linguisticsgirl.com: ... In my mind, grammatical *form**(what a word looks like) is clearly separate from grammatical function (what a word does). From ODO: 2.1. Any of the ways in which a word may be spelled, pronounced, or inflected 4.2. [count noun] A set order of words; a formula:
When Michael J. Fox played 'Johnny B. Goode' as Marty McFly in 'Back to the Future' in 1985, he was just aping Chuck Berry's classic fretwork for the camera. (Along with some Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen and Pete Townsend guitar moves thrown in for good measure.) Today, Fox can really play the song.
Clock how the world will celebrate October 21 - the date that Marty McFly visited in Back to the Future II. There have been more than a few hoax attempts over the past few years, but the big day is finally here - tomorrow is October 21, 2015, which is when Marty McFly and Doc Brown went into the future in Back To The Future II.