Vocabulary

Here are some examples of cognates that children can readily understand, based on the knowledge gained from the Springboard course:

Topic one – colours: griza = grey
French gris, Italian grigio, English grizzled.

Topic two – animals: kato = (cat)
Swedish katt, German katze, Russian kot.

Topic three – numbers: ok = (eight)
Latin octo, Greek οκτω, English octagon.

Topic four – shapes: cirklo = (circle)
Latin circulus, Spanish circulo, French cercle.

Topic five – the body: piedo = (foot)
French pied, Italian piede, Spanish pie, English pedestrian.

Topic six – the family: patro = (father)
Latin pater, Italian padre, Spanish padre, English paternal.

The “reference model” of a regular grammar, with no exceptions, helps children to understand the role that each word plays in a sentence. This can then lead to improved confidence when dealing with the very irregular grammar of English; knowing (for example) when to use “who” or “whom”; when to say “my friend and I” or “my friend and me”. Further examples in Sentences and Structures.