SBI Life Spell Bee Season 14 Study Guide PDF

Presents Study Guide e o f b s  Thank You ! We would like to thank our young, ever enthusiastic & imm...

Presents Study Guide e o f b s  Thank You ! We would like to thank our young, ever enthusiastic & immensely helpful editorial board. Your valuable contributions to the Study Guide will always be remembered as that which completed the success of yet another addition to our endeavour. Anagha Bhargavi Sethuraman Goel ----------------------- ----------------------- Maharshi Vidya Mandir, Billabong High Chennai. International School, Arijit Bhopal. Medha Atreyee Das Prakash Ghosal ----------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------- D.A.V. Public School, Delhi Public School, Airoli, Navi Mumbai. Billabong High International School, North Yelahanka, Bhopal. Mahashweta Bangalore. Sadhna Chakravorti Ponnaluri ----------------------- ----------------------- Blue Bells School Delhi Public School, International, Kailash, Secunderabad, Delhi Hyderabad. Adithya Upadhya ----------------------- Carmel School, Padmanabhanagar, Bangalore. CV Ananya ----------------------- National Public School, Gopalapuram, Chennai. Sachita Olana Nishal Marie Peters ----------------------- ----------------------- Delhi Public School, La Martiniere for Girls, Surat. Kolkata. Vaswati Oishik Das Ray ----------------------- ----------------------- Gurukul Grammar Sr. La Martiniere for Boys, Secondary School, 11, Loudon Street, Guwahati Kolkata. Mithila AV Menezes Lakshmy ----------------------- ----------------------- Auxilium Convent High Gitanjali Sr. Sec. School, School, Mumbai. Begumpet, Hyderabad. Pratyush Ghosh ----------------------- Campion School - 13, Cooperage Road, Mumbai. 01  Welcome to the world of spellings! Welcome to the SBI Life Spell Bee Season 13 in association with Mirchi! This is India’s largest school level spelling competition. Having started in 2009, this initiative by Mirchi is currently in its thirteenth consecutive season and has successfully delivered enriched educative experiences to students across the country, year on year. Welcome to the official study guide for the competition! This guide has been designed to help students learn the art of spelling correctly. Spellings are an essential part of written communication which is vital in today’s world. The aim of the competition is to educate and sensitize students to spell correctly, in an entertaining manner. Our team of experts have spent years in understanding the manner in which students both spell and misspell. The content of the competition each year is accordingly crafted, keeping the requirement of students in mind. Each word is researched and added to the word bank, which helps take the competition to a level wherein we actually help students correctly spell words that they commonly misspell. Over the past twelve seasons, ours has become the quintessential name amongst spelling bees in the country and we endeavor to add value to the lives of Indian students, with interesting edutainment based value additions to our property. This guide is one such addition which explores the fun world of words and spellings. Get ready for a journey that delves into alphabetical patterns of words, traverses the globe in its hunt to find languages of origins and their nuances, thrills with the phonetics of homophones and entices you to learn new words and meanings. We hope that this becomes an educative and entertaining experience for each reader. 02  Misspelled Commonly mispelled words The simplest of words are often misspelled. In an age aided with ‘spell checks’ and ‘auto correct’ features, seldom does one have the time to recollect the correct spelling of a word. But this dependency also leads to gruesome errors that can cause serious miscommunication. What’s more important than recognizing a misspelled word is recognizing the pattern in which it is usually misspelled. This will ensure more often than not that the error does not recur. Given below is a list of commonly misspelled words and the manner in which they are usually misspelled. The correctly The common spelled word spelling error How to remember? Abscess Absciss The pronunciation is often misleading Abseil Absail The ending of abseil is spelled-seil; it is a German word. Follow the pronunciation. Absence Absense The ’c’ rules over ’s’ in this case. Acceptable Acceptible Accept a table. Accidentally Accidently Remember accidental and the fact that there is a double ’l’. Accommodate Accomodate Accommodate is big enough to accommodate two ’c’s and ’m’s. Accumulate Accummulate Two cups and a mug had accumulated in the bowl. Achieve Acheive ’I’ before ’e’ except after ’c’ (as in thief). Amateur Amatuer Amateur is not mature. Argument Arguement Suffix -’ment’ removes ’e’ from argue. Benign Beningn The end has a distinct ’ign’ just like design. Besiege Beseige ’I’ before ’e’ except after ’c’ (as in thief). Believe Beleive There is a lie in believe. Bellwether Bellweather Wether is a gelded ram chosen to lead the herd. Buoyant Boyant The language of origin is French also remember the word buoy. Bizarre Bizzare It’s one ’z’ and 2 ’r’s. Broccoli Brocolli It’s 2 ’c’s and 1 ’l’. The word has Italian origin hence the ’cc’ like in fettuccine. Bureaucracy Bureaucrasy The language of origin is Italian. Hence the ’eau’ and remember the use of ’c’ in the end and not ’s’. 03 The correctly The common spelled word spelling error How to remember? Calendar Calender Two ’a’s and one ’e’. Caffeine Caffine Caffeine should be spelled with a double f, then -ei-; it does not follow the rule i before e except after c. Changeable Changable Keep the final -e when adding -able to change to make sure that changeable is pronounced with a soft -ge- sound. Chauffeur Chauffer The word originates from French and hence the ’eur’ ending. Committee Commitee Double ’m,e,t’. Connoisseur Connoiseur Double ’n’, double ’s’. Cafeteria Cafetaria Remember the use of ’e’ as against ’a’ at the end. Cemetery Cemetary Consecutive three ’e’s. Correspondence Correspondance Don’t ’dance’ at the end of the word. It ends with an ’ence’ and not an ’ance’. Colonel Kernel There’s a ’colon’ at the start of the word. Conscientious Conscientous There’s an ’ious’ at the end. Daiquiri Diaquiri Named after the Daiquiri district of Cuba. It’s a ’dai’ in the beginning and not a ’dia’. Deceive Decieve ‘I’ before e except after ‘c’ (as in thief). Definitely Definitly It’s de + finitely. Dilemma Dillemma It has a single ’l’. Latin from Greek - ’di’ which is twice and ’lemma’ which is premise. Diarrhoea Diarrhea UK vs American English. Disappoint Dissapoint From old French, disappointer. It has 1 ’s’ and 2 ’p’s. Discipline Disipline This one has an ’sc’ in the middle. Drunkenness Drunkeness It’s drunken + ness. Dumbbell Dumbell Remember the double ’b’. Embarrassment Embarrasment It’s got a double ’r’ and double ’s’. Exercise Excercise Due to the pronunciation one tends to add the additional ’c’ after the ’x’. Remember not to do so. Enthral Enthrall UK vs US English. Double the l when adding endings which begin with a vowel to words which end in a vowel plus l (as in travel):(enthrals, enthralling, enthralled). 04 The correctly The common spelled word spelling error How to remember? Ecstasy Ecstacy One just has to remember the use of the ’s’ in the end. Entrepreneur Entreprener The word is from French origin; hence the use of ’eur’ in the end. Exhilarate Exhilerate Latin exhilarat - 'made cheerful’. Existence Existance It’s exis + tense. Fahrenheit Farenheit Remember to add the ’h’ before the ’r’. Fiery Feiry Follow the pronunciation. Fluorescent Florescent Remember that fluorescent and the related word fluorescence begin with fluor. Foreign Foriegn It’s fo + reign. Guarantee Guaranty Remember to tee off at the end. Gist Jist The word starts with a ’g’ and not a ’j’. Government Goverment A government has to govern. Harass Harrass The shorter this word ‘id’ the better it is. Drop the extra ’r’. Hierarchy Heirarchy There is no heir in hierarchy. Honorary Honourary If a word ends in -our (in this case honour), change -our to -or before adding -ary,-ific, and some other endings: honorary; honorific. Inoculate Innoculate Drop the extra ’n’. Idiosyncrasy Idiosyncracy Spell idiosyncrasy with - ’syn’ - in the middle; it ends with - ‘asy’. Judgement Judgment Judgement is the British spelling whereas judgment is the American spelling. Jewellery Jewelry Jewellery is the British spelling whereas jewelry is the American spelling. Knowledge Knowlege It’s know + ledge. Leisure Liesure Don’t lie about your leisures. Liaison Laison Don‘t forget to to add the extra ‘i’ in liaison. Lollipop Lollypop Remeber that lollipop is spelled with an i in the middle. Maintenance Maintainence Your main tenants. Manoeuvre Maneuver UK v/s US English. 05 The correctly The common spelled word spelling error How to remember? Mediaeval Medieval They gave me a two(dia) evalutions. Millennium Millenium The millennium is large enough to fit in two ’s’ and two ’n’s. Millennium was formed by analogy with words like biennium, while millenary and millenarian were formed from the Latin milleni. Hence the use of the double ’n’ is required. Minuscule Minuscule Minus - cule. Necessary Neccessary It’s necessary to cut some services. Neighbour Neighbor Neighbour is the British spelling whereas neighbour is the American Spelling Noticeable Noticable It’s notice + able Occurrence Occurence It’s got a double ’c’ and double ’r’. Pastime Passtime Don’t pass your time. Parallel Paralell The parallel pillars appear in the middle of the word. Pavilion Pavillion Spell pavilion with a single ‘l’. Playwright Playright Don’t right your play. Write your play. Pharaoh Pharoh Ends with a ’aoh’. Pigeon Pigoen It’s an ‘eon’ at the end. Possession Possesion It possesses two double ’s’s. Privilege Privilege From privus ‘private’ + lex, leg- ‘law’. Pronunciation Pronounciation Drop the ’o’. Also follow the pronunciatio Programme Program The British Spelling is ’programme’ whereas the American Spelling is ’program’. Propaganda Propoganda Same family as propagation. Hence the use of ’a’ instead of ’o’ at the end. Portuguese Portugese She welcomed her Portuguese guests. Questionnaire Questionnair A french word hence ends with an ’aire’. Receive Recieve i-before-e except after ’c’. Resistance Resistence Don’t get ’tense’ at the end of resistance. Receipt Reciept ‘i’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’ (as in receive). Referred Refered Final consonants are often doubled before suffixes (remit: remitted, remitting). 06 The correctly The common spelled word spelling error How to remember? Separate Seperate Separate emerges from to set apart. Hence the use of ’a’ as against ’e’. Siege Seige ‘i’ before e except after ‘c’ (as in thief). Subpoena Subpeona/supoena Remember the silent ‘b’ and the use of ‘oe’. Supersede Supercede Only English word based on this stem spelled - sede. Surprise Suprise Remember that surprise has an ‘r ’before and after the ‘p’. Sustenance Sustainance Same as maintenance. Tendency Tendancy Abolish your tendency to add an ‘a’ when not required. Tattoo Tatoo The word has a double ‘t’ and a double ’o’. Truly Truely The tendency is think of it as true + ly, which is wrong. Weird Wierd It does not follow the usual rule of i before e except after ‘c’. Until Untill The tendency is think of it as un + till, which is wrong. 07  Pear Pair Homophones ‘Won may not rest in piece if there sole is impure’. As absurd as that statement may appear, spelling errors occur very frequently because of homophones. The study of homophones is per se one of the language’s most interesting idiosyncrasy that brings together two similar sounding words, which most often than not have totally different meanings. So the next time you are attempting to spell out words like ‘one’, ‘peace’, ‘their’ or ‘soul’, ensure you understand the meaning of the word first. SBI Life Spell Bee Season 13 in association with Mirchi competition lets students understand the meaning of the word first, before they attempt answering it, at all levels. Given below is a list of homophones that should brighten up your day and give you a flavour of just how interesting the English language is! 08 Beau Bow (A male admirer) (a weapon for shooting arrows) Beer Bier (an alcoholic drink made from yeast-fermented malt flavoured (a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before burial with hops). or cremation or on which they are carried to the grave). Borough Burrow (a town or district which is an administrative unit). (a hole or tunnel dug by a small animal, especially a rabbit, as a dwelling). Bundt Bunt (a ring-shaped cake made in a fluted tube pan, called a Bundt pan). (Baseball (of a batter) gently tap (a pitched ball) without swinging in an attempt to make it more difficult to field). Complacence Complaisance (a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s (willingness to please others or to accept what they do or say achievements). without protest). Complement Compliment (a thing that contributes extra features to something else in such (a polite expression of praise or admiration). a way as to improve or emphasize its quality). Council Counsel (an advisory, deliberative, or administrative body of people (advice, especially that given formally). formally constituted and meeting regularly). Crewel Cruel (a thin, loosely twisted, worsted yarn used for tapestry and (wilfully causing pain or suffering to others, or feeling no embroidery). concern about it). Cygnet Signet (a young swan). (a small seal, especially one set in a ring, used instead of or with a signature to give authentication to an official document). Cymbal Symbol (a musical instrument consisting of a slightly concave round (a mark or character used as a conventional representation brass plate which is either struck against another one or of an object, struck function, or process, e.g. the letter or with a stick to make a ringing or clashing sound). letters standing for a chemical element or a character in musical notation). Discreet Discrete (careful and prudent in one’s speech or actions, especially in order (individually separate and distinct). to keep something confidential or to avoid embarrassment). Farrow Pharaoh (an act of giving birth to a litter of pigs). (a ruler in ancient Egypt). Ferrate Ferret (a salt in which the anion contains both iron (a domesticated polecat used chiefly for catching rabbits. (typically ferric iron) and oxygen). It is typically albino in coloration, but sometimes brown). Filter Philter (a porous device for removing impurities or solid particles (a drink supposed to arouse love and desire for a particular from a liquid or gas passed through it). person in the drinker; a love potion). 09 Fisher Fissure (a large brown marten valued for its fur, found in North American (a long, narrow opening or line of breakage made by woodland where it frequently preys on porcupines). cracking or splitting, especially in rock or earth). Flair Flare (a special or instinctive aptitude or ability for doing something well). (a sudden brief burst of bright flame or light). Foreword Forward (a short introduction to a book, typically by a person other than the author). (in the direction that one is facing or travelling; towards the front). Gild Guild (cover thinly with gold). (a medieval association of craftsmen or merchants, often having considerable power). Gorilla Guerrilla (a powerfully built great ape with a large head and short neck, (a member of a small independent group taking part found in the forests of central Africa. It is the largestl iving primate). in irregular fighting, typically against larger regular forces). Great Grate (of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above average). (reduce (food) to small shreds by rubbing it on a grater). Humerus Humorous (the bone of the upper arm or forelimb, forming joints at (causing laughter and amusement; comic). the shoulder and the elbow). Kernel Colonel (a softer, usually edible part of a nut, seed, or fruit stone (a rank of officer in the army and in the US air force, above a lieutenant contained within its shell). colonel and below a brigadier or brigadier general). Liar Lyre (a person who tells lies). (a stringed instrument like a small U-shaped harp with strings fixed to a crossbar, used especially in ancient Greece. Modern instruments of this type are found mainly in East Africa). Lightening Lightning (a drop in the level of the womb during the last weeks of (the occurrence of a natural electrical discharge of very pregnancy as the head of the fetus engages in the pelvis). short duration and high voltage between a cloud and the ground or within a cloud, accompanied by a bright flash and typically also thunder). Manner Manor (a way in which a thing is done or happens). (a large country house with lands). Marquee Marquis (chiefly British a large tent used for social or commercial functions). (a nobleman ranking above a count and below a duke). Moose Mousse (a large deer with palmate antlers and a growth of skin hanging (a sweet or savoury dish made as a smooth, light mass in which from the neck, native to northern Eurasia and northern North America. the main ingredient is whipped with cream and egg white). Also called ELK in Britain). Muscles Mussels (a band or bundle of fibrous tissue in a human or animal body (any of a number of bivalve molluscs with a brown or purplish-black that has the ability to contract, producing movement in or shell). maintaining the position of parts of the body). 10 Mustard Mustered (a hot-tasting yellow or brown paste made from the crushed (assemble (troops), especially for inspection seeds of certain plants, typically eaten with meat or used as a cooking ingredient). or in preparation for battle). Ordinance Ordnance (an authoritative order). (mounted guns; artillery). Principle Principal (a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation (first in order of importance; main). for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning). Quarts Quartz (a unit of liquid capacity equal to a quarter of a gallon or (a unit of liquid capacity equal to a quarter of a gallon or two pints, two pints, equivalent in Britain to approximately equivalent in Britain to approximately 1.13 litres and 1.13 litres and in the US to approximately 0.94 litre). in the US to approximately 0.94 litre). Racket Racquet (a bat with a round or oval frame strung with catgut, nylon, etc., (a bat with a round or oval frame strung with catgut, nylon, used especially in tennis, badminton, and squash). etc., used especially in tennis, badminton, and squash). This is one those special pair of homonyms that mean This is one those special pair of homonyms that mean mean and sound the same. and sound the same. Retch Wretch (make the sound and movement of vomiting). (an unfortunate or unhappy person). Rheumy Roomy ((especially of the eyes) full of rheum; watery). ((especially of accommodation) having plenty of room; spacious). Sachet Sashay (British a small sealed bag or packet containing a small quantity (walk in an ostentatious yet casual manner, typically with exagger- ated of something). movements of the hips and shoulders). Staid Stayed (sedate, respectable, and unadventurous). (remain in the same place). Stair Stare (a set of steps leading from one floor of a building to (look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something another, typically inside the building). with one’s eyes wide open). Stationary Stationery (not moving or not intended to be moved). (writing and other office materials). Step Steppe (an act or movement of putting one leg in front of (a large area of flat unforested grassland in SE Europe or Siberia). the other in walking or running). Suite Sweet (a set of rooms designated for one person’s or family’s (having the pleasant taste characteristic of sugar or honey; use or for a particular purpose). not salt, sour, or bitter). Tighten Titan (make or become tight or tighter). (Greek Mythology any of the older gods who preceded the Olympians and were the children of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaia (Earth). Led by Cronus, they overthrew Uranus; Cronus' son, Zeus, then rebelled against his father and eventually defeated the Titans). Timber Timbre (wood prepared for use in building and carpentry). (the character or quality of a musical sound or voice as distinct from its pitch and intensity). 11 Warrantee Warranty (a person to whom a warranty is given). (a written guarantee, issued to the purchaser of an article by its manufacturer, promising to repair or replace it if necessary within a specified period of time). Whither Wither (to what place or state). ((of a plant) become dry and shriveled) 12  Etymology From the time you wake up till you sleep, you say a million words and probably receive a gazillion each day. Some keep the practice going even while they sleep. Such is our love and necessity to live the English language every day. But have you ever stepped back and thought of where in the whole world do these words come from? Where were they born? Were they altered through time? Why are they spelled in a particular manner and not another? Behold the study of etymology! It is one of the most scientific, effective and fun methodologies to study spellings, and is an art mastered by champion spellers across the globe. The study delves into the languages of origin of a word and sometimes combines the study of phonetics, to reveal alphabetical patterns that traverse through the literature libraries of the oldest languages. Sometimes labyrinthine and sometimes simple, the use of etymology is like following a treasure trail with a magic rainbow of words and languages that lie at the end of it. In this section we attempt to bring forth the etymology based study of words from varied languages. What’s interesting is that etymology is not just for spelling competition aspirants but for everyone. It gives us a better understanding of how a word goes through the beautiful journey of being born of a certain language, passed on to a different one wherein it’s probably joined by another word or two, finally being selflessly borrowed by the global language of communication - English. Etymology makes us believe in the saying ‘The journey’s always bigger than the destination.’ History of Words! 13  Words of Latin Origin Latin is an old language that was spoken by the Romans and others. While we seldom speak the language today, several prominent languages used around the world today have emerged from Latin. It is also the language of the Vatican. People in the Roman Catholic Church sometimes use Latin for communication (if they have different mother tongues) and sometimes in ceremonies. Latin is also used by zoologists and botanists to name and describe every new species (type of plant or animal). Plants and animals are usually named in writing related to zoology and botany, by giving a Latin name alongside the name in a modern language. The Latin name is the one that has a precise, agreed definition. Latin was the most important language in most of Europe in the Middle Ages. It was taught in many European schools, and all universities used Latin as the teaching language. Latin began to lose its impor- tance in the Reformation, but it was still often used by authors of scientific books and encyclopedias. Until about 1900 many universities accepted dissertations written in Latin. Some languages spoken today came from the Latin language. Those languages are called Romance languages. The five largest Romance languages are French, Romanian, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Other Indo-European languages are related to Latin. The Romance languages are very close to each other, and it is possible for the speakers of one Romance language to understand another to at least some extent. For example, speakers of Portuguese can well understand Spanish. It can be said that the Romance languages are modern dialects of Latin. The following are certain alphabetical patterns that are predominant amongst English words of Latin origin. The letter ‘c’ often has a /k/ sound. Examples:- capricious, innocuous, carnivor The letter ‘x’ often has the /gz/ sound. Examples: exacerbate. When used in the combination ‘xious’ , for e.g. anxious, it is pronounced as angk-shuhs. The word ‘obnoxious’ is pronounced as uhb-nok-shuhs. Some Latin words have ‘gn’ as a single syllable. In these words ‘g’ is silent. The word rhymes with ‘nine’. Examples: benign, assign, design. An /s/ sound followed by any ‘e’ sound (long, short or schwa) is usually spelled as c Examples: exacerbate, access, adjacent, facetious, necessary, etc. But look out for words having the /s/ sound but ‘sc’ spelling. Examples: crescent, disciple, discipline, susceptible, corpuscle. 14 Latin Words ACINACEOUS From ‘acinous’ meaning berry - refers to berry-like properties of an object. ACRIMONIOUS From Acri (Sharp) and Mony (Nature or quality). Related to bitterness or sharpness of speech or manner. AESTIVATION From ‘aesta’ meaning summer - refers to animal dormancy in summer like hibernation in winter. CAPILLARIES From ‘capillus’ meaning hair - refers to the hair-like thin blood vessels on the skin. CAPODECINA From ‘caput’ meaning head - refers to a head of ten families. DECIMATION From ‘deca’ meaning tenth - refers to a Roman punishment where every tenth soldier of a mutinous group was killed. DEFENESTRATION From De (Removal) and Fenestra (Window). The act of throwing someone out of a window. DIURNALITY From ‘die’ meaning day - refers to changes taking place during day and night. EMBELLISHMENT From ‘bellus’ meaning pretty - refers to beautifying something or improving it. EXHUMATION From Ex (Former or Removed) and Humare (To Bury). To dig up something buried, esp a corpse. FALCIFORM From Falcatus (Sickle) and Form (Shape). A sickle-shaped item or organ in the body. FELICITATIONS From ‘felix’ meaning happy- refers to joyous celebration of someones work or achievements. FIDUCIARY From Fiduci (a Trust) and Ary (Belonging to). A person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another. IMMACULATE From ‘macula’ meaning a spot - refers to a spotlessly clean object or behaviour. INDENTURED From In (Part of) and Dentured (Toothlike impression). Refers to a legal contract written in duplicate on the same sheet, with the copies separated by cutting along a jagged (toothed, hence the term ‘indenture’) line so that the teeth of the two parts could later be refitted to confirm authenticity. LAPIDARY From Lapid (Of stone) and Ary (Belonging to). Refers to the art of converting stones and minerals into decorative items. OBFUSCATE From Ob (Towards) and Fuscus (Dark). It refers to the hiding of intended meaning in communication. PROCRASTINATE From Pro (Before) and Castinare (of Tomorrow). Refers to putting away things to be done for tomorrow. QUATREFOIL From ‘folium’ meaning leaf - refers to something that has four leaves. REINCARNATE From Re (Again) and Carnal (Related to flesh). To be born again in a new body. 15  Words of French origin French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick (Acadia region) in Canada, the Acadiana region of the U.S. state of Louisiana, the northern parts of the U.S. states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in the New England region, and by various communities elsewhere. French is an Italic language descended from the spoken Latin language of the Roman Empire, as are languages such as Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Lombard, Catalan, Sicilian and Sardinian. Its closest relatives are the other langues d’oïl - languages historically spoken in northern France and in Belgium, which French has largely supplanted. French is an official language in 29 countries, most of which form la francophonie (in French), the community of French-speaking countries. It is an official language of all United Nations agencies and a large number of international organizations. French uses the Roman alphabet, with English. There are a few differences, because vowels can have three types of diacritics added on to them. These are the acute accent é; grave accent è and circumflex accent î. A cedilla can also be added onto a c to make ç. If a word ends with a consonant, this will usually not be pronounced unless the next word starts with a vowel. However, if the word is very short or the last consonant is a c, r, l or f, this is still pronounced. The following are certain alphabetical patterns that are predominant amongst English words of French origin. ‘ch’ is usually pronounced as /sh/. Examples: chagrin, chauvinism, chaise, chalet, champagne, chandelier, chaperone, chateau, chef, chiffon, brochure, cache, crochet, machine, parachute, moustache. Words containing ‘ette’ at the end, for e.g., layette, are pronounced as ley-et. Examples: corvette, lunette. Words containing ‘ie’ at the end, for e.g. prairie, are pronounced as prair-ee. Words containing ‘que’ at the end, for e.g. bouquet, are pronounce as boh-kay. Words like ‘gauche’ and ‘quiche’ are pronounced as /gosh/ and /keesh/ respectively. ‘que’ is usually pronounced as /k/. Examples: boutique, mystique, etiquette, masque, liqueur, critique, plaque. ‘oire’ at the end of the word is usually pronounced as /wahr/. For example: repertoire, armoire, bete noire, escritoire. 16 French Words ACCOUTREMENTS From Accoustre (Equip or arrange) and Mend (Sew together). Term used for the equipment, excluding weapons and clothing, of a soldier. BIVOUAC From Bei (By) and Wacht (Watch). It is a temporary encampment with few facilities, as used by soldiers, mountaineers. BOURGEOIS From Burg (Town) and Geois (person). A member of the middle class, an ordinary person. CAMOUFLAGE From Camoufler (To disguise) and Age (A collective set). Used for an act, means, or result of obscuring things to deceive an enemy. CHAMELEON From cameleon or ‘on the earth, on the ground’ + léōn or ‘lion’. CHATEAU From French castel or large house. CHIVALRY From Old French word chevalerie, ‘knighthood, chivalry, nobility, cavalry’ - thus relating to the strict code of conduct of these men. CINEPHILE From Cine (Cinema) and Phile (Lover). A person who is a lover of movies. CLOISTER From Old French cloistre, ‘portion of monastery closed off to laity. An area that is only meant for monks. DEMARCHE From ‘to march’ - meaning a diplomatic move where you order another nation to watch its move. DÉTENTE From French for ‘Relaxation’ - A relaxing of tension, especially between countries. DISTINGUISH From Dis (Apart) and Stinguere (To Prick). To recognize as distinct or different; recognize the salient or individual features or characteristics of something. ESPIONAGE From Espionn (To Spy) and Age (process). The act or practice of spying. FRICASSEE From Fri (Fry) and Casser (To break or damage). Used for meat that is browned lightly, stewed and served with a sauce of its own stock. GENDARME From Gens d armes - Gens (People) and Armes (Arms). Used for a police officer in any of several European countries, especially a French police officer. LIEUTENANT From Lieu (Place) and Tenant (Holding). The notion is of a ‘substitute’ for higher authority. Specific military sense of ‘officer next in rank to a captain’. MERINGUE From ‘light evening meal’, derivative of meren ‘to dip or soak bread’. Refers to the process of making the dish. PAVILION From pavilloun or ‘butterfly, moth’ due to resemblance of tent to a butterfly’s wings. 17 French Words POTPOURRI From Rotten Pot. Now used for a mixture of dried flower petals, leaves, and spices that is used to make a room smell pleasant. QUATREFOIL From Quatre (Four) and Foil (Leaflets). Refers to a leaf composed of four leaflets. RAPPROCHEMENT From Rapproche (To bring near) and Ment (Action or resulting state). Relates to an establishment or reestablishment of harmonious relations. RECONNAISSANCE From ‘recognition’. The act of scouting or exploring - especially military - to gain information. RENDEZVOUS From Rendez (Present) and Vous (Yourself). Now used for a meeting or appointment to meet at specified time and place. SOUFFLE From French souffler or ‘to puff’. Describes the state of the cooked sweet. SURVEILLANCE From French surveillance or ‘a watching over, overseeing, supervision’ and veillier ‘to stay awake’. SUZERAIN From Sus (Above) and Reign (Rule). A state exercising some degree of dominion over a dependent state, usually controlling its foreign affairs. TURQUOISE From turqueise or ‘Turkish stone’. The stone was originally brought to Europe from Turkestan. 18  Words of German origin German (Deutsch) is a West Germanic language related to and classified alongside Dutch and English. German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Most German vocabulary is derived from the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family. A number of words are derived from Latin and Greek, and fewer from French and English. German is written using the Latin alphabet. In addition to the 26 standard letters, German has three vowels with umlauts (Ä/ä, Ö/ö, and Ü/ü) and the letter ß. The languages which are most similar to (Standard) German are Luxembourgish, Lorraine Franconian, Alsatian, Afrikaans, Dutch, the Frisian languages and English. The following are certain alphabetical patterns that are predominant amongst English words of German origin. ‘A /k/ sound at the beginning of the word is usually spelled as ‘k’. Examples: kitsch, einkorn. A /k/ sound at the end of the word is usually spelled as ‘ck’. Examples: knapsack, glockenspiel. The ‘ei’ in the word is usually pronounced as /aye/. Examples: fraulein, Meistersinger, zeitgeber. The ‘ie’ in the word is usually pronounced as /ee/ as in ‘teeth’. Examples: glockenspiel, blitzkrieg. The ‘v’ in the word is usually pronounced as /f/. Examples: Volkswagen, volkslied, herrenvolk, vorlage. The letter ‘z’ when folloed by ‘t’ in a words, is not pronounced as /z/ but as /s/. For example: pretzel, blitzkrieg, spritz.] The /sh/ sound is usually spelled as ‘sch’. Examples: schadenfreude, schottische. The letter ‘w’ is pronounced as /v/. Examples: bratwurst, weissnichtwo, edelweiss. 19 German Words ABSEILING From ‘to rope down’ - also called rappelling, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope. ANSCHLUSS Used for ‘connection’ or union, political annexation. BLITZKRIEG From Blitz (Lightning) and Krieg (War). A sudden and overwhelming military attack specially used by Germans under Hitler. BRATWURST From Brat (Bake or Roast) and Wurst (Sausage). A sausage made of pork, spices, and herbs, sometimes without a casing, usually served sautéed or broiled. DELICATESSEN From Delikat (Fine or exotic) and Essen (Food). A shop selling various foods, especially unusual or imported foods, already cooked or prepared. DOPPELGANGER From Doppel (Double) and Ganger (Goer). Used for someone who looks like someone else or a ghost that looks like a living person. EDELWEISS From Edel (Noble) and Weiss (White). Refers to a small white Alpine flower. ERSATZ From ‘replacement’ or substitute, usually implying inferiority to the original. FUHRER Meaning ‘leader, guide’ - a term that still has Hitler/Nazi connections in English, more than 70 years after it first came into use. GESUNDHEIT From Gesund (Healthy) and Heit (Hood). Used to wish good health, especially to a person who has just sneezed. GLOCKENSPIEL From Glocken (Bell) and Spiel (Play). Refers to a musical instrument played by striking tuned flat metal plates. HINTERLAND From Hinter (Back) and Land (Country). The remote or less developed parts of a country; back country: KINDERGARTEN From Kinder (Children) and Garten (Garden). A new type of school first created in Blankenberg by Friedrich Fröbel in 1839. KITSCHY From ‘kitsch’ - something gaudy or pretentious, in poor taste relating to art, literature, furnishings etc. LAGER From ‘storeroom, warehouse’ - lager beer gets its name from the fact that it is stored for aging. LEBENSRAUM From Leben (Living) and Sraum (Space). A territory for political or economic expansion; originally related to German imperialism. LEDERHOSEN From Leder (Leather) and Hosen (Trousers or shorts). Leather shorts, usually with suspenders, worn especially in Bavaria Germany. LEITMOTIV From Leit (Dominant) and Motiv (Theme). Something (such as a short piece of music, an idea, or a phrase) that is repeated many times throughout an opera, book, story, etc. 20 German Words OKTOBERFEST From Oktober (October) and Fest (Festival). A traditionalfestival held in october specially in Munich. POLTERGEIST From Poltern (Noisy) and Geist (Ghost). A ghost or spirit supposed to manifest its presence by noises, knockings etc. REICHSTAG From ‘imperial diet’ - Der Reichstag was the German parliament prior to WWII. REALPOLITIK From Real (Real) and Politik (Politics). Political realism or practical politics, especially policy based on power rather than on ideals. RUCKSACK From Ruck (Back) and Sack (Sack). a type of knapsack carried by hikers, bicyclists, etc. SAUERKRAUT From Sauer (Sour) and Kraut (Greens). Finely cut and pickled cabbage. SCHADENFREUDE From Schaden (Sadness) and Freude (Joy). A feeling of enjoyment over someone’s misfortune. VOLKSWAGON From Volks (People) and Wagon (Car). Prominent brand name meaning People’s car that came into prominence during the Nazi regime. WANDERJAHR From ”wander year,” a year of travel before settling down in one's vocation; The ‘Gap Year’ of USA. ZEITGEIST From Zeit (Time) and Geist (Spirit). Refers to the general beliefs, ideas, and spirit of a time and place. 21  Words of Japanese origin Japanese is an East Asian language spoken by about 125 million speakers, primarily in Japan, where it is the national language. It is a member of the Japonic (or Japanese-Ryukyuan) language family, whose relation to other language groups, particularly to Korean and the suggested Altaic language family, is debated. Little is known of the language's prehistory, or when it first appeared in Japan. Chinese documents from the 3rd century recorded a few Japanese words, but substantial texts did not appear until the 8th century. Late Middle Japanese (1185–1600) saw changes in features that brought it closer to the modern language, as well the first appearance of European loanwords. Following the end in 1853 of Japan's self-imposed isolation, the flow of loanwords from European languages increased significantly. English loanwords in particular have become frequent, and Japanese words from English roots have proliferated. Japanese is a language with simple phonotactics, a pure vowel system, phonemic vowel and consonant length, and a lexically significant pitch-accent. Nouns have no grammatical number or gender, and there are no articles. Verbs are conjugated, primarily for tense and voice, but not person. Japanese equivalents of adjectives are also conjugated. Japanese has a complex system of honorifics with verb forms and vocabulary to indicate the relative status of the speaker, the listener, and the people mentioned. Japanese has no genealogical relationship with Chinese, but it makes extensive use of Chinese characters, or kanji, in its writing system, and a large portion of its vocabulary is borrowed from Chinese. Along with kanji, the Japanese writing system primarily uses two syllabic (or moraic) scripts, hiragana and katakana. Latin script is used in a limited way, such as for imported acronyms, and the numeral system uses mostly Arabic numerals, alongside traditional Chinese numerals. Japanese was little studied by non-Japanese before the Japanese economic bubble of the 1980s. Since then, along with the spread of Japanese popular culture, the number of students of Japanese has reached the millions. The following are certain alphabetical patterns that are predominant amongst English words of Japanese origin. The long /e/ sound at the end of the word usually states that the words ends with ‘Iexamples: sushi, teriyaki, kabuki, origami, nori, takoyaki, tsunami. But, the long /e/ sound could also indicate that the word ends with ‘e’. Examples: netsuke, enokitake, matsutake, shitake, etc. The /oo/ sound indicates that the word ends with ‘u’. Examples: haiku, tofu, fugu, kombu, shoyu, Sudoku, etc. The /oh/ sound indicates that the word ends with ‘o’ Examples: honcho, sumo, inro, kimono, bento, ginkgo, miso, panko, udo, etc. /ay/ sound is spelled ei in some words from Japanese. Examples: geisha, issei, sensei, keiretsu, Meiji, etc. 22 Japanese Words BONSAI From Bon (Tray) and Sai (Planting). A tree or shrub that has been dwarfed by pruning the roots and is grown in a pot or other container. EDAMAME From Eda (Branch) and Mame (Beans). Refers to soybeans boiled whole in the green pod and served with salt. GEISHA A lady who was trained in many arts; traditional Japanese artist-entertainers. GINGKO From Gin (Silver) and Kyo (Apricot). A widely planted ornamental gymnosperm tree, with fan-shaped deciduous leaves and fleshy yellow fruit. It is used in herbal remedies and as a food supplement. HAIKU From Haikai (Jesting verse) and Ku (Stanza). A major form of Japanese verse, written in 17 syllables divided into 3 lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. HARAKIRI From Hara (Belly) and Kiri (Cut). Also called seppuku. ceremonial suicide by ripping open the abdomen with a dagger, practiced by the warrior class when disgraced. IKEBANA From Ike (To make live) and Bana (Flowers). The Japanese art of arranging flowers. KABUKI From Ka (Singing), Bu (Dancing) and Ki (Art). A form of Japanese drama based on popular legends and characterized by elaborate costumes, stylized acting, and the use of male actors for all roles. KAMIKAZE From Kami (God) and Kaze (Wind). English for Japanese World War II suicide pilots; in Japanese, refers to strong winds that twice scuppered Mongol attempts to invade Japan. KARAOKE From Kara (Empty) and Oke (Orchestra). An act of singing along to a music video, especially one from which the original vocals have been electronically eliminated. KARATE From Kara (Empty) and Tai (Hands). a method developed in Japan of defending oneself without the use of weapons by striking sensitive areas on an attacker’s body with the hands, elbows, knees, or feet. KAROSHI From Kae (Excess), Ro (Labour) and Shi (Death). In Japan death caused by overwork. KIMONO From Ki (Wear) and Mono (Thing). A loose, wide-sleeved robe, fastened at the waist with a wide sash, characteristic of Japanese costume. ORIGAMI From Ori (Fold) and Kami (Paper). The traditional Japanese art or technique of folding paper into a variety of decorative or representational forms, as of animals or flowers. RICKSHAW From Jinrikishaw meaning Jin (Person) Riki (Power) and Shaw (Vehicle). The contracted form is now used for a small, two-wheeled, cartlike passenger vehicle pulled by one person. SASHIMI From Sashi (Stabbing or piercing) and Myi (Body or flesh). Refers to Japanese dishes of raw fish cut into thin slices. 23 Japanese Words SAYONARA From Sayo (That way) and Nara (If)- meaning If it be that way. Term for ‘goodbye’; in Japanese it has formal and final connotations: you wouldn’t say it if you expect to meet again soon. SEPPUKU Means ‘cutting the abdomen’; a form of ritual suicide by disembowelment. SHIATSU From Shi (Fingers) and Ya (Pressure). A Japanese massage technique that includes the use of acupressure. SUDOKU A number placement puzzle, also known as Number Place in the United States. TEPPANYAKI A type of Japanese cuisine that uses a hot iron griddle (teppan) to cook food. TERIYAKI From Teri (Glaze) and Yaki (Broil). A dish of grilled slices of beef, chicken, or fish that have been marinated in soy sauce seasoned with sake, ginger, and sugar. TSUNAMI Literally ‘harbour wave’; Large wave caused by earthquakes or other underwater disturbances. TYCOON From Tai (Great) and Kun (Prince). A businessperson of great wealth and power; magnate. Also a title used with reference to the shogun of Japan. WASABI A strongly flavoured green condiment commonly known as Japanese horseradish. YAKITORI From Yaki (Broil) and Tori (Fowl). A dish of small pieces of boneless chicken, usually marinated, skewered, and grilled. 24  Words of Arabic origin Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD. Arabic belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family. Arabic languages are Central Semitic languages, most closely related to Aramaic, Hebrew, Ugaritic and Phoenician. The standardized written Arabic is distinct from and more conservative than all of the spoken varieties, and the two exist in a state known as diglossia, used side-by-side for different societal functions. The modern written language (Modern Standard Arabic) is derived from the language of the Quran (known as Classical Arabic or Quranic Arabic). It is widely taught in schools, universities and used to varying degrees in workplaces, government and the media. Arabic has lent many words to other languages of the Islamic world, like Persian, Turkish, Somali, Swahili, Bosnian, Kazakh, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, Malay and Hausa. During the Middle Ages, Literary Arabic was a major vehicle of culture in Europe, especially in science, mathematics and philosophy. As a result, many European languages have also borrowed many words from it. Arabic influence, both in vocabulary and grammar, is seen in Romance languages, particularly Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan and Sicilian, owing to both the proximity of Christian European and Muslim Arab civilizations and 900 years of Arabic culture and language in the Iberian Peninsula referred to in Arabic as al-Andalus. Arabic has also borrowed words from many languages, including Hebrew, Greek, Persian and Syriac in early centuries, Turkish in medieval times and contemporary European languages in modern times, mostly from English and French. The following are certain alphabetical patterns that are predominant amongst English words of Arabic origin. Double consonants are usually seen in words of Arabic Origin. Examples: carrack, coffee, gazelle, luffa, massicot, mummy, tariff, tarragon, tazza, demitasse. Many words begin with ‘al’ Examples: alfalfa, algebra, alchemy, alcohol, alcove, alembic, algorithm, alizarin, alkali. The long /e/ sound can be spelled as ‘i’ as well as ‘y’. Examples (for ‘Isafari. Tahini, Examples (for ‘y’): alchemy. The schwa sound at the end is usually spelled as ‘a’. Examples: alfalfa, algebra, henna, tuna, soda, sofa. The letter ‘g’ is sometimes pronounced like a ‘j’. Examples: algebra, gazelle, gerbil. 25 Arabic Words ALCHEMY From ‘al-kimiya’ meaning in particular ”studies about substances through which the generation of gold and silver may be artificially accomplished”. ALEMBIC From ‘al-anbiq’ meaning a distilling still. ALFALFA From ‘al-fifisa’ name of a fodder grass. Alfalfa had a reputation as the best fodder for horses in Spain. ALGORITHM From ‘al-khwārizmī’, a short name for the mathematician Muhammad ibn Mūsā al-Khwārizmī. The Latinization of this name to ”Algorismi” gave algorithm. AMBERGRIS From ‘anbar’ came amber and from there ambergris. It is a waxy material produced in the stomach of sperm whales and used historically for perfumery. ASSASSIN From ‘hashāshīn’, an Arabic nickname for the Nizari Ismaili religious sect which consumes Hashish and carried out assassi nations against chiefs of other sects. AUBERGINE From ‘al-bādinjān’ a plant native to India. It was introduced to the Mediterranean region by the medieval Arabs. AZIMUTH From ‘al-sumūt’ the paths, the directions, the azimuths. The word’s origin is in medieval Arabic astronomy and especially the Arabic version of the Astrolabe. BEZOAR From ‘bāzahr’ a type of hard bolus, containing calcium compounds, sometimes formed in the stomachs of goats and other ruminants. COFFEE From ‘qahwa’ comes coffee. Coffee drinking originated in Yemen in the 15th century and the word Caffe also comes from the same root. DAMASK From ‘dimashq’, city of Damascus. The damask fabric emerged in the Western languages when Damascus was an Arabic-speaking city. DECIPHER From ‘sifr’ an arabic word that means zero, came cipher and then decipher from that. HUMMUS From ‘himmas’, chickpea(s). Chickpeas in medieval Arabic were called himmas and were a frequently eaten food item. Hummus is made from chick peas. JULEP From ‘julāb’, rose water or gulab = ”rose water”. In its early use in English it was a syrupy drink. Mint Julep is the official drink of the Indianapolis Horse Racing competition. LUTE From ‘al-ʿaūd’ - the oud. Al-ʿaūd was one of the chief musical instruments of the medieval Arabs. The word became Laud first and then Lute. MAGAZINE From ‘makhāzin’ or storehouses from Arabic root khazan, to store. More commonly in English a magazine was an arsenal, a gunpowder store, and later in the publishing sense meaning a store of information about military or navigation subjects. MARCASITE From ‘marqashīthā’ or iron sulfide.In modern English, marcasite marcasite jewelry is jewelry made from isometric iron sulfide. 26 Arabic Words MATTRESS From ‘matrah’, a large cushion or rug for lying on. In Arabic it evolved out of the sense ‘something thrown down’ from Arabic root tarah = ‘to throw’. MOHAIR From ‘al-mokhayyar’, high-quality cloth made from fine goat hair. From Arabic root khayar = ‘choosing, preferring’. MONSOON From ‘mawsim’ or season, used in Arabic for anything that comes round once a year and used by Arab sailors in the East Indies for the seasonal sailing winds. MUSLIN From ‘mūsilī’ - a fine lightweight fabric made in Mosul in Mesopotamia, usually cotton, sometimes linen. 27  Words of Italian origin Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Somalia, Libya, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and by expatriate communities in the Americas and Australia. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four official languages; it is studied and learned in all the confederation schools and spoken, as a native language, in the Swiss cantons of Ticino and Grigioni and by the Italian immigrants that are present in large numbers in German- and French-speaking cantons. It is also the official language of San Marino, as well as the primary language of the Vatican City. It is co-official in Slovenian Istria and in Istria County in Croatia. The Italian language adopted by the state after the unification of Italy is based on Tuscan, which beforehand was a language spoken mostly by the upper class of Florentine society. Its development was also influenced by other Italian languages and by the Germanic languages of the post-Roman invaders. Italian is descended from Latin. Unlike most other Romance languages, Italian retains Latin's contrast between short and long consonants. As in most Romance languages, stress is distinctive. Among the Romance languages, Italian is the closest to Latin in terms of vocabulary. The following are certain alphabetical patterns that are predominant amongst English words of Italian origin. Long /ee/ sound at the end of the word is mostly spelled as ‘i’. Examples: graffiti, confetti, macaroni. The /oh/ sound at the end of the word is spelled as ‘o’. Examples: incognito, vibrato, stucco, virtuoso, maestro, intaglio, impasto, brio, impresario, trio, studio, pistachio, fresco, bambino, pesto, paparazzo. Latin words do not have the spelling ‘sh’. So you can safely assume that the sound /sh/ is spelled as ‘ch’ or ‘sc’. Examples: Machiavellian, maraschino, pistachio, charlatan. The /k/ sound can be spelled as ‘cc’ if it comes before /oh/ sound. Examples: stucco, piccolo, staccato, broccoli, radicchio. Another spelling of the /k/ sound is ‘ch’. Examples: scherzo, architecture, bruschetta, baldachin, archipelago. The /ee-nee/ sound is spelled as ‘ini’. Examples: linguini, martini, Panini, tortellini, zucchini. The double consonant ‘zz’ is pronounced as /ts/. Examples: pizza, pizzicato, piazza, mozzarella, mizzen, intermezzo, mezzanine, terrazza, pizzeria. Latin words do not use the alphabets – j, k, w, x, and y. 28 Italian Words ANTIPASTO From Ante (before) and Pasto (Food). A course of appetizers consisting of an assortment of foods, as olives, anchovies, sliced sausage, peppers, and artichoke hearts. ARCHIPELAGO From Archi (Primitive or leader) and Pelagos (Sea). Any large body of water studded with islands. BALLERINA From Baller (To Dance) and Ina (pertaining to). A principal female dancer in a ballet company. BANK From ‘banca’ or bench on which financial transactions were conducted in Italy. BANKRUPT From Banka (Bench) and Rotta (Broken). Any insolvent debtor; a person unable to satisfy any just claims made upon him or her. BARISTA It means ‘bartender’; A preparer of esperesso-based coffee. BARITONE From Bary (Heavy or Low) and Tono (Tone). A male voice or voice part intermediate between tenor and bass. BELVEDERE From Belleus (Fine) and Videre (To see). A building, or architectural feature of a building, designed and situated to look out upon a pleasing scene. BERLINETTA From ‘little saloon’. A two-seater sports car. BISCUIT From Bis (Twice) and Cuire (Cooked). Refers to something that is ³cooked twice. Unlike bread which is cooked once. CAPPUCCINO From ‘little Capucin’. A reference to the similarity between the drink’s colour and that of the brown hoods of Capuchin friars. CARICATURE From Caricat (Loaded or distorted) and Ure (act). Thus, the word essentially means a ‘loaded portrait’ & refers only to depictions of real-life people. CASINO From Cassa (House) and Ino (diminutive suffix). A building especially equipped with gambling devices, gambling tables. CHIAROSCURO From Chiaro (Clear) and Obscuro (Dark). It relates to a pictorial representation in terms of light and shade without regard to color. DILETTANTE From D’dilettent’ or amateur. A person who enjoys the arts or someone who engages in a field out of casual interest rather than as a profession. FINANCE From ‘affinare’, meaning ‘do something precisely’ in economic terms. JEANS After the Italian city of Genoa where this type of trousers originated. MACCHIATO Which means ‘stained’. Espresso coffee with a small dash of milk, thus a bit stained. MALARIA From Mal (Bad) and Aria (Air). As the disease was thought to be because of bad air since it was mostly found near marshy polluted areas. MOZZARELLA From ‘mozzere’ or ‘to cut off’ - derived from the method of making the cheese - by spinning and cutting. 29 Italian Words NEUTRINO From Neuter (Neutral) and Ino (made of). A stable elementary particle with very small or possibly zero rest mass that travels at the speed of light. PAPARAZZI From the name of a character in the film La Dolce Vita who chased celebrities to take their photos. PARTISAN From Parte (Faction) and Ese (Belonging to). An adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, especially a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance. PELLAGRA From Pelle (Skin) and Agra (Paroxysm or siezure). A disease caused by a dietary deficiency of nicotinic acid, characterized by burning or itching often followed by scaling of the skin, inflammation of the mouth, diarrhoea, mental impairment. REPLICA From ‘repeat performance’; now used for anything that is copied. SEPIA From ‘seppia’ which means cuttlefish. The colour comes from a type of ink made from cuttlefish secretion. SPAGHETTI From spaghetto meaning ‘thin string’ or ‘twine’. Refers to the shape of the food product. STILETTO In Italian means ‘thick dagger’, while the shoes are literally called ³needle heels’. TERRACOTTA From Terra (Earth) and Cotta (Baked). A hard unglazed brownish-red earthenware, or the clay from which it is made. UMBRELLA From Umbra (Shade) and Ella (All). a portable device used for protection against rain, snow, etc. and consisting of a light canopy supported on a collapsible metal frame mounted on a central rod. 30  Words of Spanish origin Spanish, also called Castilian, is a Romance language that originated in Castile, a region of Spain. Approximately 406 million people speak Spanish as a native language, making it second only to Mandarin in terms of its number of native speakers worldwide. It also has 60 million speakers as a second language, and 20 million students as a foreign language. Spanish is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, and is used as an official language by the European Union and Mercosur. Spanish is a part of the Ibero-Romance group of languages, which evolved from several dialects of common Latin in Iberia after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century. It was first documented in central-northern Iberia in the ninth century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia. From its beginnings, Spanish vocabulary was influenced by its contact with Basque and by other related Ibero-Romance languages and later absorbed many Arabic words, during the Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula. It also adopted many words from non-Iberian languages, particularly the Romance languages Occitan, French, Italian and Sardinian and increasingly from English in modern times, as well as adding its own new words. Spanish was taken to the colonies of the Spanish Empire in the sixteenth century, most notably to the Americas as well as territories in Africa, Oceania and the Philippines. Spanish is the most widely understood language in the Western Hemisphere, with significant populations of native Spanish speakers ranging from the tip of Patagonia to as far north as New York City and Chicago. Since the early 21st century, it has arguably superseded French in becoming the second-most-studied language and the second language in international communication, after English. The following are certain alphabetical patterns that are predominant amongst English words of Italian origin. The /oh/ sound at the end of the word is spelled as ‘o’. Examples: embargo, cilantro, ancho, machismo, bolero, burrito, pueblo, churro. The long /ee/ sound is usually spelled as ‘i’. Examples: mariachi, daiquiri. The /k/ sound is spelled as ‘qu’ if followed by a lone /ee/, long /a/ or short /i/ Examples: quesadilla, quinoa, quadroon, quetzal, quixotism. The /k/ sound can also be spelled as ‘c’ when the vowel sound that follows is a schwa. Examples: flamenco, junco, castanets, canasta, caballero, cafeteria, Caribbean. ‘ll’ is pronounced as /y/. Examples: quesadilla, tortilla, camarilla. ‘j’ is pronounced as /h/. Examples: junta, jalapeno, jojoba. 31 Spanish Words AFICIONADO From Aficionar (To arouse affection) and Ado (infinitive suffix). An ardent supporter or devotee. ALLIGATOR From Al (The) and Legarto (Lizard). A large crocodile having powerful jaws and sharp teeth and differing from the crocodiles in having a shorter and broader snout. ANCHOVY From Anchoa (Small fishes) and Vies (Plural). Any of various small marine food fishes. They have a salty taste and are often tinned or made into a paste or essence. ARMADILLO From Armad (Armed) and Illo (Diminutive suffix). Any of several burrowing, chiefly nocturnal mammals having strong claws and a protective covering of bony plates. BREEZE From ‘brisa’ - a cold northeasterly wind. BONANZA From Bon (Good) and Acia (Calm Sea). A source of great and sudden wealth or luck; a spectacular windfall. BURRITO Literally meaning ‘little donkeys’, originally a dish from Mexico. CAFETERIA From Café (Coffee) and Teria (Place). A restaurant in which patrons wait on themselves, carrying their food to tables from counters where it is displayed and served. CANYON From ‘canon’ meaning a tube or pipe or gorge. CEDILLA From ‘little Z’- elsewhere- it is the small z that is below the letter C and changes its pronunciation to S eg. Curacao. CHOCOLATE From Xococ (Bitter) and Atl (Water). A preparation of the seeds of cacao, roasted, husked, and ground, often sweetened. COLORADO From Colo (Colour) and Rado (Red tinted). U.S. state admitted as a state in 1876, named for the river Rio Colorado. COMRADE From Camara (Room) and Ade (Mate). A fellow member of a political party, especially a fellow Communist or socialist. EMBARGO From ‘embargar’ - which means ‘to sieze’ or ‘impound’. GUACAMOLE From Ahuaca (Avocado) and Molli (Sauce). A dip of mashed avocado mixed with tomato, onion, and seasonings. HURRICANE From ‘huracan’ or thunder - now used for massive thunderstorms. INCOMMUNICADO From in (Negative) and Communicar (Communicate). Deprived of communication with other people, as while in solitary confinement. JALAPENO A type of spicy chilly named after Jalape de Enriquez, a town in Mexico. MAJORDOMO From Major (Main or Head) and Domo (House). A man in charge of a great household,as that of a sovereign; a chief steward. 32 Spanish Words MOSQUITO From Mosca (Fly) and Ito (little - diminutive form). Any of numerous insects, the females of which suck the blood of animals and humans, transmitting certain diseases. MULATTO From ‘octoroon’ - someone with eight different origins. Used for people of mixed European-African descent. MUSTANG From ‘mestango’ - without known master or owner. More used for a small wild horse in USA. NACHO From ‘Ignacio’ the inventor of the dish, it consists of tortilla piece with melted cheese and peppers. PECCADILLO From Pecado (Sin) and Dillo (Small or Minor). A petty sin or trifling fault. PEON Meaning ‘labourer’ - now used for someone who does menial work in an office. PINACOLADA From Pina (Pineapple) and Colada (Strained). A tall mixed drink of cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and ice usually frappéed in a blender. PLATINUM From Platina (Silver plate) and Um (extension word). A ductile malleable silvery-white metallic element, very resistant to heat and chemicals. PONCHO From ‘pontho’ meaning woollen fabric. A garment made of thick piece of cloth with a slit for the head. QUESADILLA From Queso (Cheese) and Dillo (Diminutive form). A toasted tortilla filled with cheese and sometimes other ingredients. RENEGADE From Re (Again) and Negare (to Deny). Someone who deserts or betrays a nation or organization. A turncoat. SAVANNA From ‘sabana’ - meaning veld or flat green plains. Used for such region in South America. SIESTA From ‘sexta’ or sixth hour - which is used to nap or rest. SOMBRERO From ‘shade maker’ - a large hat that protects from harsh sun. STEVEDORE From Estibar (Packer or loader) and Ator (denoting a human agent). A person employed to load and unload ships. TORNADO From ‘tornar’ - to turn around. Used for a thunderstorm that spins things around by its sheer force. TORTILLA From Tort (Cake) and Illa (dimunitive suffix). Meaning ‘small cake’ - it’s a flat bread made from grounded wheat flour. VANILLA From ‘vaina’ meaning pod. The pod of the plant is used as a flavoring agent. VIGILANTE Meaning watchman. Used for a member of a group that takes it upon themselves to prevent crime and punish criminals. 33 All the best