[Lexicog] rules when it comes to latin word roots

[arun]

--- In lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com, Peter Kirk <peterkirk at q...>
wrote:
> On 28/02/2005 15:49, arun wrote:
>
> >...
> >For example, here is a word I've created, which is supposed to
> >mean 'a sad or 'heavy'(?) feeling'- (it might sound stupid!):-
> > "Gravipathy". It is supposed to be a gloomy feeling you get after
> >one has written his exam paper rather badly. I checked it up
google;
> >it does not exist. I've concoted this word after looking up the
> >etymologies of wds like gravity, grieve, sentiment, sad, sorrow,
> >gloomy, depress... just abt everything I knew and could find in
the
> >dictionary. Can you say why it does not exist?
> >
> >
> >
> One good reason why this does not exist is that it is a mixture of
Latin
> and Greek roots. Such mixtures are usually avoided in English,
although
> there are exceptions like "television".
>
> I would think that a prerequisite for building good new words from
Latin
> and Greek roots is a reasonable knowledge of Latin and Greek. That
may
> sound elitist, but there are enough people still who do have that
> knowledge that words which don't follow the proper rules of these
> languages are unlikely to be widely accepted.
>
> --
> Peter Kirk
> peter at q... (personal)
> peterkirk at q... (work)
> http://www.qaya.org/
>
>
>
> --
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27/02/2005


So how would you see an amateurist like me having a shot at
word-making? You've said "...prerequisite for building good new words
from Latin and Greek roots is a reasonable knowledge of Latin and
Greek." So is this the only advice I have? I mean are there other tips?





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