All Seven?

Pop quiz, hotshot.  Find the glaring error in the publisher's description of Mark Baker's Lexical Categories: Verbs, Nouns and Adjectives:

Mark C. Baker investigates the fundamental nature of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. He claims that the various superficial differences found in particular languages have a single underlying source which can be used to provide better definitions of these "parts of speech". The new definitions are supported by data from languages from every continent. Baker's book argues for a formal, syntax-oriented, and universal approach to the parts of speech, as opposed to the functionalist, semantic, and relativist approaches that have dominated the subject.

Comments

[Doug Sundseth]

So, what language is from Antarctica? (Given the population, I'm tempted to say "C++".)

[Bridget]

What, you haven't heard of Antarctic Vernacular English?

[KCinDC]

Maybe the writer is one of those people who think there are five continents. I've never quite figured out what the five are, but I assume Antarctica is excluded. Maybe America is one continent, or maybe Eurasia is.

[includedmiddle]

Nonsense! Everybody knows that Antartica is home to more native speakers of Penguin than any other place in the world.

[tehgeekmeister]

Classic. And I'd gotten used to this being merely a language blog, not a source of amusement!

[Michael]

Antarctica is fascinating for historical linguists because of all the frozen forms.

[Cornelius Puschmann]

But beware, if you aren't careful you'll fall into a deep cleft and break your neck.

[The Ridger]

The Five Continents are Antartica, Africa, America, Eurasia, Australia (or, alternatively, Oceania) - or so I was taught. Still doesn't help the language ref!

[KCinDC]

Hmm, that still doesn't help me with the beer I saw that claimed to be "brewed on all five continents", since I doubt Antarctica was included. Google hasn't helped, though.

[Matt]

Ahem. I believe that considerable detail on the languages of Antarctica has already been presented by Mr Lovecraft. Although, given the way he carries on about their eldritch and insanity-inducing nature, I am very skeptical of the idea that they have identifiable parts of speech that fit neatly into a universalist approach encompassing the languages spoken by puny humans, which generally do not drive investigators mad (except Finnish).

[includedmiddle]

Tekeli-li!

[Pious Agnostic]

The Seven: Antarctica, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia

[Carrots]

I count eight: Antarctica, Africa, Eurasia, Arabia, Australindia, North America, South America, and Central America.

[includedmiddle]

You guys both left out Mu and Atlantis. Just because they're sunken doesn't mean they're not continents.

[Russell Borogove]

Seen recently on a bumper sticker in my neighborhood: "REUNITE GONDWANALAND"

[includedmiddle]

Reducing the world's overall shoreline would be an excellent hedge against global warming.