Words!

Words are an important part of our advanced human civilization and we could not have gotten so far without them. Words are needed for us to communicate, get ideas across, keep  records, and many other things. Without words, we would not  be able to have working governments, put people into space,  have books, have a working economy, be able to look inside our body’s, understand the complex theory of the elements, and many other feats.   Without words, the wisdom that was needed to be passed on would have never came out and would have died with it`s finder. Words have an amazing, wonderful and complex history. Within the time worn paragraphs and on the fluttering words on this paper I shall, in detail, describe the history of words. A few major points in the history of words, are the arising of Greek and Roman roots, the invention of prefixes and suffixes, and the making of multiple meaning words. 

            Our first stop on the tour of words is to  lower Europe, to the lands of the  intelligent Greeks and the  powerful Romans. Two very influential and powerful societies ,out of both their cultures as well as a few others came root words.  Before root words, before Rome, Greece, and even before we were an advanced civilization, there was prehistoric men. Prehistoric men, made grunts and gestures, and the other cave men had to figure out what he or she as the case may be meant.  Over time, some smart chap decided to use one special grunt and gesture to mean one certain thing, or so it is perceived, with time, more complex things were coming about and more complex words were needed. People started making words out of two or more different words., these are called compounds. Now, out of this theory of complex words and compounds came, you guessed it, roots, our American roots come from ether Greece or Rome with a few more coming from other sources. 

            The next crucial, turning point involves the second and third part of a word, the prefix, and suffix. At this period in time,   words were used for many things, as they are today. They were used for keeping records, stories, arranging meetings, passing information along and many other tasks that words still perform to this very date!   At this time you had your normal words, your compound words, and you’re roots.  Words needed more complexity in order to strengthen their abilities to perform their needed tasks.  A way to change the meanings of words without changing the whole word itself was needed. Thus from this need prefixes and suffixes sprang into being.  Now, you may be wondering what prefixes and suffixes, do. Beside making games like scrabble a whole lot easier, a prefix is something like un-, or bene- that goes at the start of a word to change the words meaning, for example let’s say I have the word joyous that means to be happy and full of joy, if I added the prefix un- and made it unjoyous it would mean  unhappy, and not full of joy. A suffix goes on the end of a word and, like a prefix, changes the words meaning. What would we do without suffixes and prefixes?

            Our next stop on the tour is to visit our friend the multiple meaning words, a very crucial yet tricky part of the English language. Now if every little aroma, atom, or piece of matter had a word all of its own we`d have more words then we`d know what to do with. To save time, breath, and dictionary space us humans being the wise creatures we  came up with multiple meaning words. A multiple meaning word is a word that has two meanings and it is spelled   the same in both usages.  An example of a multiple meaning word is bank. Bank could be a place where you store you’re money, or it could be, a piece of slopping land by a river. Bank could also be used as a verb. The verb, banked means to have deposited cash in a bank.   Banked, is not only a multiple meaning word,  it also has a little friend at the end. That`s, right a suffix. 

                You don`t have to agree to the wonder of words. Though you must agree that they are important and complex little beasts.  Words have a amazing history as I hope I have shown. The Greek and Romans gave us roots.   We have prefixes, suffixes, and multiple meaning.  I hope this essay explained the nature of words to you, and remember words are you’re never dying  friend.   A man without words, is nothing but a  poor, weak man.  May the words be with you always.