I am thinking of offering a new class in the spring.

There are so many English words that come from Latin and Greek roots.  Really.  Once you start digging, it is astonishing what you find.

Growing up, I had no idea how influenced our language was by Classical languages.  If English vocabulary from Classical roots were treasure, Smaug could sit on a pile of treasure as deep as any Dwarfish horde.

Of course, this is the basis of the Word Up series.  We took 200 English words, and their Greek and Latin parents, then crammed them into a DVD case.  Yet, we could have crammed in more.

To get into the series, the words had to pass a test.  Each Greek and Latin root had to generate at least 10 English words.  It was not so hard to find volunteers.  English is full of words that fit the criteria.

But, what of the thousands of Greek and Latin roots that generate only two, three, or four English words?  Well, they had to go to the back of the line.  They are still standing there.

That is why I am considering a new live online class.  In the online class, students would encounter some of the lesser known Greek and Latin roots.  They, too, generate English words.  They just don’t generate as many.

Seems a shame to ignore them.