Morpheme Monday - "age"

,Suffix “-age”

Quick review - morphemes are the smallest units of meaning that form words. Today we are looking at the suffix “-age.” The suffix “-age” is derived from Latin and French roots, and it typically relates to a collection, process, or state of being when attached to the root word.

Since "age" is a suffix, it is part of MANY English words. Here are a few examples.

• Courage: The ability to overcome fear, frailty, or adversity. "Cor" from Latin for "heart."

• Message: A communication or what is communicated, an underlying theme or conclusion to be drawn from something. "Missum" from Latin for "to send."

• Advantage: A condition or circumstance that puts one in a favourable or superior position. "Avant" from Latin for "before;" apparently the <d> was a mistake (according to Etymonline & Etymology Explorer (app).

• Manage: To be in charge of, to handle, or to oversee something. From Latin "manus," meaning "hand."

• Heritage: Property or traditions passed down from previous generations. From Latin "heres," meaning "heir."

• Passage: A way through, a corridor, or a section of text in a book. This root goes way back, but the closest link is from Old French "passer," which means "to pass."

• Storage: The act of storing or the space used for storage. Derived from Middle English ("store") which meant mostly supplies, provisions, livestock, farm animals (your "stuff.")

• Marriage: The state or condition of being married. From Latin "maritare" which meant, to marry.

  
  

Improving Spelling & Understanding with “-age”

1. Reading automaticity

   When we recognize certain patterns in words, it can help us read that "chunk" with more automaticity. The morpheme <age> is usually pronounced (in my Canadian accent, anyway) with the sounds "i j" (like the end of "bridge" or "fridge." Learning about "age" as a suffix can help students differentiate between this and the word "age" pronounced like "ay-j."

2. Spelling

   Practice and exposure to morphemes like “-age” can also aid in spelling. Many words that end with this suffix follow a consistent pattern. In our methods, we teach students to access the sounds of the words first. Then we look for patterns. We point out that the sounds "i-j" at the end of a longer word are usually spelled <age>. There are about 100 common words (according to Merriam Webster) ending with <age> (though a few have different pronunciations like in "teenage" or "camouflage"). Merriam Webster lists just 7 common words that end with <idge> and only 3 are more than one syllable. There are no common words ending with <ij> (which striving students may pick first). There are a few ending with <ige> but that is not pronounce /i j/.

   
   

When you Learn Something New

I was exploring this suffix with a student and we came across the "marriage" and "carriage." It took me to my 41st year of life - having been reading since I was about 4, to realize that "marry" and "carry" follow the pattern of the "y" changing to an "i" before adding a suffix with a vowel. Then we get "marriage" and "carriage." Ever wonder why those <i>s were in there? Well now you know!