long mark: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Formal
Quick answer
What does “long mark” mean?
A diacritical mark (¯) placed over a vowel to indicate that it is pronounced with its long sound.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A diacritical mark (¯) placed over a vowel to indicate that it is pronounced with its long sound.
In linguistic notation, a horizontal line used to denote vowel length, duration of a sound, or, in music, a tenuto mark indicating a note is to be held for its full length.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Both use the term in academic/linguistic contexts.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties outside specialized fields.
Grammar
How to Use “long mark” in a Sentence
The long mark is placed over [vowel].[Word] is spelled with a long mark on the [vowel].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “long mark” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- You need to long mark the 'a' in the phonetic spelling.
- The editor long-marked all the stressed vowels.
American English
- Long mark the vowel to show its duration.
- The system automatically long-marks diphthongs.
adjective
British English
- The long-mark vowel is pronounced differently.
- Follow the long-mark convention in the text.
American English
- Look for the long-mark symbol in the key.
- It's a long-mark indication of sound length.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in linguistics, phonetics, and language textbooks to discuss vowel length.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Precise term in phonetic transcription and orthographic systems.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “long mark”
- Confusing it with other diacritics like the acute or circumflex accent.
- Using 'long mark' to refer to a dash or hyphen in general text.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in linguistic contexts, 'macron' is the standard technical term for the long mark (¯).
Primarily in linguistic texts, dictionaries (especially for languages like Latin, Māori, or Hawaiian), and phonetic transcriptions.
No, standard English orthography does not use diacritical marks like the long mark. It is used only in specialized phonetic notation.
A 'breve' (˘), which is a curved mark used to indicate a short vowel sound.
A diacritical mark (¯) placed over a vowel to indicate that it is pronounced with its long sound.
Long mark is usually technical/formal in register.
Long mark: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɒŋ ˌmɑːk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɔːŋ ˌmɑːrk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LONG line that makes a vowel sound LONGER.
Conceptual Metaphor
LENGTH IS A HORIZONTAL LINE (a visual representation of duration).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most precise single-word synonym for 'long mark' in linguistics?