When I first began taking Latin, it was pretty hard for me to see how Latin words could be anywhere in the English language. Whenever I saw an English derivative, it would have to be shown to me by a teacher. But recently, while reading literature for World History, I have not only been able to see root words for English words, but I have also been able to tell certain words originate from Latin just by how they sound. This new skill has helped me greatly in not only understanding new words, but also finding a deeper meaning in older ones. One such recent occurrence was while reading about the Enlightenment. The word enlightenment is made of the Latin prefix -en, meaning in, into, and lux, meaning light. Combined, you get "into the light", a way of describing someone who has come upon a revelation.
- Andrew Tanner
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