Based on what I've heard, "the iPhone" seems to be more common than what Apple intends it to be ("iPhone").
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Why do people refer to an iPhone as a proper noun?
- Thread starter EvoXOhio
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Grammar certainly has a lot of BS rules, but it's never going to go away. For instance, European explorers picked up random words from the native languages spoken in the Americas and used what is now known as Pigdin which generally has no grammar rules. Children of the explorers and native peoples, however, naturally added grammar to Pigdin and thus created Creole languages such as Cajun. Talk to any 2 or 3 year old and you'll notice they sometimes apply general grammar rules incorrectly (tenses are a big one like "I cutted my finger." They know that adding -ed will make things past tense, but they don't know all of the exceptions to the rules). Unfortunately English is full of exceptions to rules.
General reply: Don't get me started on the style manuals. They can take the Oxford comma and double-spacing after the ending punctuation of a sentence away from my cold, dead hands.
You're using it wrong because that is a REAL disorder.
And one does not have it towards only one thing... that's not how disorders work. Also, it is callous & inappropriate to misuse this term in this way. You sir, in fact, are NOT suffering from OCD.
Would you say "oh, I don't want a slice of cheesecake. I'm really anorexic when it comes to cheesecake" to mean you don't eat slices of cheesecake?
If not, then you should probably reconsider using disorders as terms of slang speech altogether.
No. He positioned Macintosh differently. Macintosh as opposed to the IBM PC, for example. No one says " this is IBM PC!" But thanks to Jobs the keynote that introduced Apple's home computer began with "Welcome to Macintosh." Not "Welcome to the Macintosh."
Look, this isn't even worth disputing. Look at ANY biography of Jobs or ANY book/article about the creation of Macintosh. As I said several times before, this is well documented history and it really has nothing to do with correct versus incorrect grammar. It's about a very conscious and intentional marketing choice.
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Sure. Just as "the Macintosh" has always been more common than "Macintosh." As much as Apple would love their marketing to become common parlance people are a lot more comfortable (at least in the US) using the "the."
Yes, because grammar comes from language usage patterns, not the other way around.
Our ancestors didn't sit around and discus sentence structures. "Hey, I think a sentence should consist of subject-verb only if the verb is intransitive otherwise it should be subject-verb-object."
The way grammar comes about is not much different than a bunch of kids playing games. We try to find a pattern that explain how things operate because there seem to be patterns in speech. But these patterns are more complex than our simplistic rules can cover, so we add exceptions.
Does it seem to you that there are more irregular verbs than regular verbs? That proves my point.
That's interesting. I wasn't really trying to enter the debate though. i just thought I'd add that interesting tidbit about grammar and child development.
Personally I think this whole thing is silly. Apple can do what they want with their marketing, and the English language is ridiculous even for those of us who grew up with it.
This isn't exclusive to just the iPhone, I actually hear people refer to a number of objects by their "official" titles a lot. For example, "Have you seen my North Face?" I think referring to something that way does come off as pretentious in my opinion.
I've never once heard someone use it in that way...that is just terrible english and they probably don't know better/english is not their first language.
Apple is one of the most popular companies on the planet. The Macintosh launch is one of the most documented and discussed product launches in history. It isn't just some random marketing campaign from 30 years ago. Books, films, voluminous articles have been written about it over the decades since.
My comment absolutely stands. This is a Mac site. The idea that no one here seems to remember that part of a Apple history seems odd.
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No, it isn't "terrible English," it's a usage convention that seems strange because you're applying it to a phone. The whole idea was to personalize it. "iPhone" is supposed to be its NAME. Like you have a name.
"I just picked Bob up from work."
Not
"I just picked up the Bob from work."
That's the whole point. Apple wants you to PERSONALIZE these devices on a conceptual level, all the way down to calling them by a name. Now, most people don't actually do that, but that's most certainly what they want you to do.
Only Apple.com uses it as a proper noun it's not really supposed to be used as a proper noun in real life. They just do it for marketing purposes.
http://www.apple.com/iphone-6/
It's usage is plastered all over the site
http://www.apple.com/iphone-6/
It's usage is plastered all over the site
Doesn't bother me near as much as when people say/write "Apple are..."
Yup, Apple is not plural. And it's infuriating when you see it used over and over in these forums with no one to correct them.
It's a REGIONAL variation. In the UK "Apple are" IS correct. Since this site is not limited to members in the USA it goes without saying that you'll see various regional usages employed here.
English is probably the simplest language when it comes to grammar.
try german or many other languages that have genders and cases and not just simply "the". I am born german and the use of "der, die, das" for "the" Still makes no sense to me lol. I just "do it" cuz otherwise it sounds wrong. my cousins husband is American and he's been learning german slowly for years and just when he thinks he got the der die das right he messes up. I am like "nope that's wrong and should be "die". he's like BUT WHYYYYYY?!?
it's funny
Yes, but the marketing language reflects the fact that they think of all of their products as INDIVIDUALS, not THINGS. iMac, iPhone and iPad. Not the iMac, the iPhone and the iPad.
I totally understand regional spelling in regards to things like colour/color, realize/realize, but plurality versus singularity? That makes no sense.
I dunno, first page I brought up doesn't really seem to cohere to this theory:
https://www.apple.com/imac/design/
Sit down in front of an iMac
The first iMac was a revolution
with the iMac design
but this iMac wouldnt be possible
the iMac display
Good job, Sherlock. You found marketing inconsistencies in some of the voluminous materials of a multi-billion dollar company.
No one said Apple was consistent about it. They break this "rule" all the time.
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Sure it does. How many companies consist of a single person?
Same applies to bands in UK English usage. They're more likely to say "the Who are playing tonight..." than "the Who is playing tonight..."
Collective nouns. Apple = a company = a collection of people
The Who = a band = a collection of people
Well this is the front page for iMac, but whatever, stay safe in the wind tonight.
Like I said. It isn't hard and fast. They used to be a lot more strict about it when it came to (the) Macintosh. These days they hammer it more when it comes to (the) iPhone and not as much with iMacs and MacPros. They even get loose with the iPad. Ultimately they seem to stick to it more when it relates to the products they most want to personalize. To that extent look for this convention to be used with Apple Watch big time.