diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 21d34e5b..834578c2 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 	* src/nano (precalc_multicolorinfo): Do not match the ^ anchor when
 	looking further on in a line.  This prevents an end="^$" from being
 	sometimes mistakenly matched.  Fix inspired by Savannah bug #27708.
+	* doc/syntax/default.nanorc: New file, example for a default syntax.
 
 2014-05-17  Benno Schulenberg  <bensberg@justemail.net>
 	* doc/syntax/json.nanorc: New file, originally from Aapo Rantalainen,
diff --git a/doc/syntax/Makefile.am b/doc/syntax/Makefile.am
index 458c8165..03bc8e3e 100644
--- a/doc/syntax/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/syntax/Makefile.am
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ pkgdata_DATA =	asm.nanorc \
 		c.nanorc \
 		css.nanorc \
 		debian.nanorc \
+		default.nanorc \
 		fortran.nanorc \
 		gentoo.nanorc \
 		go.nanorc \
diff --git a/doc/syntax/default.nanorc b/doc/syntax/default.nanorc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9047b9d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/syntax/default.nanorc
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+## An example of a default syntax, which is used
+## for files that do not match any other syntax.
+
+syntax "default"
+
+# Spaces in front of tabs.
+color ,red " +	+"
+
+# Trailing blanks.
+color ,red "[[:blank:]]+$"
+
+# E-mail signatures.
+color yellow start="^-- $" end="^$"
+
+# Nano's name.
+color brightred "(GNU )?nano( [1-9]\.[0-9]\.[^ ]+)?"
+
+# Tease.
+color green "\<yellow\>"