Difference between revisions of "Unmarked term"
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| − | + | An '''unmarked term''' a word or phrase which can be used to convey a general meaning when placed in the proper context, but which often conveys a more specific meaning otherwise. | |
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| + | ''Men'' can refer to all human beings, or to male human beings only. This is probably the most troublesome term, because the general meaning (everyone) can be confused easily with the specific meaning (no ladies). | ||
{{quotebox|[[Host]] is unmarked, but hostess is morphologically marked for femaleness. ... in the pair [[horse]]/[[mare]], horse is the more general, unmarked term, while mare is marked for femaleness. In the pair [[cow]]/bull, cow is unmarked, while bull is marked for maleness. - Tom McArthur, Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language [http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-MARKEDANDUNMARKEDTERMS.html] }} | {{quotebox|[[Host]] is unmarked, but hostess is morphologically marked for femaleness. ... in the pair [[horse]]/[[mare]], horse is the more general, unmarked term, while mare is marked for femaleness. In the pair [[cow]]/bull, cow is unmarked, while bull is marked for maleness. - Tom McArthur, Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language [http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-MARKEDANDUNMARKEDTERMS.html] }} | ||
[[Category:Education]] | [[Category:Education]] | ||
Revision as of 13:17, November 29, 2008
An unmarked term a word or phrase which can be used to convey a general meaning when placed in the proper context, but which often conveys a more specific meaning otherwise.
Men can refer to all human beings, or to male human beings only. This is probably the most troublesome term, because the general meaning (everyone) can be confused easily with the specific meaning (no ladies).
Host is unmarked, but hostess is morphologically marked for femaleness. ... in the pair horse/mare, horse is the more general, unmarked term, while mare is marked for femaleness. In the pair cow/bull, cow is unmarked, while bull is marked for maleness. - Tom McArthur, Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language [1]