Benefits of learning etymology

Understanding the benefits of learning etymology will be the motivation to overcome the difficulties. First, let's digest several examples before we analyze the benefits of learning etymology

Prefix --> Meaning

pro -->forward

re -->back

trans -->across

Root -->Meaning

gress --> step

After understanding the meanings of prefixes (pro, re, trans) and root (gress), we can connect them together,

Words / Etymology meanings / Meaning of the word (Answers.com)

Progress = step forward = To advance toward a higher or better stage

Regress = step back = To go back, to move backward

Transgress = step across = To go beyond or over. Exceed or overstep

Readily, we can see the strong bonds between etymology meanings and meanings of the words

Is this an accident? The answer is an emphatic NO. Etymology is designed this way. Why "progress" is comprised of "pro" and "gress" is because it has the meaning of prefix of "pro" and meaning of root "gress". There is no accident.

After having a taste of etymology, we can start to analyze the benefits of learning etymology,

1. High efficiency - Once you catch one, you learn all.

For example, if you learn the meaning of "gress" from "progress". You will automatically have some senses when you see the word "regress", "transgress" and any other XXXgress. As the Chinese saying goes, putting two together to get three (舉一反三).

2. Memorize less words to get more.

Try a simple math here.

If randomly picking two prefixes, roots or suffixes can make one word, how many words did you get when you learn 100 of them?

Answer : 100*99/2 = 4950 >>>>> 100

Why not learn etymology if it can save your time fifty-ford??

OK, this is not exactly math because not any two of them can be made one word.

Let's divide by 10

Answer : 4950/10 = 495 >> 100

Still, five times greater!!! (Only math geek learns English through calculation, but I find this PROOF unrealistically convincing to most of the people)

3. Enhance your speed of reading English.

Most of the people read from left to right. When you see a word progress, you process P-R-O-G-R-E-S-S one by one. If you memorize this word by etymology, you understand the word soon after you finish reading. That is, when you see the "pro", you have the "forward" meaning in your mind. When you see the "gress", you have the "step". Together, you get "forward step = step forward". Compared to methods of memorization, using etymology is most straightforward because the prefixes and roots MUST be in the word you read.