-established words, e.g. brunch = a meal that is a combination of breakfast and lunch. heliport: a place where helicopters can land and take off (helicopter + airport) smog: polluted fog (smoke + fog) motel: a roadside hotel for people travelling by car (motor + hotel) webinar: a seminar delivered over the internet via a designated website (web + seminar) guesstimate: an approximate calculation (guess + estimate; verb = to guesstimate) docudrama: TV programme that dramatises real historical events (documentary + drama) breathalyser: a device to find out how much alcohol a person has drunk (breath + analyse)

EXERCISES

88.1	Using information from the table in A, explain the basic meanings of these words. 1 biography = writing about a life 2 monologue 3 telephone 4 autobiography 5 phonology 6 to retrogress 7 graphology 8 to destabilise 9 autograph
88.2	Look at the following word parts. Use a dictionary to find two new words beginning with these and write them in your vocabulary notebook. Choose only words that use the meanings studied in this unit. Postman, for example, clearly has not been formed using the prefix post- meaning ‘after’. 1 mono 2 techno 3 retro 4 tele 5 auto 6 pre 7 post 8 bio
88.3	Rewrite these sentences, replacing the underlined words with a word that includes the word part given. Use a dictionary if necessary. 1 I had to put off my trip to Japan. (POST) I had to postpone my trip to Japan. 2 She asked the singer for his signature on the back of her table napkin. (GRAPH) 3 She took a degree in the science of crime at Stockholm University. (OLOGY) 4 The novel is largely based on the writer’s own life. (BIO) 5 It’s an exhibition looking back at the painter’s life and work. (RETRO) 6 He believes in the idea that you can cure yourself by suggesting to yourself that you are cured. (AUTO) 7 Working at home and keeping in contact with the office by phone, text-messaging and email is now quite common. (TELE) 8 Some English philosophers in the 19th century believed in the abolition of industry. (DE) 9 Crime committed through the internet is a huge cause for concern. (CYBER)
88.4	Rewrite these sentences, replacing the underlined word with an explanatory phrase. 1 Most of the time, planes fly on autopilot. Most of the time planes fly automatically, controlled by a computer rather than the pilot. 2 The firm makes job applicants do a graphology test. 3 The school always takes very seriously any case of cyberbullying. 4 Matt’s a bit of a technophobe. 5 He’s giving a paper at a pre-conference event in Spain. 6 She did a course in informatics.
88.5	What words have been combined to make these blends? What do you think they mean? 1 infomercial 2 podcast 3 camcorder 4 veggieburger 5 swimathon 6 freeware

ANSWER KEY

88.1 2 a long speech by one person (e.g. in a film or play) 3 sound carried from a distance 4 something written by yourself about your own life 5 study of sound 6 to go back to an earlier, worse state 7 study of writing 8 to make something unstable 9 something written to represent yourself 88.2 Possible answers: 1 monotonous, mono-culture 2 technocrat, technology 3 retrograde, retroactive 4 telescope, telecommunications 5 automatic, automobile 6 pre-war, pre-flight 7 postnatal, postpone 8 biological, biodiversity 88.3 Suggested answers: 2 She asked the singer for his autograph on the back of her table napkin. 3 She took a degree in criminology at Stockholm University. 4 The novel is largely autobiographical. 5 It’s a retrospective exhibition of the painter’s life and work. 6 He believes in auto-suggestion to cure yourself. 7 Teleworking is now quite common. 8 Some English philosophers in the 19th century believed in de-industrialisation. 9 Cybercrime is a huge cause for concern. 88.4 Suggested answers: 2 The firm makes job applicants do a test that analyses their handwriting for what it reveals about their personality. 3 The school always takes very seriously any case of bullying carried out over the internet or by phone. 4 Matt has a fear of anything technical. 5 He’s giving a paper at a special event taking place just before a conference in Spain. 6 She did a course in information science. 88.5 1 information + commercial, i.e. a television advert that gives information instead of selling something (e.g. explaining new social welfare regulations) 2 iPod + broadcast, i.e. radio programmes that you can download after they are broadcast and listen to on a personal audio player such as an iPod or smartphone. 3 camera + recorder, usually a small, portable video camera 4 vegetable + hamburger, i.e. a vegetarian hamburger 5 swimming + marathon, i.e. an event in which people attempt to swim a very long distance (probably done in order to raise money for charity) 6 free + software, i.e. software you can download without charge from the internet