Who is Rosetta Stone?

[Mark Spahn]

There is a radio commercial for a language learning program called "Rosetta Stone".  The enthusiastic radio announcer pronounces the program like the name of a person, "RoSETta STONE", not like the name of a famous archaeological artifact, the "RoSETta stone".  I just saw a television commercial for the same product.  This time, the announcer pronounces the term correctly as "RoSETta stone",
but the two or three satisfied customers who refer to the product by name intone it like the personal name "RoSETta STONE", as does another announcer at the end who tells the viewer how to buy the product.  I wonder whether this commercial, on radio and television, is increasing the proportion of Americans who think that Rosetta Stone is a person.

In checking the Buffalo telephone directory, I find there are five people named "R Stone", none of whom will spell out her first name.  Hey, an idea:  The next time linguists hold a convention, offer free admission or some other goody to anyone who can produce I.D. as Rosetta Stone.

-- Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY)

P.S.  According to the Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_Stone,
the Rosetta Stone acquired its name because it was found near the Egyptian port city
of Rosetta (present-day Rashid).

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