Everyday Grammar - VOA Learning English Prefixes in Reports on Student Protests - May 09, 2024
May 9, 2024
A concise look at prefixes used in reports about student protests. Short lessons explain pro, anti, counter, un, en and dis/di and how they change words. Examples draw on recent campus demonstrations, encampments, divestment actions and reported anti-Semitic incidents. Practical pronunciation and hyphen notes make grammar usable in real reporting.
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Pro Prefix Means In Favor Or Forward
- The prefix pro means forward or in favor and shapes words like protest and pro-Palestinian.
- Jill Robbins explains protest combines pro + test (from Latin testare), so protesting literally suggests speaking publicly in favor.
Columbia Encampment Removed After Large Arrests
- Columbia University saw a pro-Palestinian encampment removed and over 100 demonstrators arrested in April.
- Jill Robbins cites the AP report that students described themselves as pro-Palestinian and demanded a ceasefire in Gaza.
En Prefix Makes Verbs Into Made State
- The prefix en- (or em- before b,m,p) means to cause to be, forming nouns like encampment from camp + en + ment.
- Jill Robbins notes similar formation in enlarge, enrich, empower and embed as spelling variants.