Grammar Nazis Continue To Blast Apple

from the think-different-in-the-funnest-way-possible dept

A few years ago, when Apple was running its "Think Different" campaign, various grammar nazis complained that it was promoting a grammatically incorrect slogan. Others suggested that it was actually okay, as "different" isn't intended as an adverb in the slogan. However, with Apple's latest iPod launch, the grammar nazis are back, complaining about Apple's use of the (non)word "funnest." I recognize that these things matter to the grammatically infatuated out there, but we're talking about a marketing campaign -- and part of the point of such a marketing campaign is to stand out by being different. The English language has always adapted and changed over time, and that includes changes that came about due to marketing campaigns.
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Filed Under: funnest, grammar, grammar nazi
Companies: apple


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 1:45am

    The Grammar Nazis probably also blasted those people behind teh "Got Milk?" marketing campaign.
    Oh, "Got nuttin better to do with your time?"

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 12:15pm

      Re:

      The Grammar Nazis probably also blasted those people behind teh "Got Milk?" marketing campaign.
      YOU misspelled THE! No blogging for you!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Alex, 22 Sep 2008 @ 2:27am

    Why adhere to any grammatical conventions at all? Why not use "I'm totes this 4 funsies!"? Why not use "fish iPods far perturbs urban submarines"? If we aren't going to make sense at all, "Martin Scorsese lost a bet to Donald Sutherland; so did you" works perfectly.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Tony, 22 Sep 2008 @ 10:39am

      Re:

      Ultimately, it's about communicating the message clearly.

      I would say that "Think Different" accomplished that goal.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    suv4x4, 22 Sep 2008 @ 2:34am

    I agree, being differently are key to well advertising campaign. Is hard to understanding messaging together with quirkily grammer may causing peoples paused, thinking for the advertising informational.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Cowardly anonymous, 22 Sep 2008 @ 2:36am

    Grammar junkies should see more daylight I guess. What are they fighting for other than their own egos.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Alex, 22 Sep 2008 @ 2:39am

      Re:

      Preservation of the English language?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Some other guy, 22 Sep 2008 @ 8:43am

        Re: Re:

        Do you mean kneejerk conservatism, or the honest belief that we ought to all be speaking English as Shakespeare wrote it, or even Chaucer?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:30am

      Re:

      Your last sentence should have been ended with a question mark.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Gunnar, 22 Sep 2008 @ 2:43am

    Grammar has no place in poetry, headlines or copy writing. The point of "funnest" is to make the reader think twice, not because it's wrong (Merriam-Webster recognizes the word in its dictionary), but because it's an uncommon word. The oddness of the word gives the reader something to remember. Or at least that's the idea. It's still a pretty weak ad slogan.

    Also, there is nothing grammatically incorrect with "Got Milk?"

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      hegemon13, 22 Sep 2008 @ 5:58am

      Re:

      Actually, there is. It should be "Have milk?" Just doesn't have the same ring to it.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:55am

      Re:

      Actually, it should be "Have Milk?"

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      A. Nonymous, 22 Sep 2008 @ 7:52am

      Re: Grammar has not place in poetry, etc.

      I disagree with the statement, but perhaps not the point. Certain forms of communication break grammatical rules. When it is done well, it creates a striking effect, usually quite memorable. I personally object when the effect comes across and sloppiness or carelessness. When the rules are broken to create a new and unique way to make some point, it is done right.

      Your example of "Got Milk?" is interesting. There are a number of ways this could be stated: "Do you have milk?", "Have you got milk?", even "Have you any milk?". I don't know if there has ever been a time and place in which none of these have sounded ungrammatical or archaic.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      DS, 22 Sep 2008 @ 4:15pm

      Re:

      "Grammar has no place in poetry, headlines or copy writing."

      I think Bill Walsh would disagree with you on the last two points. Although it is rather odd that you consider poetry in the same vein as headlines and copy writing.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      YouKnowNothing, 23 Sep 2008 @ 5:56am

      Re:

      Marketing trumps all.

      Marketing = Lies.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    TheHoldSteady, 22 Sep 2008 @ 3:00am

    Apple grammar

    Yet again, Apple gets a free pass from the compliant tech press. Shocking, huh?.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Geoff, 22 Sep 2008 @ 3:07am

    Its a slippery slope..

    Its the grammar fuckwits that got us into that lovely "unlimited bandwidth" mess... I for one welcome our jackbooted language overlords!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    jFive, 22 Sep 2008 @ 3:21am

    You guys are forgetting about the AOL slogan that caused a generation to mangle the language.

    I cringe ever time I hear "you've got..." in a conversation. It's the adaptation into casual language that makes people sound ignorant.

    Funnest: this is just a joke to sound cute.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 22 Sep 2008 @ 3:22am

    Ain't That The Applest...

    The trouble with being careless about using the right words as that you can so easily cream bun and pie.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    The Mighty Buzzard, 22 Sep 2008 @ 3:36am

    As usual...

    As usual the truth of the matter is somewhere in the middle.

    On the one hand, we kicked England's ass in two wars. That earned us the right to treat the English language as our collective bitch.

    On the other, asshats really should stop speaking/writing differently than the rest of us in an effort to sound cool. While they're at it, they should get off my lawn too. Damn kids.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Wellington and Nelson, 22 Sep 2008 @ 7:41am

      Re: As usual...

      "On the one hand, we kicked England's ass in two wars. That earned us the right to treat the English language as our collective bitch."

      You should get a history lesson, the US didn't kick ass in either war, it just survived. The British army burned the White House in the 1812-14 war and had the continent covered north, south, and east in the Atlantic. The British controlled the continent but couldn't do anything with it. Similar to the US wars in Vietnam and Iraq. In a paralell comparison, when the US troops pull out of Iraq, you would have to say that Iraq "kicked the US's ass".

      You earned no rights and are just one part of the world that was at one time dominated by the British empire. You merely speak a deviation of the English language, same as an Australian, same as a Jamacian, and same as the black kids in California who speak Ebonics.

      On topic, languages grow and change, but bad grammar is still bad grammar. Is using bad grammar in a phrase any less annoying than listening to someone speaking Ebonics?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Wellington and Nelson, 22 Sep 2008 @ 7:53am

        Re: Re: As usual...

        Pardon my spelling error with parallel, and my error in sentence structure with the phrase that starts with similar.

        One should not write comments and then change them while being distracted.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      J.Locke, 22 Sep 2008 @ 12:25pm

      Re: As usual...

      "On the one hand, we kicked England's ass in two wars."

      Im not sure "kicked ass" is the right decsription, we really more irritated them until they left.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Xyro TR1 (profile), 22 Sep 2008 @ 3:40am

    It's still better than...

    There are many other slogans which drive me crazier...

    "Where you at?" - Boost Mobile
    "I'm lovin' it" - McDonalds

    Just a couple examples...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Haywood, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:00am

      Re: It's still better than...

      "There are many other slogans which drive me crazier...

      "Where you at?" - Boost Mobile
      "I'm lovin' it" - McDonalds"

      Those are in Ebonics.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    MadJo (profile), 22 Sep 2008 @ 3:44am

    I can...

    I can has grammer notsea?

    Indeed, languages evolve... otherwise it'd be a dead language.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Blatant Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 4:04am

    You know who else liked nazis? Hitler!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Christopher, 22 Sep 2008 @ 4:24am

    Next is What?

    Yeah, there is one in India for samsung mobile that
    says, "Next Is What?" it drives me nuts

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    J.Locke, 22 Sep 2008 @ 4:26am

    Grammar is dead

    Just watch a modern new caster, the difference between good and well for example, gone.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    AJ, 22 Sep 2008 @ 4:48am

    mo betta

    Ah yes, the last bastion of the liberal left... shun all rules. I can't tell you how many times I see ignorant people on the internet using 'to' instead of 'too', their or there instead of 'they're', to name just two examples. Why nut gat red uv all rulez and spel just anywhich way what we wants to? Rulez are for nerdz.

    boycottmcdonalds dot com

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:37am

      Re: mo betta

      Hey dood, i is a replublican and i like to shun all rulez to. Give ur own party sum credit!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 10:55am

      Re: mo betta

      I thought the "liberal left" was made up of ivy-league elitists, not grammar mangling dimwits...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Rob, 22 Sep 2008 @ 1:50pm

      Re: mo betta

      Yah and the leader of the conservative right, G. W. Bush, has such a fine grasp of grammar.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Tyler, 23 Sep 2008 @ 10:43am

      Re: mo betta

      "the last bastion of the liberal left"? Really? What does this have to do with the "liberal left"? Absolutely nothing. Thanks for adding absolutely nothing to the conversation.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    the.arctic, 22 Sep 2008 @ 4:59am

    English is a malleable and ever-evolving language. However, I think the following Penny Arcade comic strip sums up my opinion on "creative" grammar quite succinctly.

    http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/2/4/

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Hoeppner, 22 Sep 2008 @ 5:02am

    Godwin'ed by the OP :P

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    J Katz, 22 Sep 2008 @ 5:48am

    Nazi?

    To the writer and editor of this article......there are better ways to make your point than by calling someone a Nazi. Some people are very offended by comparison of anyone to a group that killed 6 million innocent people!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      YouKnowNothing, 23 Sep 2008 @ 6:01am

      Re: Nazi?

      Actually the total was closer to 11 million, three million of which were Polish Catholics.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Look Left First, 22 Sep 2008 @ 5:58am

    Linguistic Darwinism

    Let the language evolve! The mutant words with beneficial traits will live, the weak will die.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Trevlac, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:06am

    Mike what thee hell was this article for?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dave, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:12am

    Please! If you don't get the humor in the way he referenced 'nazi' then slit your wrists. Seriously! The last thing we need is more whiners in this world who can't handle a joke. I guess the Seinfeld 'Soup Nazi' was not funny to you either. What about the Stormtroopers in Star Wars, are you offended by that too? Do you drive a German car? Because if so then your post just became funnier. How about a Japanese car? You DO realize that the Japanese KILLED more Chinese at the beginning of WWII then Germans killed Jews but you don't hear the Chinese whining about it every time you turn around. Get a clue you friggin baby, and grow some skin while you are at it. You are also probably a democrat baby QQing about the WAr in Iraq. I have 2 friends serving over there now and both of them say the Iraqi people are grateful for the US occupation and liberation. Yet you and your Obama followers just want to pull out of Iraq and let the people suffer. They are HUMANS like your pathetic ass, maybe you and all YOUR kind would prefer to go over there and be the humanitarians and then we will take our troops and armor/weapons out of there. DIAF jerk. OP: I think your article is fine.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Liberators, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:09am

      Re:

      With a gun pointed at his head, everybody loves you.
      Just make sure you don't run out of bullets.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:17am

    They set the tone long ago

    They fired a warning shot a long time ago when they boldly misspelled Macintosh (the apple variety is spelled McIntosh) - grammer (and spelling) be damned.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:18am

      Re: They set the tone long ago

      although this was surely to allow people to google them better (is google officially a verb now?)

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    BrianWGray, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:26am

    I thought this was a fun article. (Misuse intentional)

    I thought the following article / podcast on this subject was interesting. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/is-funnest-a-word.aspx

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rob Crompton, 22 Sep 2008 @ 6:56am

    rules

    I blame the geezers who developed this internet thing. You've only got to put the tiniest little typo into the machine and it won't let you where you want to go. Even though it knows damn' well what you mean. With rules like that you've got to get your freedom where you can.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Dave Barnes, 22 Sep 2008 @ 7:18am

    Chinese Deaths

    @29 Dave:

    The Chinese do complain about the Japanese atrocities committed during their occupation of China.
    And, they complain loudly and frequently.
    It is the "western" press that ignores the issue.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    asdfasfsd, 22 Sep 2008 @ 7:29am

    Everyone seems to have a trigger when it comes to grammar. I'm more forgiving with ad slogans. As mentioned above, it's an ad slogan. I would be more concerned if the WSJ started throwing around "funnest" and "bestest" in their articles. Funny, Firefox spell checker doesn't seem to have a problem with "funnest".

    For some reason my trigger is people using "loose" when they should be using "lose". Drives me up a flippin' wall, and I don't know why. I want to reach through the computer screen, grab the offending party by the scruff of the neck and scream, "IT'S LOSE!!!! LOSE!!!!!!!!!"

    I need an intervention.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    ash, 22 Sep 2008 @ 7:39am

    it's simply a matter of prescriptive grammarians vs. descriptive grammarians. according to the former, the conventions of language are rules that can be either followed or broken. descriptive grammarians, on the other hand, examine the conventions of a language and say, "this is how people use the language, therefore, it is the language." there's no "right" or "wrong." languages are constantly evolving and self-correcting, so if i use "ain't," it's not the end of the world. i promise.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 7:50am

    Just given me a breaker. Who even cared, it just marketed compaigners.

    I hoped uno of them readed this and head explodered.

    *middle finger*

    Now with that being said, just buy a Zune. :)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    TriZz, 22 Sep 2008 @ 7:53am

    I don't see the problem...

    ...the slogan says to "think different". Perhaps it's referring to English as well.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Greg, 22 Sep 2008 @ 8:13am

    What about AOL?

    Their slogan, "You've got mail!" is also incorrect. When the concatenation is removed, you are left with "You have got mail". Why not simply, "You have mail"?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Phil McCraken, 22 Sep 2008 @ 8:56am

      Re: What about AOL?

      it's a contraction you moron. Concatenation is to join two items together, such as Ass and hat into asshat! 9th grade grammar books are readily available on Amazon.com

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Azrael, 23 Sep 2008 @ 12:13am

        Re: Re: What about AOL?

        Strangely, i learned that rule in 3th grade at my foreign language lesson. That must tell alot about the intellectual level of the average redneck.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    GoodRat, 22 Sep 2008 @ 8:34am

    This is absurd. When I'm online, the only way I can try to distinguish between intelligent, rational people and complete nut jobs is through their words. When someone uses 'loose' instead of 'lose,' or 'to' instead of 'too,' a number of times in a single post, I automatically assume the person is too lazy to follow the basic rules of spelling and grammar. And if they can't be bothered to learn when to use 'their,' then their arguments on some more complicated subject are immediately suspect.

    It would be like an apparently homeless person - old, dirty clothes, unkempt hair, body odor - tries to convince you of some philosophical point: he might be a genius, but you're probably not going to take the time to listen. You'll just assume he's crazy and move on. People who don't bother with the rules of spelling appear that way online.

    (Obviously, this discounts the occasional typo. Nobody's perfect.)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 8:42am

      Re:

      "It would be like an apparently homeless person - old, dirty clothes, unkempt hair, body odor "


      You mean like Jesus?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        YouKnowNothing, 23 Sep 2008 @ 6:04am

        Re: Re:

        Jesus who?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        GoodRat, 23 Sep 2008 @ 7:34am

        Re: Re:

        Actually, probably not. I'm no biblical scholar, but I don't know that there is any historical proof that Jesus was dirtier than the average person of his time.

        But for a moment, let us assume that Jesus was a filthy dirty hippie, as you suggest. I believe I did say that it was possible that the apparently homeless person was a genius, but the most common reaction to that genius was to ignore him before one had a chance to grasp his intelligence. Considering that Jesus was beaten, stoned, and crucified, it would appear that he wasn't taken seriously be the power-that-be of the time either.

        So your argument (and I use that term liberally) is silly.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    NeoConBushSupporter, 22 Sep 2008 @ 8:40am

    Grammar Nazis

    They cant do nuthing good, and they smell poorly to.



    VOTE McCain 2008 - becuase its his turn dammit!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    J.Locke, 22 Sep 2008 @ 8:44am

    Hey Grammar Nazis

    How do you guys feel about Walt Whitman? Do you have to be a dead homosexual before your allowed to ignore all the rules of grammar?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Johnny Mack, 22 Sep 2008 @ 9:22am

    Why not make correct English illegal, and make Ebonics the law of the land?? This is not unlike that stupid "like" word, in every sentence about a millions times, like do you like understand? If you don't like, use proper grammer then like, your going to sound like... well, like an idiot!

    Stop mutilating the King's English!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2008 @ 9:28am

    I aint need no vocab trainin!

    While Grammar police skills may be a precondition in some spheres, I continually remind myself that I went to school to understand and grasp complex, abstract ideas in the area of computing. One may refer to these exercises as "Thought Synthesis".

    It's possible that one could infer an English major would remain interested in linguistic discourse analysis for hours, yet interest in a typical "thought experiment" (Also referred to as Gedankenexperiment) may be closer to nil.

    From an economic perspective, an organization that adheres to linguistic discourse analysis as a cornerstone eventually may succumb to a condition of "Grasping at Straws" where Grammar Police Skills may become an irritant to others, and prevent innovation to occur.

    Yet, things get tricky when adding in a psychological side of the coin. Understanding that a said "Grammar Police" person may feel somewhat inadequate due to their inability of being able to partake in said "Thought Synthesis" exercises, and therefore wants to contribute value in a way which they know: this usually is in the form of applying skillfully woven grammar. Goals should not to enable it to become an HR issue of it as that makes it difficult for all.

    So while based with theories of possible inadequacy, or inability to participate, the best reaction to exhibit to a person exhibiting "Grammar Police" behaviors, is avoid what could become an emotional conflict and apply this incredibly effective literary device:

    "Oops! Your Right! Thanks!"

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Fin Ger, 22 Sep 2008 @ 10:11am

    One Word

    Nucular.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    A professional editor, 22 Sep 2008 @ 10:28am

    An interesting topic

    I am amazed by the way people are treating this topic... what in God's name does it have to do with politics (or even England)?? I am very patriotic and I support Obama happily, but I make a living by correcting people's writing. It doesn't make me conservative anglophile!

    (For the record, whoever said that the US kicked England's ass in two wars is sadly misinformed. I'm guessing that the second war you're referring to is the War of 1812, during which the Brits burned the Capitol. If there was a different one, I'd be glad to learn about it.)

    For the actual discussion about lingustics, as a Grammar Nazi myself, I'd like to point out that A) written and spoken language are NOT the same, and B) even the rules for "correct" language are always changing. ALL languages are constantly evolving, hence the many, many editions of dictionaries and style manuals. These "rulebooks" NEED frequent updates to reflect how the language changes; it's the language that determines the rules, not vice versa.

    Written language misses the context and expression that adds meaning to spoken word - hence the need for rules to help consolidate meaning. Putting a comma in the wrong place (or omitting it) can entirely reverse the meaning of a written sentence. It's much less common for people to be confused if you pause at the wrong place while speaking. Hence, something that's grammatically incorrect - "Got Milk?", "Think Different," or "Where you at?" - is perfectly comprehensible SPOKEN English, and it attracts attention because it's breaking rules of WRITTEN english. "Think Different" is a long shot from Walt Whitman, but a new way of saying something is well rewarded if you've got the right audience. If everyone accepts "funnest" as a normal word, then there would be no reason for Macintosh to use it.

    Certain words and usage attain connotation. People tend to gravitate toward the way a language is spoken by the more elite economic or social classes or groups that are seen as authorities on a subject - for example, ever notice that the English language contains a lot of French words that refer to food? Also, cultural groups take on dialectic differences... think "y'all" or "ain't." Certainly these words are parts of our language, i.e., everyone understands what they mean, and eventually words like this show up in dictionaries as colloquialisms or jargon. What's more, they may become accepted dialectic differences - just like our American versions of the British words "colour," "flavour," or "aluminium." (AluminIum came first; it's sloppy Americans who started calling it "aluminum." The "wrong" way won out, and today most people never think about it!)

    The factors for language change are many, and often arbitrary. Rules simply help us agree on ways to avoid miscommunication and keep from sounding like an idiot who didn't pay attention in school. But keep in mind that Grammar Nazis disagree with each other, too... almost as often as they disagree with Apple!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    JC, 22 Sep 2008 @ 1:43pm

    PC 'English'

    I hope the 'nazi's' read poetry: Windows is Shutting Down by Clive James

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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