Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[BMO]

These two words have opposite meanings but are from the same root. Is there a name for it in grammar?

[bud]

I don't know of any... I just want to say that "terrific" does not always mean something unusually positive. You could say, "There was a terrific explosion at the refinery last night." You could replace "terrific" with "terrible" or "enormous" or several other synonyms.

[advoca]

Dear BMO,

Yes there is a word. New words that are derived from a root word are called derivatives or derivations.

A root word is one to which prefixes and suffixes can be added to form different words.

The root word help, for example, can be built up into the derivatives helpful, unhelpful, helpless, helper and more.

[BMO]

Thanks, Bud and advoca,

I remember now, you can say I have a terrific headache. Okay, help is a root word, are all the root words English? Latin terrere, to frighten, is the root for terrific and terrible, is terrere a root word or just a root?

Terrific has two opposite meanings? One is bad and one is good. Is there a name for words like terrific?

[bud]

I don't know of such a word. Do you, Advoca?

Look at what askoxford.com has to say about terrific:

"1 of great size, amount, or intensity. 2 (informal) excellent. 3 (archaic) causing terror."

Note that the original meaning was the same as its Latin origin (3). Then it evolved to mean something extraordinarily large or intense (1). (That's neutral regarding whether it's positive or negative.) It is only an informal use when we use it to mean excellent (2).

[advoca]

BMO asked three questions

[BMO]

Good lord, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a million, and have a happy New Year.

How will you celebrate the new year in China?

bmo

[advoca]

With lots of fireworks, crackers and bangers. Very noisy!