Fun Facts: How I Integrate Etymology and Foundational Skills

Have you ever seen that skit where there is someone learning English that tries to apply one rule to an exception? Or do you remember sitting in grade school hearing that there were just some words that just don’t make sense and memorization in these cases were needed to remember these words. Memes, skits or questions have been brought up surrounding the complexities of the English language only perpetuating the idea that English is weird when in actuality, English is logical. It makes sense a great majority of the time. Fun fact: The English language is built on the pillars of Greek and Latin descent with French, Italian and Anglo Saxon influences. English is a mixture of all of these which is why English is multifaceted. The makeup of words is grounded in its history. Understanding the history, the evolution or the morphology of words, gives a deeper understanding of the language and helps to provide logic to a word and therefore making it less complex.

English words follow set patterns, which can be very helpful for a number of reasons. They make decoding words more predictable and encoding words easier. For example words with the /oi/ sound in the beginning and middle of the word use an “oi” spelling pattern, while “oy” is used when the sound appears at the end of a word. This is because English words typically do not end in letters i, u, v, or j. However, the real challenge comes with the exceptions… Those words that seem to break the rules altogether. Take the words “macaroni”, “spaghetti”, or “broccoli.” These words seem to defy the rule but their origins in Italian explain why they don’t follow typical English patterns. Knowing that some words are borrowed from other languages helps us understand that the English language is not illogical, it’s simply layered and complex.

Understanding that English is influenced by other languages also helps readers grasp the shifts in pronunciation. English is not “weird.” It is just shaped by its many linguistic roots. The origin of a word influences how it may be pronounced in English. For example, the “ch” spelling pattern is pronounced with a /k/ sound in words of Greek origin, like “school,” but with a /sh/ sound in words with a French origin, like “chef.” This etymological understanding helps students be more flexible in their pronunciation, allowing them to recognize patterns in how words from different languages are adapted into English.

Silent letters often contribute to the perception that English is odd. However, when students are taught to recognize silent letters as having a historical or morphological reason for their presence, they can begin to make connections between spelling and meaning. My favorite part about this line of phonics instruction is sharing fun facts that help build background knowledge around words.

Fun fact: Words with a “wr” spelling pattern for example have a Germanic origin that implies twisting. For instance, a “wreck” would involve vehicles twisting around each other in a collision. Your “wrist” is the turning joint that allows your hand to twist. When you “write,” you twist lines to form letters.

Fun fact: Another sub morpheme of Germanic origin are words with a “kn” spelling pattern connecting words to meanings like bending of joints or sharp and pointy. This opens the understanding for words like “knee” or “knuckle” have something to do with the joints of the body. This “knowledge” sure makes us stay sharp as we build meaning amongst these words. Understanding these silent letters not only helps students expand vocabulary, but it also improves decoding, spelling and comprehension skills.

Fun fact: The “tw” spelling pattern rooted in Old English can assist in understanding meanings of various words. The “tw-” signifies two or double. Think about it, we have words like “twin”, two babies or “twenty,” two tens. Even further, “between,” a place in the midst of two objects, or “twilight,” a period of time before sunrise but after sunset. Knowing a small piece of information might provide access to tons more words.

These little nuggets of knowledge have really transformed my approach in literacy instruction. When introducing irregular words, or spelling patterns, I do share with my class the knowledge around the spelling pattern. Time is taken to make meaningful connections that help explain the patterns and make logical sense of the English language. Oftentimes, young learners will overcompensate when learning. All of sudden, we all need two go two the park. Or, we have to dogs. These are common errors when approaching the homephones. Acknowledging the “tw” meaning helps differentiate words when students use it in context.

In the classroom, I guide student’s attention to the kinds of words that are encountered, especially if it seems weird. Most likely there is an etymological solution for its ambiguity. For example, have you ever pondered why there is an /h/ sound at the beginning of “who,” despite its “wh” spelling pattern?

Well, fun fact: etymology shows us that the sound goes back to its Old English roots. “Who” was spelled with an “h.” Then later adapted its “wh” spelling, which matches the question words, but the sound stuck. During literacy instruction, I do tell a tale to make young learners know that it is an odd word, for a reason.

One step further, sharing the background of words allows students to make better connections to words and their meanings. When studying animals and their habitats, the class stumbled upon the word carnivore. Imagine the connection that learners had, especially if they speak Spanish, a Latin based language, when “carne” was isolated from the word. “Carne” means meat in Spanish. Students were able to further identify that animals that are carnivores eat meat.

These fun facts are ways that vocabulary can be enhanced, cultural and social awareness can be built, and language development can be facilitated. I have found that when using this information during literacy instruction, content knowledge is a little stickier and students build relationships between word structure and meaning. It makes studying English an art. That is why they call it English Language Arts. Wouldn’t you agree?