English for Science and Technology

Lesson 2: 3Cs of good communication

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Recap Question

“Science and technology professionals don’t need good communication skills as

they deal with numbers and formulas – there are public relations and
advertising people to do the sweet-talking.” Do you agree? Point
Evidence
The ‘Three C’s of effective communication Example
Communication in science and technology must be Clear, Concise and Correct. Keep simple
Einstein said that in communicating scientific information “everything should be as simple as possible, but no
simpler”. In science and technology there are specialised terms that professionals need to describe complex
phenomena to each other. Yet too often difficult words are used unnecessarily.

George Orwell was a novelist, but, like a scientist, he sought to perceive and describe the truth. He said
“never use a long word where a short one will do”. People often use big words and complex sentences to
show how knowledgeable they are, but Einstein and Orwell practiced simple communication and nobody
accused them of being dummies. Concise
Task 1: Watch the short video promoting ‘Rockwell Automation Products’. Does the communication
problem lie with the presenter, or with you, the listener? Explain. ___________________________________

Video 1: long words , scientific

_________________________________________________________________________________________
[Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW2LvQUcwqc]

Clear communication

Unclear speech or writing could result in technologies being researched, manufactured, sold or used
incorrectly - perhaps with dangerous consequences.

Technical ‘jargon’, such as that in the video, should only be used amongst specialists for whom the meaning
is clear. ‘Weasel words’ can also confuse or mislead you. These words look impressive but have no real
content or clear meaning, like an egg-shell after a weasel has sucked the contents out of it. Unfortunately
they are increasingly common, and not only amongst advertisers and politicians. They should be avoided by
science and technology professionals. They include:

a) Euphemisms, i.e. soft words to hide a harsh truth (e.g., The boss saying he will “downsize the workforce"
rather than “sack people”)
b) Numerically vague expressions (e.g. "Experts say…", "A growing body of evidence suggests … ")
c) Passive voice to avoid specifying who, if anyone, said it (e.g. "It is said that…")
d) Adverbs that weaken (e.g. Graduates often (or frequently, probably etc.) get jobs at IBM" )
e) Illogical statements (e.g. “My cousin had an accident while driving to HKU, so you should not study there”)
f) Linguistic devices and emotive language (e.g. “If I were you I’d study at that wonderful HKU, where you
would blossom like a flower”)
g) Vague generalizations (e.g. “Throughout history, HKU has inspired minds”)
[Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel_word]
Ethics forum
1.Sources (Max *2 News) 3 C’s
2.summary of development Clear 1
3.issues (both sides) Concise
4.opinion Correct
5.reader friendly (Understandable)
Task 2: Read the following poorly-written conclusion to a scientific report, underlining each unclear
expression, and matching it (using a letter) to the corresponding form of ‘weasel word’ above. The first is
done for you.
G B
Our discovery is superior to all others in the region. Many specialists worked for weeks, applying a new form
of unique scientific research [A] which you, wise readers, would have been amazed to see.FTo summarize, we
froze a dead butterfly then observed it moving as it thawed out, thereby proving that eternal life is possible. E
This has been described as a remarkable discovery, and will possibly change people’s lives – forever!
C D
Of course language is not always deliberately made unclear in order to mislead you. ‘Ambiguous’ =Not clear
expressions (= capable of being understood in more than one way) are easily made, but can cause confusion
for the reader or listener.

Task 3: Discuss with a partner how the following could be misinterpreted, then rewrite them to remove the
ambiguity: Every meals? 9 pills after each of the 3 meals?

a. Take 3 pills daily,one after each meal.

Take three pills after meals daily ______________________________________________________________
Children or medicines=>ambiguous
b. Medicines can be harmful to young children. Make sure you keep them locked in the bathroom cabinet.
keep medicines locked in the bathroom cabinet, so that children cannot be
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
harmed. Today? When ? Where?
c. I’ll meet you at HKU SPACE after lunch _________________________________________________________
Must turn on to recharge?
d. Stimulated ? Will that work
Turn your IPAD on to recharge it ______________________________________________________________
e. Vomits causing virus causes 3 wards to
‘Vomiting bug closes three wards’ [from a newspaper headline] _____________________________________
An insect that vomits be closed
Concise communication

Expressing yourself concisely means doing so in a brief and compact way, without wasting words (or wasting
the time of those reading or hearing it!).

Task 4: Re-write the following in a concise way, keeping only the key information. For this form of writing
bullet-points are acceptable.

In case there is a fire you should carefully consider the actions that you might undertake for this potentiality,
as this will facilitate you avoiding an untimely death. It is strongly recommended that you analyse this
message, and follow the advice contained herein, as it identifies the core priorities for the maintenance of
your well-being. Upon the fire manifesting itself, or if your hear the siren-emitting audio warning system, it is
imperative that you cease working ASAP. Your next step is to remove yourself from the premises, motioning
in a calm and composed manner to avoid spreading panic, and under no circumstances using the elevators,
which could malfunction and see you get cooked. In addition, you should close doors behind you in order to
deprive the fire of combustible oxygen. Finally, you should also consider helping those who are less agile than
you, such as children, the disabled, or those already suffering the debilitating effects of smoke inhalation.

2
Correct communication

Incorrect language must also be avoided in science and technology as this too can cause misunderstanding
and potentially serious problems.

Correct language means using accurate:

a) Grammar b) Vocabulary c) Sentence structure d) Spelling

e) Punctuation f) Pronunciation (articulation, stress, intonation and pausing).

Task 5a: The following message has at least one of each of the mistakes above. Underline them and add a
matching letter, noting what confusion each mistake causes.
E: The artificial-heart surgeon B F
Remind the artificial heart-surgeon that the electronic organs will be PRESented tonight, having been
manufactured in Shenzhen for his patience. The hearts must have been picked up at the border and
D
implanted quickly, before the batteries go flat by the surgeon. A
C
Task 5b: Rewrite the message correctly, to avoid any misunderstanding. ______________________________

Vocabulary building - using root words, prefixes and suffixes

A science and technology student must learn a lot of new terms or jargon in order to communicate
effectively with other specialists. You can try to memorise the meaning of each, but there is an easier way.
These words are commonly made up of components called the ‘root’, which is often preceded by a ‘prefix’
and/or followed by a ‘suffix’. These components (usually from old Latin or Greek languages) reappear in
thousands of words, so if you learn them you can often work out what the new word means. For example:

poly|morph|ism
Prefix ‘poly’ = many Suffix ‘ism’ = the act/ state/ theory
Root ‘morph’ = form
So ‘Polymorphism’ means ‘many forms [expressed as a] state/noun’ – in other words it is the state or quality
of an organism (in biology), compound (in chemistry) or variable (in IT) having many different forms.

Task 6: Use the lists of prefixes, roots and suffixes in the appendix to derive the meaning of the following:

1. Hydrology ________________________________ 6. Exothermic _______________________________

2. Abiotic ___________________________________ 7. Endoscopist _______________________________

3. Micrometre _______________________________ 8. Epidermis _________________________________

4. Telemetry ________________________________ 9. Hypothermia ______________________________

5. Bipedalism ________________________________ 10. Paedophobia _____________________________

3
APPENDIX –Prefixes, Roots and Suffixes [for more, see http://www.prefixsuffix.com/rootchart.php]

NUMERICAL PREFIX Meaning Science and technology example

uni- one uniform, unicode

mono- monohybrid, monosodium
du-, duo- two dual-core processor, duodecimal
di-, bi- dichloride, dioxide, bicycle
tri- three triangle, tripod
tetra- four tetrameter, tetrapod
quad- quadruplets, quadrilateral
penta- five pentagon, pentose
quint- quintet, quinidine
sex- six sexagenarian, sexpartite
hex- hexagon, hexadecimal
sept- seven septuplet, septivalent
oct- eight octopus, octagon
nov-, non- nine novena, nonagon
dec- ten decade, decahedron
cent- hundred century, percentage
hect- hectogram, hectopascal
mil- thousand millimeter, millipede
kilo- kilometre, kilobyte
mega- million megaton, megabyte
giga- billion gigabyte, gigalitre
tera- trillion terabyte, terawatt
semi- half semi-automatic, semicircle
hemi- hemisphere, hemicardia.
demi- demitasse, demilune
poly- many polysaccharide, polyvalent
multi- multitasking, multicellular

PREFIX Meaning Science and technology example

a- without, not asexual, asynchronous

an- anaerobic, anhydrous
dis- dissimilar, disjointed
im- imprecise, impure
in- inaccurate, incompatible
ir- irregular, irreversible
non- non-standard, non-porous
un- uncouple, unstable
ab- apart/ away from abnormal, abductor (muscle)
abs- absorb, abstain
de- decompose, dehydrate
dis- disintegrate, disassemble
amphi- amphibaric, amphibious
both [sides]
ambi ambidextrous, ambivalence
ante- before anterior, antenatal
fore- forecast-, forearm
pre- pre-existing, pre-test

4
anti- against antiaircraft, antivirus
contra- contraceptive, contraindication
counter- counteract, counter-incision
aqua- water aquarium, aqueous
hydro- hydroplane, hydraulic
auto- self autonomous, autopilot
bio- life biology, bio-active
chlor- green chlorophyll, chloroform
circum- around circumference, circumnavigate
peri- periscope, perimeter
co- together covalent, coefficient
cyto- cell cytolysis, cytoplasm
derm- skin dermatitis, dermatology
endo- internal endoskeleton, endoscopic
epi- upon/ over epidemic, epicentre
eqi- equal equidistant, equilateral
iso- isosceles, isobars
exo- out exotic, exoskeleton
geo- earth geology, geocentric
hemo- blood hemoglobin, hemophiliac
herb- plant herbivore, herbicide
hetero- mixed, unlike heterosexual, heterozygous
homo- same, alike homogeneous, homeostasis
hyper- excessive/ above hypertonic, hyperextend
super- supersede, supersonic
hypo- below hypodermic, hypotonic
ill- bad/badly ill-defined, illness
mal- malignant, malware
inter- between internet, interface
intra- within, inside intracellular, intravenous
macro- large macroscopic, macrophage
magn- magnate, magnify
meso- middle mesaticephalic, mesoscopic
meta- transformation OR metamorphosis, metastasis
referring to itself metadata, metaphysics
micro- small microscope, microorganism
mis- wrong misdiagnose, misalign
neo- new neonatal, neo-Darwinism
nomen- name nomenclature, nominal
over- too overheat, oversimplify
para- similar paramedic, parapsychology
photo- light photosynthesis, photograph
post- after postpartum, postoperative
prim- first primitive, primordial
proto- protoplasm, prototype
pro- before OR projectile, prophase
supporting pro-abortion, promotion
pseudo- false pseudoephedrine, pseudoscience
re- again recreate, reboot
retro- backwards retrovirus, retrofit
tele- far/ distant telescope, television
trans- across transport, transducer
5
 ROOT Meaning Science and technology example
-anthrop- human misanthrope, anthropomorphic
-chrom- colour chromosome, monochrome
-chron- time chronograph, synchronize
-crypt- secret cryptograph, encryption
-dem- people demography, pandemic
-dict- say dictaphone, predict
-duc- lead, bring, take deduce, produce
-gress- walk digress, progress
-ject- throw ejection, inject
-man- hand manufacture, manual
-meter- measure metronome, spectrometer
-morph- form amorphous, metamorphic
-path- feeling, suffering pathology, psychopathic
-ped- foot OR pedestrian, podiatrist
children paediatrician, pedagogue
-pel- drive impel, repel
-pend- hang depend, pendulum
-philo- love philosophy, hydrophilic
-phobe- fear agoraphobia, xenophobe
-phon- sound polyphonic, telephone
-port- carry transport, report
-scrib-, -script- write prescribe, description
-therm- heat thermometer, thermostat
-tract- pull, drag, draw contraction, extract
-vert- turn invert, revert
-zoo-, -zoa- animal zoology, protozoa

SUFFIX Meaning Science and technology example

-able capable or worthy of [forms adjectives] malleable, separable
-ible flexible, reducible
-cide kill pesticide, homicide
-ise to become [forms verbs from nouns and adjectives] crystalise, computerise
-ism the act, state, or theory of [forms nouns] organism, vegetarianism
-ist a person who [forms agent nouns from verbs] specialist, scientist
-itis disease, inflammation dermatitis, bronchitis
-fy, -ify to make or cause to become [forms verbs and means] liquefy, acidify
-gram something written or drawn, a record cardiogram, telegram
-graph an instrument for writing, drawing, or recording polygraph, seismograph
-logue, -log speech, discourse; to speak monologue, analogue
-logy science, study biology, dermatology
-ment condition, process or result [forms nouns from verbs] refinement, abatement
-oid resemble [forms adjectives and nouns] humanoid, alkaloid
-osis process or condition osmosis, tuberculosis
-scope examine microscope, oscilloscope
-tion an action, process, condition or result [forms nouns automation, hibernation
from verbs]
-ty state, condition or quality [forms nouns from subtlety, certainty
-ity adjectives] electricity, similarity
-vert turn convert, invert

6
 English for Science and Technology
Lesson 2: 3Cs of good communication
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Recap Question

“Science and technology professionals don’t need good communication skills as they
deal with numbers and formulas – there are public relations and advertising people
to do the sweet-talking.” Do you agree?

AGREE: There ARE advertising and PR people to do persuasive communication,

often on behalf of a scientist/ technical professional (to sell or defend the results of
their work etc.)
DISAGREE: Sci/tech people still need to communicate, as described in L1: To communicate results and
discoveries, but also to persuade (to get a job or grant, defend a finding, to warn about a danger etc.)
The ‘Three C’s of effective communication

It is important in science and technology to communicate in a Clear, Concise and Correct way.

Einstein said that in communicating scientific information “everything should be as simple as possible, but no
simpler”. In science and technology there are specialised terms that professionals need to describe complex
phenomena to each other. Yet too often difficult words are used unnecessarily.

George Orwell was a novelist, but, like a scientist, he sought to perceive and describe the truth. He said
“never use a long word where a short one will do”. People often use big words and complex sentences to
show how knowledgeable they are, but Einstein and Orwell practiced simple communication and nobody
accused them of being dummies.

Task 1: Watch the short video promoting ‘Rockwell Automation Products’. Does the communication
problem lie with the presenter, or with you, the listener? Explain.
[Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW2LvQUcwqc]
In the introductory sales pitch there are many vague/meaningless boasts (“research has developed…”;
“new standards in…” “customer success our prime focus” etc) but main problem is the TECHNICAL JARGON,
which overwhelms and confuses the non-specialist. This is compounded by overly long/complex sentences.

Clear communication

Unclear speech or writing could result in technologies being researched, manufactured, sold or used
incorrectly - perhaps with dangerous consequences.
Technical ‘jargon’, such as that in the video, should only be used amongst specialists for whom the meaning
is clear. ‘Weasel words’ can also confuse or mislead you. These words look impressive but have no real
content or clear meaning, like an egg-shell after a weasel has sucked the contents out of it. Unfortunately
they are increasingly common, and not only amongst advertisers and politicians. They should be avoided by
science and technology professionals. They include:
a) Euphemisms, i.e. soft words to hide a harsh truth (e.g., The boss saying he will “downsize the workforce"
rather than “sack people”)
b) Numerically vague expressions (e.g. "Experts say…", "A growing body of evidence suggests … ")
c) Passive voice to avoid specifying who, if anyone, said it (e.g. "It is said that…")
d) Adverbs that weaken (e.g. Graduates often (or frequently, probably etc.) get jobs at IBM" )
e) Illogical statements (e.g. “My cousin had an accident while driving to HKU, so you should not study there”)

1
f) Linguistic devices and emotive language (e.g. “If I were you I’d study at that wonderful HKU, where you
would blossom like a flower”)
g) Vague generalizations (e.g. “Throughout history, HKU has inspired minds”)
Task 2: Read the following poorly-written conclusion to a scientific report, underlining each unclear
expression, and matching it (using a letter), to the corresponding form of ‘weasel word’ above. The first is
done for you.

Our discovery is superior to all others in the region [G]. Many specialists worked for weeks [B], applying a
new form of unique scientific research [A] which you, wise readers, would have been amazed to see [F]. To
summarize, we froze a dead butterfly then observed it moving as it thawed out, thereby proving that eternal
life is possible [E]. This has been described [C] as a remarkable discovery, and will possibly [D] change
people’s lives – forever!

Of course language is not always deliberately made unclear in order to mislead you. ‘Ambiguous’
expressions (= capable of being understood in more than one way) are easily made, but can cause confusion
for the reader or listener.
Task 3: Discuss with a partner how the following could be misinterpreted, then rewrite them to remove the
ambiguity:
a. Take three pills after meals daily [= 9 pills daily (3 pills after each of the 3 meals)?] Take three pills daily,
one after each meal
b. Medicines can be harmful to young children. Make sure you keep them locked in the bathroom cabinet.
[Keep medicines or kids locked up?] Keep medicines locked in the bathroom cabinet, so that children
cannot be harmed
c. I’ll meet you at HKU SPACE after lunch [Where/when is that?] I’ll meet you at KEC HKU SPACE, on the
entrance steps, at 1pm
d. Turn your IPAD on to recharge it [= stimulated? …will that work?] Before recharging your IPad, it must
first be switched on
e. ‘Vomiting bug closes three wards’ [from a newspaper headline] [= an insect that vomits?] Vomit-causing
virus causes three wards to be closed

Concise communication

Expressing yourself concisely means doing so in a brief and compact way, without wasting words (or wasting
the time of those reading or hearing it!).
Task 4: Re-write the following in a concise way, keeping only the key information. For this form of writing
bullet-points are acceptable.
In case there is a fire you should carefully consider the actions that you might undertake for this potentiality,
as this will facilitate you avoiding an untimely death. It is strongly recommended that you analyse this
message, and follow the advice contained herein, as it identifies the core priorities for the maintenance of
your well-being. Upon the fire manifesting itself, or if your hear the siren-emitting audio warning system, it is
imperative that you cease working ASAP. Your next step is to remove yourself from the premises, motioning
in a calm and composed manner to avoid spreading panic, and under no circumstances using the elevators,
which could malfunction and see you get cooked. In addition, you should close doors behind you in order to
deprive the fire of combustible oxygen. Finally, you should also consider helping those who are less agile than
you, such as children, the disabled, or those already suffering the debilitating effects of smoke inhalation.
[check the warning sign on the classroom door?] OR:
If you see a fire, or hear the alarm:
 Stop work and calmly leave the building, avoiding elevators
 Close doors behind you
 Help others if possible

2
Correct communication

Incorrect language must also be avoided in science and technology as this too can cause misunderstanding
and potentially serious problems.

Correct language means using accurate:

a) Grammar b) Vocabulary c) Sentence structure d) Spelling

e) Punctuation f) Pronunciation (articulation, stress, intonation and pausing).

Task 5a: The following message has at least one of each of the mistakes above. Underline them and add a
matching letter, noting what confusion each mistake causes.

Remind the artificial heart-surgeon [e/ –hyphen in the wrong place, as the heart, not the surgeon, is
artificial] that the electronic organs [b/ could be confused with the musical instrument] will be PRESented
[f/ stressing the first syllable suggests a noun, namely a gift] tonight, having been manufactured in
Shenzhen for his patience. [d/ = ‘patients’] . The hearts must have been [a/ verb-tense problem – causing
confusion about whether the action has been performed] picked up at the border and implanted quickly,
before the batteries go flat by the surgeon. [c/ needs re-ordering].

Task 5b: Rewrite the message correctly, to avoid any misunderstanding.

Remind the artificial-heart surgeon that the electronic hearts will be preSENted tonight, having been
manufactured in Shenzhen for his patients. The hearts must be picked up at the border and implanted by
the surgeon quickly, before the batteries go flat.

Vocabulary building - using root words, prefixes and suffixes

A science and technology student must learn a lot of new terms or jargon in order to communicate
effectively with other specialists. You can try to memorise the meaning of each, but there is an easier way.
These words are commonly made up of components called the ‘root’, which is often preceded by a ‘prefix’
and/or followed by a ‘suffix’. These components (usually from old Latin or Greek languages) reappear in
thousands of words, so if you learn them you can often work out what the new word means. For example:

poly|morph|ism
Prefix ‘poly’ = many Suffix ‘ism’ = the act/ state/ theory
Root ‘morph’ = form
So ‘Polymorphism’ means ‘many forms [expressed as a] state/noun’ – in other words it is the state or quality
of an organism (in biology), compound (in chemistry) or variable (in IT) having many different forms.

Task 6: Use the lists of prefixes, roots and suffixes in the appendix to derive the meaning of the following:

1. Hydrology Water science/ study 6. Exothermic Outer heat i.e. that which gives out/
generates heat
2. Abiotic Not living i.e. inorganic 7. Endoscopist Internal examination (tool) [The
person/ specialist who uses it]
3. Micrometre Small measurement (tool) 8. Epidermis Over/ Outer skin (of an animal/human)
4. Telemetry Distant measurement (often wireless, 9. Hypothermia Below heat i.e. Low body
using sensors and a transmitter) temperature
5. Bipedalism [The state of having] Two feet (for 10. Paedophobia Fear of Children
walking/ standing)
3
APPENDIX –Prefixes, Roots and Suffixes [for more, see http://www.prefixsuffix.com/rootchart.php]

NUMERICAL PREFIX Meaning Science and technology example

uni- one uniform, unicode

mono- monohybrid, monosodium
du-, duo- two dual-core processor, duodecimal
di-, bi- dichloride, dioxide, bicycle
tri- three triangle, tripod
tetra- four tetrameter, tetrapod
quad- quadruplets, quadrilateral
penta- five pentagon, pentose
quint- quintet, quinidine
sex- six sexagenarian, sexpartite
hex- hexagon, hexadecimal
sept- seven septuplet, septivalent
oct- eight octopus, octagon
nov-, non- nine novena, nonagon
dec- ten decade, decahedron
cent- hundred century, percentage
hect- hectogram, hectopascal
mil- thousand millimeter, millipede
kilo- kilometre, kilobyte
mega- million megaton, megabyte
giga- billion gigabyte, gigalitre
tera- trillion terabyte, terawatt
semi- half semi-automatic, semicircle
hemi- hemisphere, hemicardia.
demi- demitasse, demilune
poly- many polysaccharide, polyvalent
multi- multitasking, multicellular

PREFIX Meaning Science and technology example

a- without, not asexual, asynchronous

an- anaerobic, anhydrous
dis- dissimilar, disjointed
im- imprecise, impure
in- inaccurate, incompatible
ir- irregular, irreversible
non- non-standard, non-porous
un- uncouple, unstable
ab- apart/ away from abnormal, abductor (muscle)
abs- absorb, abstain
de- decompose, dehydrate
dis- disintegrate, disassemble
amphi- amphibaric, amphibious
both [sides]
ambi ambidextrous, ambivalence
ante- before anterior, antenatal
fore- forecast-, forearm
pre- pre-existing, pre-test

4
anti- against antiaircraft, antivirus
contra- contraceptive, contraindication
counter- counteract, counter-incision
aqua- water aquarium, aqueous
hydro- hydroplane, hydraulic
auto- self autonomous, autopilot
bio- life biology, bio-active
chlor- green chlorophyll, chloroform
circum- around circumference, circumnavigate
peri- periscope, perimeter
co- together covalent, coefficient
cyto- cell cytolysis, cytoplasm
derm- skin dermatitis, dermatology
endo- internal endoskeleton, endoscopic
epi- upon/ over epidemic, epicentre
eqi- equal equidistant, equilateral
iso- isosceles, isobars
exo- out exotic, exoskeleton
geo- earth geology, geocentric
hemo- blood hemoglobin, hemophiliac
herb- plant herbivore, herbicide
hetero- mixed, unlike heterosexual, heterozygous
homo- same, alike homogeneous, homeostasis
hyper- excessive/ above hypertonic, hyperextend
super- supersede, supersonic
hypo- below hypodermic, hypotonic
ill- bad/badly ill-defined, illness
mal- malignant, malware
inter- between internet, interface
intra- within, inside intracellular, intravenous
macro- large macroscopic, macrophage
magn- magnate, magnify
meso- middle mesaticephalic, mesoscopic
meta- transformation OR metamorphosis, metastasis
referring to itself metadata, metaphysics
micro- small microscope, microorganism
mis- wrong misdiagnose, misalign
neo- new neonatal, neo-Darwinism
nomen- name nomenclature, nominal
over- too overheat, oversimplify
para- similar paramedic, parapsychology
photo- light photosynthesis, photograph
post- after postpartum, postoperative
prim- first primitive, primordial
proto- protoplasm, prototype
pro- before OR projectile, prophase
supporting pro-abortion, promotion
pseudo- false pseudoephedrine, pseudoscience
re- again recreate, reboot
retro- backwards retrovirus, retrofit
tele- far/ distant telescope, television

5
 ROOT Meaning Science and technology example
-anthrop- human misanthrope, anthropomorphic
-chrom- colour chromosome, monochrome
-chron- time chronograph, synchronize
-crypt- secret cryptograph, encryption
-dem- people demography, pandemic
-dict- say dictaphone, predict
-duc- lead, bring, take deduce, produce
-gress- walk digress, progress
-ject- throw ejection, inject
-man- hand manufacture, manual
-meter- measure metronome, spectrometer
-morph- form amorphous, metamorphic
-path- feeling, suffering pathology, psychopathic
-ped- foot OR pedestrian, podiatrist
children paediatrician, pedagogue
-pel- drive impel, repel
-pend- hang depend, pendulum
-philo- love philosophy, hydrophilic
-phobe- fear agoraphobia, xenophobe
-phon- sound polyphonic, telephone
-port- carry transport, report
-scrib-, -script- write prescribe, description
-therm- heat thermometer, thermostat
-tract- pull, drag, draw contraction, extract
-vert- turn invert, revert
-zoo-, -zoa- animal zoology, protozoa

SUFFIX Meaning Science and technology example

-able capable or worthy of [forms adjectives] malleable, separable
-ible flexible, reducible
-cide kill pesticide, homicide
-ise to become [forms verbs from nouns and adjectives] crystalise, computerise
-ism the act, state, or theory of [forms nouns] organism, vegetarianism
-ist a person who [forms agent nouns from verbs] specialist, scientist
-itis disease, inflammation dermatitis, bronchitis
-fy, -ify to make or cause to become [forms verbs and means] liquefy, acidify
-gram something written or drawn, a record cardiogram, telegram
-graph an instrument for writing, drawing, or recording polygraph, seismograph
-logue, -log speech, discourse; to speak monologue, analogue
-logy science, study biology, dermatology
-ment condition, process or result [forms nouns from verbs] refinement, abatement
-oid resemble [forms adjectives and nouns] humanoid, alkaloid
-osis process or condition osmosis, tuberculosis
-scope examine microscope, oscilloscope
-tion an action, process, condition or result [forms nouns automation, hibernation
from verbs]
-ty state, condition or quality [forms nouns from subtlety, certainty
-ity adjectives] electricity, similarity
-vert turn convert, invert
6