Anonymous  +  815087 Sat, 11 Jul 09 12:41 PM Why do we have different prefixes such as disagree, ungrateful, insufficient? What are the rules that determine which one is appropriate?  Anonymous Prefixes

	Best answer by Cool Breeze  +  815358 Sat, 11 Jul 09 04:51 PM As Mr M says, there are no rules you can always trust. However, since un is a native English prefix, it is often used in words that don't derive from Latin, French or Greek. In is common in loan words from those languages. International phonetic laws that apply in many languages have changed in before certain sounds. It has become im before [m], [p ] and [b]. This is because when one produces these sounds, one's lips are closed and this makes pronouncing inmature more difficult than immature is. Therefore we say impolite, imbalance, not inpolite, inbalance. For similar reasons in has often been assimilated before l and r: illegal, irreligious, irresponsible CB Cool Breeze

	Mister Micawber  +  815186 Sat, 11 Jul 09 02:18 PM These prefixes have come to us over a great length of time from Latin and Greek, and for the most part already attached to words derived from these languages.  There are no rules; you must learn them individually. Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,773 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Prefixes, Languages