Summary
Ever wonder where words come from? Let Tim and Moby show you in this BrainPOP movie on etymology--the study of word origins. First, you’ll discover the different ways that new words are brought into the English language. You’ll learn the definitions of etymological terms like agglutination, compounding, and loanword. Next, you’ll hear all about the history of English--how it began among tribes of Germanic warriors, and changed when England was invaded by Vikings and Normans. You’ll learn about the differences between Old English and Modern English, and how Renaissance writers routinely created new words from Greek and Latin roots. So buckle your seatbelts, because you’re about to take a 1,500-year journey in just three and a half minutes!
Viewer safety
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Etymology:
- What is one new thing you learned about etymology?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining etymology.
- Draw or give one example of your own.