What is a mark?

Forums: Grammar, Esl, English, English As A Second Language
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"Grammars do differ in what concepts they choose to mark. Spanish marks gender on nouns. Japanese does not, but it has markers showing whether a noun is a subject or object. All grammars mark some things ..." This quote is from "Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue" by John McWorter. In this context what is a mark and what does English mark?

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@skeofli,

An honest book on English grammar would be one of the world's shortest books, basically just one page with the words

Quote:

There ain't no stinkin grammar in English.

The End.

English generally uses word order and prepositions in lieue of grammar.

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@skeofli,

skeofli wrote:

In this context what is a mark

It is a way of carrying additional information about a word in the way it is spelled.

For instance, in the Spanish example, the way a noun is spelled indicates its gender.

In the Japanese example, you can tell from a noun's spelling whether it is supposed to be a subject or an object.

skeofli wrote:

and what does English mark?

To be honest, I don't remember. It's been a long time since I've taken an English class.

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@oralloy,

I wonder if we could consider possessives to be marked.

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@roger,

Given oralloy's and roger's responses, possession (according to roger) would be a mark and also past tense, gerunds, and plurals would also be marks? Or am I assuming to much.

Thanks to you both for your responses.

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@skeofli,

skeofli wrote:

Or am I assuming to much.

I don't know. It certainly sounds good, but I'd want to hear from someone who actually knew before I agreed.

Note: too much (that's one that gets a lot of native English speakers even)

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@skeofli,

Quote:

"Grammars do differ in what concepts they choose to mark. Spanish marks gender on nouns. Japanese does not, but it has markers showing whether a noun is a subject or object. All grammars mark some things ..." This quote is from "Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue" by John McWorter. In this context what is a mark and what does English mark?

A mark is the same as an inflection, which is,

Quote:

a : the change of form that words undergo to mark such distinctions as those of case, gender, number, tense, person, mood, or voice

English marks or inflects for such things as tense and number.

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@gungasnake,

Quote:

An honest book on English grammar would be one of the world's shortest books, basically just one page with the words,

There ain't no stinkin grammar in English.

The End.

gungasnake is terribly ignorant about a lot of things and this is one of them.

Quote:

English generally uses word order

That`s an example of grammar right there, gunga.

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@oralloy,

Thanks for noting that was only speculation on my part.

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@JTT,

Thanks JTT. I get it. If McWorter used the word 'inflection' rather than 'mark', I wouldn't have needed to post the question. Thanks to all who chimed in. I don't think you'll hear from me again. Smile

But I will recommend this forum.

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What is a mark?

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