The main objective of this chapter will be to introduce several standard forms that are often combined with other bases in English compounds derived from Greek. By learning a handful of these elements, we can demystify literally hundreds of English words. With even the limited Greek noun vocabulary now at our disposal, we\u2019ll then have a precise understanding of many specialized compounds that might previously have seemed obscure or incomprehensible.<\/p>\r\n
The following list of word-building elements consists, for the most part, of noun or verb bases to which have been added the abstract noun suffix -\u03b9\u03b1 (-ia<\/b>). The form -logia<\/i>, for example, can be explained as \u03bb\u03bf\u03b3- + -\u03b9\u03b1. Unlike \u03bc\u03b1\u03bd\u03b9\u03b1, which existed as an independent noun, -\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 was used only as a combining form in Greek\u2014always in the second position, as in \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 (the-o-log-ia<\/b>, E theology<\/i>). Quite clearly, -\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b9\u03b1 should not be described as a suffix, though its derivative -logy<\/i> may have assumed the status of a virtual suffix in the English language.[footnote]The same can be said of -graphy.<\/em> A word like \u03b2\u03b9\u03bf\u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03c6\u03b9\u03b1, which actually existed in ancient Greek, consists of the two bases \u03b2\u03b9- and \u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03c6-, the connecting vowel -\u03bf-, and the abstract noun suffix -\u03b9\u03b1. Thus the derivative can be analysed as bi-o-graph-ia<\/strong>. However, most English compounds of this type were never Greek words, and look silly if written in the Greek alphabet.[\/footnote]<\/p>\r\n In this list, the declension number of the noun base is often identified as (1), (2M), (2N), and (3); the 2nd declension is subdivided into -os<\/b> (2M) and -on<\/b> (2N) types.<\/p>\r\n\r\n