LATIN PREPOSITIONS IN COMPOSITION WITH VERBS.

492. The Latin element enters largely into the English language; and it is absolutely necessary to have some knowledge of Latin prepositions, as they appear in composition with verbs. For fuller information, on this part of the subject, the student may consult Professor Key's Latin Grammar, §§ 808– 838, and §§ 1303-1397. It will be sufficient to remark here, that when a Latin preposition ends in a consonant, the final consonant is liable to change, if the verb, with which it is compounded, begins with a consonant. This is called assimilation, or a 'making like,' because the final consonant of the preposition is made like to the initial consonant of the verb. For example, from ad and rogo we have, not ad-rogate, but ar-rogate. In like manner, we have, not ad-similation, but as-similation.

To the prepositions, in the following list, we annex the changes to which they are liable; for instance, we give,

ad (ac, af, ag, al, an, ap, ar, as, at).

This means, that the preposition ad sometimes appears in composition as ac, af, ag, &c., according to the initial consonant of the verb.

Prof. Key, Latin Grammar, § 1304, translates ab-use, 'use

up,' ab-sorb,' suck down.'

ad (ac, af, ag, al, an, ap, ar, as, at,) 'to,' ' at,' ' on.'

ad-here
ac-cede

'stick to.'

af-fix

'fix on.'

ag-glomerate
al-locate

an-nex

ap-preciate
ar-rive

as-similate
at-tend

place to.'

'join on.'

'put value on,'' set price upon.'

come to.'

' liken to.'
'stretch to.'

com (col, con, cor, co), 'with,'' together,'' up.'

com-pose

col-lect

cor-roborate

cor-rode

co-operate

'place together.'

'gather together,' ' gather up.'
'strengthen up.'
eat up.'

'work together.'

Obs.-This preposition is con before consonants and co before vowels: con-form, con-sider, con-sist; but co-equal, co-eternal. Many persons write 'co-temporary' for 'con-temporary;' but Richard Bentley said that he could not co-gratulate such persons on the co-position of their words.'

contra, 'against.'

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contra-dict, speak against,' 'gain-say,' where gaincontains the root of a-gain, a-gainst.

contra-vene, 'come against.'

contro, 'against.'

contro-vert, turn against.'

495. de, 'down,'' forth,' 'out,' 'at.'

'climb down,'' come down.'

de-scend

de-ject

'cast down.'

dif-fer

carry in different directions.'

di-verge

'turn aside.'

ex (ef, e), 'out of,' 'forth.'

'loosen away.'

'separate.'

'take weapon away.'

ex-port

'carry out.'

496. in (im, il, in, and in French derivatives em, en), ‘in,'

'into,' upon.'

in-volve

'roll in.'

'lead in.'

'breathe into.'

'play upon.'
'throw light upon.'

'urge on.'

in-duct

in-spire

il-lude

il-lustrate

im-pel

This preposition conveys the idea of opposition or obstruction in the words inter-cept, inter-dict ('for-bid '), inter-fere. In French derivatives it takes the form enter, as enter-prise an 'undertaking.'

intro, 'into,' in.'

introduce, 'lead in.'

497. ob (oc, of, op), ‘against,' 'up,'' upon,' 'towards.'

'cast against,' 'urge against.'

'block up.'

run towards.'

strike against.' 'bring towards.'

put against.'

press upon.' 'fight against.

'let go through."
'pass through.'

Obs. The particle per in composition has sometimes a meaning akin to that of our for-, German ver-, as in the Latin per-do, 'for-do,' i.e. 'destroy;' so too, Latin per-juro, for-swear;' so, perhaps, per-vert, 'turn away from (the right).'

This preposition appears in French as pour, whence we have pour-tray, now written por-tray,' draw forth,'' draw in outline;' pur-pose of the same meaning as pro-pose, 'set forth' (as an object), 'design.'

500. sub (suc, suf, sug, sup, sur, sus, su[s]), 'under,' 'up,'

over,' 'after.'

sub-due

501. It sometimes happens, that while a verb is compounded with a Latin preposition, an English preposition follows the verb. As a general rule, the two prepositions should agree in meaning; the Latin derivative should be followed by a preposition corresponding to that which is used in composition: as 'ad-apt to, af-fix to,' 'di-vert from,' 'ex-pel from (or out of).'

But sometimes the meaning of the compound verb overrides the original force of the preposition. Take the verb differ. When we say 'dif-fer from,' the agreement between dis (dif) ' in various directions' and from is sufficiently close. But we also say 'dif-fer with' where the prepositions do not agree. The explanation is this: dif-fer from' is equivalent to 'contend with;' and so, by extension of meaning, we say 'differ with.' In this case, the meaning of the verb 'differ' overrides the force of the prefix dif, and custom prevails against etymology.

502. But the misuse of prepositions is not confined to those which follow compound verbs. Dr. Lowth (English Grammar,