英语单词的偏旁部首英语中某些字母组合可以表示一定的含义，英国语言学家弗思(J.R.Firth, 1890-1960)将这种字母组合称作“联觉音组”（phonaesthemes）联觉音组”就像汉字的偏旁部首一样，也具有表意功能1．fl- 与“火焰”有关：flame [fleim] n. visible part of fire火焰, 光辉, 光芒Love isn’t a bunch of coals that can be blown by an bellows into a flame at any time.爱情不是一捆柴火，并不是每时每刻都可以拉一拉风箱就能燃起大火flare [flεə] burn with a bright, unsteady fire闪光, 闪耀；发火，生气Once more Athens flared into importance as the head of a confederation.雅典再一次脱颖而出，成为联邦首领 flash [flæʃ] sudden burst of flame or light闪光, 闪现A lighthouse was flashing in the distance. 一个灯塔在远处闪着光。
flicker ['flikə] burn or shine unsteadily闪烁These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. 这些灯象发狂的交通灯一样不停地闪动着flamboyant ['flæm'bɔiənt] adj. brightly colored and decorated辉耀的, 华丽的→flamboyance (n. 华丽, 火焰)They lived in that flamboyant hotel with nothing to do.他们住在那家华丽的旅店里无所事事inflame [in'fleim] v. become red, angry, overheated燃烧；激怒→inflammation (n. 怒火, 发火, 燃烧), inflammable (adj. 易燃的, 易怒的)Our lack of response seemed to inflame the colonel. 我们没有反应好象惹怒了上校inflammable [in'flæməbl] adj. easily burnt易燃的, 易怒的A thing was inflammable if it contained phlogiston. 只要含有可燃物就可以燃烧。
conflagrate ['kɔnfləɡreit] v. to cause to start burning燃烧, 着火→由con-(together)+flagr (to burn)+-ate (to make)构成→conflagrant (adj. 燃烧的, 炽热的), conflagration (n. 大火, 大火灾, 突发)By the time they arrived at the woods, it has already been conflagrated into ash. 他们赶到森林时，它已经烧成了灰2. gl- 表示“光线”：gleam [ɡli:m] n. &v. beam or ray of soft light闪烁, 隐约地闪现The moonlight gleamed on the river. 月光在河面上闪烁It was a glorious night, with a great full moon gleaming in a purple sky.那是个亮晶晶的夜晚，皓月在紫色的天空上闪烁glimmer [5glimE] v. send out a weak, uncertain light发出闪烁的微光Now the raft was passing the few glimmering lights of the distant village.现在小筏子划过了远处村庄里几盏微微闪烁的灯。
glisten [5glisEn] v. shine brightly, sparkle闪光It was a hot July morning, and perspiration glistened on Robbie’s forehead.那是个七月的炎热早晨，汗水在罗比的前额闪着光glitter [5glitE] v. shine brightly with flashes of light闪闪发光, 闪烁 It is an old saying that all is not gold that glitters 古话说闪光的东西并不都是金子glint [glint] n. send out flashes of light闪烁The sun glinted through the leaves. 阳光穿过叶隙而闪耀glare [glZE] n. & v. shine in dazzling way眩目的光, 显眼, 怒目而视The sun glared out of the blue sky. 太阳在蓝天上发出炫目的光芒We could see nothing because of the glare of the car’s lights.由于车灯很耀眼，我们什么都看不清。
gloom [glu:m] n. & v. semi-darkness阴暗, 阴沉In the gloom of the thick forest, they nearly lost their way.他们几乎在黑暗的密林中迷了路glaze [gleiz] n. &v. cover with a glass-like surface上釉The moon lay on the glazed snow of backyard. 月光洒在后院光滑的雪上glossy [5glCsi] adj. smooth and shiny光滑的，有光泽的Everything looked so glossy, and clean and ordered. 一切都显得那么有光泽，清洁干净，井井有条3. 以 -mum结尾的常词表示“数量”：maximum [5mAksimEm] n. &adj. the largest amount 最大量（的）；最大值（的）The maximum load for this truck is ten ton. 这辆卡车最大载重量是10吨minimum [5minimEm] n. &adj. the smallest amount最小量（的）；最小数（的）；最低限度（的）You must get a minimum of 40 questions right to pass the examination. 你必须最少答对40道题才能通过考试。
optimum [5CptimEm] n. &adj. the best amount 最佳值, 最佳的→optimal (adj. 最佳的, 最理想的), optimize (v. 使最优化), optimization (n. 最佳化, 最优化)This approach provides good economics and the ability to formulate the optimum design.这种方法提供很好的经济前景，并能够选出最佳的设计4. 不少以sl- 开头的词与“滑动”有关：slide, slip, slopeslick [slik] adj. smooth, slippery光滑的The slick floor brought me down in a heavy fall. 光滑的地板让我摔了一大跤sleek [sli:k] adj. smooth and glossy圆滑的He himself is as sleek as a miller’s rat. 他本人就象磨坊里的老鼠那样圆滑slime [slaim] n. soft, sticky mud滑的粘土 But you dragged the entire race into the slime. 但是，你将整个民族拖进泥潭中。
slippery [5slipEri] adj. smooth, wet, polished光滑的，滑溜的Much of the ride was through rainy and slippery road. 该行程的一大段都是经过又湿又滑的道路sloppy [5slCpi] adj. wet and sliding with rain 湿滑的The melting snow made the roads very sloppy. 融雪使得道路又湿又滑slush [slQF] n. melting snow, soft mud烂泥Next day his luggage arrived through the slush. 第二天，他的行李从泥泞中运送过来sludge [slQdV] n. thick, greasy mud软泥Fluid sludge can be sold to farmers for spreading on their fields.流态的软泥可以卖给农民，让他们铺到田地里sledge [sledV] n. vehicle pulled by dogs or horses to slide on snow雪橇The dogs pulled the sledges over the ice and the sledges carried equipment. 狗在冰上拉着雪橇，雪橇上装着设备。
6．sn- 表示从鼻孔发出的音：sneeze [sni:z] n. &v. n. sudden outburst of air through the nose 喷嚏，打喷嚏When you have a cold, you sneeze a lot. 感冒时要打很多喷嚏sniff [snif] n. &v. draw air through the nose so that there is a sound鼻吸声 When she had stopped crying, she sniffed and dried her eyes. 她停止哭泣，抽着鼻子擦干眼泪snore [snC:] n. &v. breathe roughly and noisily while sleeping打鼾If you sleep on your back with your mouth open you’re likely to snore.如果你张开嘴躺着睡觉，很可能会打呼噜snort [snC:t] n. &v. force air violently out through the nose喷鼻息“You can’t come in here.” John snorted at the doorman, “We’ll soon see about that.”“你不能到这儿来。
约翰对门位“哼”的一声说，“我们很快就会看出来的snuff [snQf] n. &v. draw air in through the nose。