Herb, Comments on noun functions. Does calling nouns used this way adjective make sense to students? Our linguistic system likes to be able to manipulate form words into other parts of speech, nouns to verbs and so on. One choice that appears to be handy is our use of nouns as modifiers, as in "the stocking committee planning chart" or "a fan belt compression fitting design plan." So we might hear of a "site plan coordination effort currently underway." I just read about the " 2007 Devils Lake operation summary report document." How's this: "The linear realignment task force control system planning session." That could apply to grammar study. ----- Original Message ----- From: "STAHLKE, HERBERT F" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 9:33 AM Subject: Re: tion & nouns Linda, You're right that nouns can modify nouns and therefore function as adjectives. And function is a nice instance of a verb in -tion. English borrowed "function" from French as a noun in the late 16th c. It's verb use doesn't appear until 1856. And your cynicism is well founded. Herb -----Original Message----- From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Comerford Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 11:50 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: tion & nouns Can't words ending in -tion (or -ion) also function as adjectives like an election poll (or like a verb as used in this sentence: function)? I'm all for simplifying as much as possible for my students, but I've learned to be cynical about using the words "all" or "none" regarding grammar. Linda Linda Comerford 317.786.6404 [log in to unmask] www.comerfordconsulting.com -----Original Message----- From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jan Kammert Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 12:36 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: tion & nouns I teach middle school. One of the teachers in my district (not my building) said that all words that end in -tion are nouns. I never heard that before, but I thought of all the words I could that end in -tion. I think he might be right. Then I thought maybe all words that end in just -ion are nouns. Am I right? Maybe this information will help my students, but I don't want to tell them something wrong. If all words that end is -ion are nouns, can someone tell me why? Is there some history about those words? Thanks! Jan To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/