Etymology provides instruction in the derivation of English words and word families from their Latin and Greek origins.  It also provides the connotative and denotative meaning of words in a variety of contexts. Students study the origins and meanings of English words, including roots, suffixes, prefixes, and reasons for language change.  This course introduces students to tools and resources for etymological study and encourages them to be curious about the English language. The analytic study of word history and semantics is reinforced through a written and oral component that involves specific analyses of texts that require etymological sensitivity and encourages students to exchange Anglo-Saxon vocabulary that derived from Latin or Greek.  As it enables students to increase their vocabularies, this course helps prepare students to perform well on the SAT.