7. Noun-radicals and adjective radicals are formed from the nominative and from the genitive (or possessive) case of words belonging to these parts of speech. Thus:—
| NOM. CASE. iter (a journey) GEN. CASE. itineris (of a journey) felicis (nom. felix, happy) | ROOT. iter-. ROOT itiner- felic- | DERIVATIVE. reiterate DERIVATIVE. itinerant felicity |
NOTE.—These explanations of the mode of forming radicals are given by way of general information; but this book presupposes and requires no knowledge of Latin, since in every group of English derivatives from Latin, not only the root-words in their several parts, but the radicals actually used in word-formation, are given.
Pronunciation of Latin Words.
1. Every word in Latin must have as many syllables as it has vowels or diphthongs: as miles (= mi'les).
2. C is pronounced like k before a, o, u; and like s before e, i, y, and the diphthongs æ and œ: as cado, pronounced ka'do; cedo, pronounced se'do.
3. G is pronounced hard before a, o, u, and soft like j before e, i, y, æ, œ: as gusto, in which g is pronounced as in August; gero, pronounced je'ro.
4. A consonant between two vowels must be joined to the latter: as bene, pronounced be'ne.
5. Two consonants in the middle of a word must be divided: as mille, pronounced mil'le.
6. The diphthongs æ and œ are sounded like e: as cædo, pronounced ce'do.