University of Aizu, Graduation Thesis. Mar, 2002

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1

Synonym Usage viewed from Pre-Historic Roots
Chie Yamanaka
Abstract

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If we hope to be good at English, we must learn English vocabulary. Usually, when we study English vocabulary, we just learn it by heart. In this way, we forget vocabulary right away even if we memorize it. The
method of study is very important, because we can keep
our memory impressively for a long time if we contrive
a way of studying. As one way, there is a method ofstudying English words with Indo-European roots information. Details are described in the introduction. In
this paper, synonyms were payed attention to especially,and how they were derived respectively from the IndoEuropean roots and how they are diﬀerent were studied
mainly. These explanations were added to the ”EnglishJapanese Hyper Dictionary.” This is also described in the
introduction. This paper is about how to study English
vocabulary with Indo-European roots, synonym comparisons and the system ”English-Japanese Hyper Dictionary” which enables us to study with Indo-Europeanroots and in which explanations about the derivation process of each synonym were newly added.

1 Introduction

Supervised by Prof. Yasushi Kikuchi

tain filiation within the family.” [2] The informations
which put stems of Proto-Indo-European into shape is
Indo-European roots. It is said that seventy five percent of current English vocabulary is derived from IndoEuropean roots. To look up English words by going backto Indo-European roots is very interesting because we
can trace the development of the words. For studying
with Indo-European roots, we need to use AHD (TheAmerican Heritage Dictionary). AHD was edited by
Calvert Watkins. It was composed as a dictionary forlooking up the Indo-European root of an English word
and the derivative and for learning these all at once.

Figure 1: Derivation Process of English

1.1 Indo-European roots and the AHD”Indo-European is the name given for geographic reasons to the large and well-defined linguistic family that
includes most of the languages of Europe, past andpresent, as well as those found in a vast area extending
across Iran and Afghanistan to the northern half of the
Indian subcontinent.” [2] For example, English, Dutch,
Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, Greek and Hindi exist. ”In modern times, the family has spread by colonization throughout the Western Hemisphere. The IndoEuropean family of languages is descended from the prehistoric Proto-Indo-European language, which was spoken in an as yet unidentified area between eastern Europe and the Aral Sea around the fifth millennium B.C.
According to the most widely accepted model, the IndoEuropean family contains ten principal branches (Anatorian, Indo-Iranian, Greek, Italic, Celtic, Germanic,
American, Tocharian, Balt-Slavic, Albanian). Some of
the branches likely belong together in larger subgroupings, but the details are controversial and need not detain us. Besides those ten branches, a number of scantily attested and not well understood ancient languages
are known that are clearly Indo-European but of uncer-

1.2 The English-Japanese Hyper Dictionary”English-Japanese Hyper Dictionary” [8] which makes
use of Indo-European roots information and can be used
as a web object has already be made by Prof. Ikebe, CAI
laboratory at University of Tsukuba and the older graduates of my laboratory. The dictionary enables us to lookup the meaning of English words by going back to the
Indo-European roots. It is also possible to study what
other words exist which have the same Indo-Europeanroots and what relation they have. Additionally, in thesynonym list of the Hyper Dictionary, some English
words that have common meanings have been listed andwe can learn the diﬀerences of the words by comparing
each Indo-European root. However, as only fifty kindsof synonyms have been listed in this synonym list, it isnecessary to study English words one by one with IndoEuropean roots to add new synonyms there. This list
has one weak point. Although we can look up the IndoEuropean roots and the meaning of each English word, it
is diﬃcult to know the process of how each word is de-s1061155

University of Aizu, Graduation Thesis. Mar, 2002

rived from its Indo-European roots to current English. So
it is necessary to add explanations of the derivation process. However, not all of the words have Indo-Europeanroots. Some words can go back only to Latin, and otherwords were borrowed from other languages. So many
words don’t have a distinct derivation process and they
are impossible to explain. The words which were added
this time were picked in the following way. At first, they
were picked from a wordbook for high school students.
Second, one member of my laboratory and I divided the”Learner’s Progressive English-Japanese Dictionary” [5]into two: A 〜 M and N 〜 Z. The synonyms in the extent
N 〜 Z were my responsibility.

1.3 Study Purpose
The purpose of this study is to make a more substantial”English-Japanese Hyper Dictionary” by which users
can comprehend how respective synonyms were derived
from Indo-European roots and how they diﬀer. In theprocess of making a new Hyper Dictionary, to masterhow to study English words with Indo-European roots is
my desire.

2 How to study
European rootswith

8. VIGOR, RAVIGOTE … from Latin, to be lively
9. VEDETTE, VIGIL, VIGILANTE, REVEILLE,SURVEILLANT … from Latin, watchful, awake
10. VELOCITY … from Latin, fast, ”lively”
In item three, ”watch” is found. From the meaning ”tobe strong, be lively” of Indo-European roots, the Old
English meaning ”to be awake” was derived. This isbecause people are lively and strong just when people
are awake. When people are awake, they watch something, so ”watch” is derived from Old English ”to be
awake.” Similarly, ”wake” and ”waken” are derived from
Old English. Next, in item four, ”wicked,” ”witch,” and”bewitch” are derived from Old English ”necromancer.”This is in relation to one who wakes the dead. In item
seven, ”vegetable” is found. This is derived from theLatin ”to be lively,” because vegetables grow lively. In
item nine, all words are in relation to ”watchful, awake,”so these derivation processes are easy to understand. Allof these words have the same Indo-European roots andhave something in common.

Indo- 2.2 Example two

In this section, there are two examples. The explanations
about derivation process from Indo-European roots toEnglish are described respectively. These are my thought
based on Indo-European roots information.

2.1 Example one
For example, we look up the word ”watch” in the AHD.
Then we are led to the Indo-European root ”weg-2.” If
we look up this item, following information is found.
”weg-2” To be strong, be lively.
1. WAKE … from Old English, to wake up, arise, to be
awake
2. WAKEN … from Old English, to awake
3. WATCH … from Old English, to be awake
4. WICKED, WITCH, BEWITCH … from Old English,
wicca, sorcerer, wizard (feminine witch). from Ger
manic, necromancer (<”one who wakes the dead”)
5. BIVOUAC … from Old High German, watch, vigil
6. a. WAIT … from Old North French, to watch
b. WAFT … from Middle Dutch and Middle Low Ger
man, to watch guard
7. VEGETABLE … from Latin, to be lively

2

For example, we look up the word ”task” in the AHD.
Then we are led to the Indo-European root ”tag.” If welook up this item, the following information is found.
”tag” To touch, handle
1. TACT, TANGENT, TANGIBLE, TASK, TASTE,
TAX, ATTAIN, CONTACT, INTACT,TACTORECEPTOR, TANGORECEPTOR … from
Latin, to touch
2. ENTIRE, INTEGER, INTEGRATE, INTEGRITY …
from Latin, intact, whole, complete, perfect, honest
3. CONTAMINATE … from Latin, to corrupt, by
mixing or contact (<”bringing into contact with”)
In item one, ”task” is found. In this case, the meaningof the Indo-European root is ”to touch or handle.” This
became Latin in the same meaning ”to touch.” A task isdone by hand, so it is necessary to touch. So the current
meaning ”task” is derived from Latin to current English.
The others of item one are in relation to ”to touch.” In
item two, ”entire,” ”integer,” ”integrate,” ”integrity” become Latin ”intact, whole, complete, perfect, honest.”
They are related and have a similar meaning, so it is easy
to understand the reason for this derivation. However,
the reason that this Latin meaning is derived from the
Indo-European roots is diﬃcult to understand. Sometimes such examples like this exist. In item three, ”con-s1061155

University of Aizu, Graduation Thesis. Mar, 2002

taminate” is derived from Latin ”to corrupt by mixing or
contact.” This is almost the same meaning. This Latin
meaning is derived from Indo-European roots because”mixing or contact” is done by touching or handling.

3

It is just understood that the Indo-European root of ”curious” has the meaning as ”care,” but the derivation process is unknown.
3) odd3 Synonym Comparison”No Indo-European root”

The following examples all compare synonyms. In thecase of 3.1, ”arrive” and ”reach” have a similar meaning, but they have a little diﬀerence. The diﬀerence isunderstood by comparing the respective derivation processes. These explanations are my thought based on
Indo-European roots information.

Deviating from what is ordinary, usual, or expected;
strange or peculiar.

3.1 Example one4) funny

1) arrive”No Indo-European root””rei-1” To scratch, tear, cut.

Strangely or suspiciously odd; curious.

ARRIVE … from Latin, bank (<”that which is cut by ariver”)The Indo-European root of this word ”funny” doesn’t exist. The current meaning is above.

From the meaning ”cut” of Indo-European roots, themeaning ”bank” is derived into Latin. This is because
a bank is torn into two by rivers. ”Arrive” in current
English is derived from Latin because someone or something arrives at the other bank if they leave one bank.

5) queer2) reach”reig-2” To reach, stretch out.
REACH … from Old English, to stretch out, reachIn this case, the meaning of this Indo-European roots is”to reach, stretch out.” From here to Old English, andfrom Old English to current English, the same meaning
is used.

3.2 Example two1) strange”eghs” Out.
STRANGE … from Latin, outward
The meaning of this Indo-European root is ”out.” This isderived into Latin in a similar meaning ”outward.” Theoutside is a strange and unfamiliar place. This is connected to the current meaning ”strange.”2) curious”c#ura” Care.
CURIOUS … Latin noun of unknown origin

The Indo-European root of this word ”odd” doesn’t exist. The current meaning is above.

”terk-w-” To twist.
QUEER … from Middle Low German, oblique
From the meaning ”twist” of the Indo-European root, themeaning ”oblique” is derived into Middle Low German.
Oblique means diagonal or indirect. These are connected
to queer.

3.3 Example three1) get”ghend-” To seize, take.
GET … from Old Norse, to get
In this Indo-European root, the meaning ”to seize, take”
exists. This is derived into Old Norse in the meaning ”toget.” To seize and take is in relation to ”to get.” From Old
Norse to current English, the meaning is preserved in thesame meaning.
2) gain”wei@-” To go after something, pursue with vigor, desire, with noun forms meaning force, power.
GAIN … from Old French, to obtain, from Germanic, tohunt, plunder
From the meaning ”to go after something, pursue” of the
Indo-European root, the meaning ”to hunt, plunder” isderived into German. This is because hunting means tos1061155

University of Aizu, Graduation Thesis. Mar, 2002

pursue and obtain game. From here, the meaning ”obtain” is derived into French. From French to current
English, ”obtain” is preserved in a similar meaning as”gain.”
3) obtain”ten-” To stretch.
OBTAIN … from Latin, to hold, keep, maintain (<”tocause to endure or continue, hold on to.”)In the Indo-European roots, the meaning ”to stretch”
exists. From the meaning to endure or continue withstretched, the meaning ”to hold, keep, maintain” is derived from Indo-European roots to Latin. From here,”obtain” in current English is derived from Latin, because we sometimes obtain something by endurance.

3.4 Example44ter.
4) glimmer”ghel-2” To shine; with derivatives referring to colors,bright materials, gold (probably ”yellow metal”), andbile or gall.
GLIMMER … from Middle English, to glitter, stare,from a source akin to Middle Low German, to glistenThis Indo-European root means to shine; with derivatives referring to colors, bright materials, gold. From
here, a similar meaning ”to glitter” is derived into Middle
English. From Middle English to current English,”glare”
is derived as a meaning which is less powerful than glitter.
5) shimmer

1) shine”skai-2” To gleam.

”skai-2” To gleam.

SHIMMER … from Old English, to shine, brightly

SHINE … from Old English, to shine

In this Indo-European root, the meaning ”to gleam” exists. This is derived into Old English in the meaning ”toshine.” ”To gleam” is in relation to ”to shine.” From Old
English to current English, the meaning ”shimmer” isderived as a meaning which is less powerful than ”shine.”

In this Indo-European root, the meaning ”to gleam” exists. This is derived into Old English in the meaning ”toshine.” ”To gleam” is in relation to ”to shine.” From Old
English to current English, the meaning ”to shine” is derived in the same meaning.
2) beam

4 Renewal of the Hyper Dictionary
4.1 Database of the Hyper Dictionary”bheu@-” To be, exist, grow.
BEAM … from Old English, tree, beamThis Indo-European root means ”to be, exist, grow.”
From growing, the meaning ”tree” is derived into Old
English. From beaming like a tree, the meaning ”beam”
is derived from Old English into current English.
3) glare”ghel-2” To shine; with derivatives referring to colors,bright materials, gold (probably ”yellow metal”), andbile or gall.
GLARE … from Middle English, to glitter, stare, from asource akin to Middle Low German, to glistenThis Indo-European root means to shine; with derivatives referring to colors, bright materials or gold. From
here, a similar meaning ”to glitter” is derived into Middle
English. From Middle English to current English,”glare”
is derived as a meaning which is more powerful than glit-

The database of Hyper Dictionary is a Windows application called ”Access.” As stated in 1.2, the ”EnglishJapanese Hyper Dictionary” was made by Prof. Ikebe,
CAI laboratory at University of Tsukuba and the older
graduates of my laboratory. The database was also madeby them. Word Master consists of an index, spelling,headline distinction, comments, part of speech, meanings, synonyms, word root1, word root2, word root3,
word root4, prefix1, prefix2, stem and reverse spelling.

4.2 Renewal of the Database
To add new synonyms, a new table was made and linked
to the database which was already made. Because all of
the words that were added as synonyms this time weren’t
in the database, it was necessary to add words in the
Word Master. So a new Word Master was made andlinked to the old Word Master. The main study is to add
explanations about the derivation process of the respective synonyms. This information is written in the meaning part of the Word Master.

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4.3 New Hyper Dictionary
Eighty-six kinds of synonyms (two hundred and sixty
words) were linked to the database and the derivation
process was explained respectively. If we use the newHyper Dictionary, the way of studying described in Example one 〜 Example four in this section is realized.
This explanation has not ever existed, so this was themain work.

5 Conclusion
For studying English vocabulary, it is eﬃcient to use amethod with Indo-European roots. This method enables
us to memorize more impressively. When we look up
one word, we can look up and study some other words
which have the same Indo-European roots. Particularly,
the main work of this study is synonym comparison andeach synonym’s derivation process from Indo-European
root to English is added to the ”English-Japanese Hyper
Dictionary.” Even if each synonym has a similar meaning at present, their derivation process is diﬀerent. The”English-Japanese Hyper Dictionary” is useful to realize
this method of studying.

Acknowledgment
Prof. Ikebe, Prof. Kikuchi and Prof. Asai gave me achance to do this study and gave me much advice. I
thank them very much.

References[1] Y. Ikebe, Journal of Human Interface Society, Vol.3,
No 1, 2001, pp. 27-30.
[2] C. Watkins, The American Heritage Dictionary of
Indo-European Roots, Second Edition, Boston, New
York, Houghton Miﬄin Company, 1995.
[3] The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language, Fourth Edition, Houghton Miﬄin Company.
[4] R. Hasegawa, I. Koike, K. Shimaoka, I. Takegai,
New Proceed English-Japanese Dictionary, Benesse
Corporation, 1994.
[5] T. Konishi, M. Yasui, T. Kunii, K. Horiuchi,
Learner’s Progressive English-Japanese Dictionary,
Second Edition.
[6] Y. Kojima, S. Takebayashi, Write House JapaneseEnglish Dictionary, Second Edition, Kenkyusha,
1990.

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5[7] Y. Sakashita, T. Hayashida, Frequent English Words
Master, Third Edition, Kirihara Book Center, 1984.
[8] TheEnglish-Japanese
Hyper
Dictionary,
http://mfntsv1:8080/hidic/hdhome.htm[9] H. Sugiura, ”Upgrading the English-Japanese Hyper
Dictionary,” 2002.