Retronym: computer website

Tue Jul 23 20:49:57 UTC 2013

The lines are easy to draw. If you are talking about personal computers in
general, you use PCs.

If you are looking to differentiate between Apple machines and those of
other manufacturers, you use Apple v PC.

I have never seen a context where the meaning is not clear. I am sure you
could create one, but a good editor would fix it.

DanG

On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 4:43 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Retronym: computer website
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I take it as a given that the world does not differentiate it so =
> cleanly. Here's a good example of proof:
>
> "10 Differences Between Macs and PCs" =
> (
> http://computer.howstuffworks.com/macs/10-differences-between-macs-and-pc=
> s.htm)
>
> It seems clear that PC has two levels of meaning, one encompassing Macs =
> and one excluding them (hence the uncomfortable feeling I get). Finding =
> how to draw the lines is the question.
>
> Benjamin Barrett
> Seattle, WA
>
> Learn Ainu! https://sites.google.com/site/aynuitak1/videos=3D3D
>
> On Jul 23, 2013, at 1:17 PM, Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> > I don't need more convincing evidence. I am already convinced.
> >=20
> > So is Wikipedia:
> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh
> > The *Macintosh* (/
> > =
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English>=3DCB=3D88<https://en.
> =
> wikip=3D
> > edia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>
> > m =
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key
> >=3DC3=3DA6<https:/=
> /en=3D
> > .wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>
> > k =
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key
> >=3DC9=3DA8<https:/=
> /en=3D
> > .wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>
> > n =
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>t<https://en.wiki
> =3D=
>
> > pedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>
> > =3DC9=3D92 =
> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key
> >=3DCA=3D83<https=3D=
>
> > ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>
> > / <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English>
> > =
> *mak-in-tosh*<
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Pronunciation_respel=
> l=3D
> > ing_key>
> > ),[1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh#cite_note-1> marketed =
> as *Ma=3D
> > c
> > *, is a line of personal
> > computers<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer> (PCs)
> > designed, developed, and marketed by Apple
> > Inc.<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.>
> >=20
> > In the business world, we talk about Apple's share of the PC market, =
> which
> > would be zero if Apple doesn't make PCs:
> > =
> http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/04/18/apples-mac-took-45-of-t=
> h=3D
> > e-profits-in-the-pc-market/
> > Apple's Mac Took 45% Of The Profits In The PC Market
> >=20
> > What evidence would actually convince you? Figure that out, and look =
> for
> > it, and you will probably find it.
> >=20
> > DanG
> >=20
> >=20
> > On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 4:01 PM, Benjamin Barrett =
> <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>wro=3D
> > te:
> >=20
> >> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >> -----------------------
> >> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> >> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> >> Subject:      Re: Retronym: computer website
> >>=20
> >> =
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=3D=
>
> > ------
> >>=20
> >> On Jul 23, 2013, at 11:16 AM, Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM> =
> wrote:
> >>=20
> >>> On Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 1:47 PM, Benjamin Barrett =3D3D
> >> <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>wrote:
> >>> =3D3D20
> >>>> =3D3D20
> >>>> Seattle, WA
> >>> =3D3D20
> >>> =3D3D20
> >>> I think you are right and you are wrong.
> >>> =3D3D20
> >>> Apple itself calls a Mac a Mac and would never call itself a PC. It =
> =3D3D
> >> uses
> >>> the term PC for all the Wintel boxes when making comparisons:
> >>> =3D3D20
> >>> =3D3D
> >> =
>
> http://store.apple.com/us/question/answers/mac/how-difficult-is-it-to-swi=3D=
>
> > t=3D3D
> >> ch-from-pc-to-mac/Q7XTPJ2D47F297YY9
> >>> =3D3D20
> >>> Much of the rest of the world, however, uses PC to refer to all =3D3D
> >> desktop
> >>> machines, including those made by Apple:
> >>> =3D3D20
> >>> http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,2355085,00.asp
> >>> =3D3D20
> >>> " Slimmer and faster, the Apple iMac 21.5-inch (Late 2012) is the =
> =3D3D
> >> desktop
> >>> PC to buy if you're looking to avoid the whole touch-screen =3D3D
> >> conundrum."
> >>=20
> >>=20
> >> Thank you for this response.
> >>=20
> >> Given the name of their magazine, PC Magazine has a reason for =
> wanting =3D
> > =3D3D
> >> to use "PC" for Macs, just as Apple has a reason not to.
> >>=20
> >> Generally, I feel more comfortable referring to a Mac as a personal =
> =3D3D
> >> computer than a PC, but even "personal computer" makes me feel a =
> little =3D
> > =3D3D
> >> uncomfortable. (And that was the case before I switched to a Mac =
> about =3D
> > =3D3D
> >> five years ago.)
> >>=20
> >> Is there more convincing evidence that much of the rest of the world =
> =3D3D
> >> does not feel uncomfortable referring to Macs as PCs?
>
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>

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