The Latin root word son means “sound.” Let’s “sound” out this root today!
Many words come from the Latin root word son which means “sound.” For instance, a sonic boom is a very large “sound.” Sonar, originally “SOund Navigation And Ranging,” uses “sound” to detect objects under the water where they cannot be seen with the naked eye.
As one might expect, musicians and poets have created words from the root word son which means “sound.” For instance, a sonata originally meant a piece of music whose “sound” is produced through instruments only; conversely, a cantata is a piece which is sung. Poets, on the other hand, write sonnets, or short poems which at root mean a little “sound” or little song. Assonance, a device used by poets, describes the repetition of vowel “sounds” in verse. Poets sometimes create effects of dissonance, or disagreeable “sound,” to describe a disturbing situation.
Linguistics also has words that have to do with “sounding.” For instance, a consonant is a letter that must “sound” with a vowel because it has no “sound” by itself, which is why all words have vowels.
Have you ever been with a group of people who have said something in unison? If so, you all “sounded” as one, or “sounded” together. Speaking of the word “sound” itself, it too comes from the root word son for obvious reasons.
Enough “sounding” off about son. Now this root will resonate through your brain as you see the root word son, leading successfully to resounding recall!
- sonic: pertaining to ‘sound’
- sonar: scientific tool to detect an object by using ‘sound’
- sonata: a musical piece of instrumental ‘sound’ only
- sonnet: a short poem which therefore has little ‘sound’
- assonance: a vowel ‘sound’ that occurs repeatedly in poetry
- dissonance: bad ‘sound’
- consonant: letter which has to ‘sound’ with a vowel
- unison: ‘sounding’ as one
- sound: ‘sound’
- resonate: to ‘sound’ again and again
- resounding: ‘sounding’ again and again