WEEK 14 字源筆記

1. prefix, root and suffix

nihil : empty; not                             eg. annihilate, nihilism
annihilate (v.) to destroy a group of people or things completely
nihilism (n.) the belief that nothing in life has any importance or value

  
pro : in favor of                               eg. proponent, protagonist, proficient
proponent (n.) someone who publicly supports an idea, policy, plan etc

protagonist (n.) the main character in a play, film, book, or story
proficient (adj.) firm; loyal; strong in support
 
omni : all                                         eg. omniscient, omnipotent
omniscient (adj.) knowing everything
omnipotent (adj.) powerful enough to do everything

←→ impotent (adj.) unable to do anything effective because of a lack of power

astro : star                                      eg. astrological, astronomy, astronaut 
astrological (adj.) relating to the study of how the stars and planets move and how they might influence people’s characters and lives 

 
astronomy (n.) the scientific study of the stars, planets, and other objects in the universe

 
astronaut (n.) the symbol *. In a piece of writing, an asterisk is used after a word or phrase to show that more information is given in a footnote.

mono : one                                     monogamy, monotheism

bi : two                                            bicycle, bigamy

tri : three                                         triangle, trigonometry

quar : four                                       quarter

penta : five                                      pentagon, pentagram

oct : eight                                        octopus, October
October is the eighth month in the old Roman calendar, October retained its name after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the Romans.

nov : eleven                                    November

sub : under   ver : 推翻                   eg. subversive
subversive (adj.) intended to destroy the power or influence of a government or an established belief
    

2. extra information

a. James Madison

On the Congress wall,

"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

→ You are the Captain of your ship.

b. Dead poets society 春風化雨

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film written by Tom Schulman, directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in the Northeastern United States in 1959, it tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry.
→ extended metaphor → conceit (far rich) 
→ o captain! My captain!

c. O captain! My captain!

Part of text :

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead. 

→ About the death of Abraham Lincoln.

d. When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d

When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom’d,（多一個e就多一個音節，但詩韻是固定的）

And the great star early droop’d in the western sky in the night,

I mourn’d, and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.

                     （吶喊似的呼喊）

Ever-returning spring, trinity sure to me you bring,

                                                            （花的形狀像三角形）

Lilac blooming perennial and drooping star in the west,

And thought of him I love. 

   

You are the Captain of Your Ship

e. cinnamon bread 肉桂捲

f. NATO phonetic alphabet

The International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, commonly known as the NATO phonetic alphabet and also known as the ICAO radiotelephonic, phonetic or spelling alphabet and the ITU radiotelephonic or phonetic alphabet, is the most widely used radiotelephonic spelling alphabet.