[CharlesS]

Okay, what's wrong with this picture?
http://www.apple.com/home/sherlockba...snapitup_1.gif

Snap it up, indeed.

[rjenkinson]

maybe has to do with that brand new "snap it up" promotion being offered by apple... buy ten 600 mhz imacs and get a free camera!

-r.

[ac2c]

Hopefully everyone runs out and snaps an iMac up so we can all move on to new LCD iMacs in January. Sell them iMacs Apple!!!

[georgius]

Is that $150 cash (yes puh-leese!!!)?!?!?!? And where does it say 6GHz???

Play it cool

[rjenkinson]

it's an animated GIF... just wait a second or two.

-r.

[cdhostage]

Where does it say 6 GHz? Or ten 600 MHz, for that matter?

I just noticed, I'm a senior member! Woohoo!

[xyber233]

Hehe, thats a big jump in processor speeds.

[Dogma]

Just being a little anal here - but shouldn't the advertising guys catch silly grammatical errors like that?

What do I mean?

"Buy a 600(0)Mhzor 700Mhz iMac and receive a HP 318xi digital camera or $150."

I always believed that when when an 'a' came before a word starting with a vowel, it would become an 'an', and that for some reason or another (mainly to do with clear pronunciation) this rule also applied uniquely to words starting with the letter 'h'.

It should read '...and receive an HP 318xi digital camera...'

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm tired, but I also feel adamant that I am correct.

[ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: Dogma ]

[Dan Szwarc]

"I want an harmonica" - just doesn't sound right.

English rules are funny. If people don't use 'em, they disappear.

I think the "a" and "an" rule doesn't apple to acronyms where each letter is pronounced, like HP or AOL.

[JonoG4]

Originally posted by Dan Szwarc:
<STRONG>"I want an harmonica" - just doesn't sound right.

English rules are funny. If people don't use 'em, they disappear.

I think the "a" and "an" rule doesn't apple to acronyms where each letter is pronounced, like HP or AOL.</STRONG>

It would me "a harmonica"

But when pronouncing the letter "H" it starts with a vowel... so you use an

[CharlesS]

Originally posted by Dogma:
<STRONG>I always believed that when when an 'a' came before a word starting with a vowel, it would become an 'an', and that for some reason or another (mainly to do with clear pronunciation) this rule also applied uniquely to words starting with the letter 'h'.</STRONG>

No, there is no valid exception for the letter 'h'. Some puffed-up journalists with over-inflated egos tend to use 'an' before a word starting with the letter 'h' (for example, "an historic event"), because they think it makes them sound sophisticated. In reality, it makes them sound like idiots who don't know their grammar very well. I think the reason they do this is that in some other languages, such as French, the letter 'h' is a vowel. But guess what? In English, it isn't. 'H' is a consonant in English, and it has been that way for a very long time, so treat the letter 'h' like a consonant, not a vowel!

&lt;/rant&gt;

But, of course, if you're actually pronouncing the letter 'H', you use 'an', so yeah, it should be "an HP camera." But not "an historic event" or "an harmonica."

[ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: CharlesS ]

[J.W. Pepper]

I think it depends on pronunciation, an 'aich(H spelt phonetically) needs an an. A haich (H spelt phonetically) needs an a.

A hat
An HP printer
A house
An hour
A horse

Easy really.

[caifara]

I think I'm going to buy the thing, sounds pretty cool huh, 6000MHz!

Originally posted by CharlesS:
<STRONG>

No, there is no valid exception for the letter 'h'. Some puffed-up journalists with over-inflated egos tend to use 'an' before a word starting with the letter 'h' (for example, "an historic event"), because they think it makes them sound sophisticated. In reality, it makes them sound like idiots who don't know their grammar very well. I think the reason they do this is that in some other languages, such as French, the letter 'h' is a vowel. But guess what? In English, it isn't. 'H' is a consonant in English, and it has been that way for a very long time, so treat the letter 'h' like a consonant, not a vowel!

[ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: CharlesS ]</STRONG>

Ahem. H is not a vowel in French, that's for sure. It's a consonant in every language I know (French, English, German, Japanese), it's just often used as a "H aspir�" (don't know what's the word in English) when it starts a word.

[rjenkinson]

Originally posted by &lt;OhMan&gt;:
<STRONG>Ahem. H is not a vowel in French, that's for sure. It's a consonant in every language I know (French, English, German, Japanese), it's just often used as a "H aspir�" (don't know what's the word in English) when it starts a word.</STRONG>

that would be aspirated/aspiration in english. for the record, the rule for using the articles a and an has to do with the pronunciation of the word, not its spelling. if a word is pronounced with with a vowel sound, then an should be used. if, however, a word is pronounced without a vowel sound, the article a is used. some examples:

• a motorcyle
• an MBA diploma
• a seven-letter word
• an S or a T
• and so on...

the catch is with the letter H which is sometimes used to indicate aspiration, sometimes not. everyone will pronounce the word "happy" with the aspiration, hence the use of a, as in "a happy child." in a word like "honour", most people "drop" the H and pronounce the word as "(h)onour". with words like "herb" though, some people do not pronounce the H as aspiration and drop it entirely. thus, one can rightly say either "a herb" or "an (h)erb."

-r.

[ 11-11-2001: Message edited by: rjenkinson ]

[command-tab]

Originally posted by JonoG4:
<STRONG>


It would me "a harmonica"

But when pronouncing the letter "H" it starts with a vowel... so you use an</STRONG>

You sure? I know that you say 'an' in things like "...an historic building..."
LOL, arguing over grammar here....

[ 11-11-2001: Message edited by: command-tab ]

[CharlesS]

Originally posted by command-tab:
<STRONG>

You sure? I know that you say 'an' in things like "...an historic building..."
LOL, arguing over grammar here....

[ 11-11-2001: Message edited by: command-tab ]</STRONG>

You do not say "an historic building." That is not correct.

[pinkpuppy]

Originally posted by CharlesS:
<STRONG>Okay, what's wrong with this picture?
http://www.apple.com/home/sherlockba...snapitup_1.gif

Snap it up, indeed. </STRONG>

I don't tink I will ever use tat letter ever again�'LCapone

note to moderator,

I know iMac news has been slow lately, but this is ridiculous...
please move this to the Psychotic Mac User/Grammer and Spelling Forum

thanks

[vmarks]

Originally posted by &lt;yawn&gt;:
<STRONG>note to moderator,

I know iMac news has been slow lately, but this is ridiculous...
please move this to the Psychotic Mac User/Grammer and Spelling Forum

thanks</STRONG>

Recognized- however, I'd much rather have people discussing ridiculous topics than be too strict in moving them/locking them.

Yes this could have been a lounge topic, but... well, I'll get it next time.

[CaseCom]

Originally posted by &lt;yawn&gt;:
<STRONG>please move this to the Psychotic Mac User/Grammer and Spelling Forum</STRONG>

That's "grammar"

[ 11-17-2001: Message edited by: CaseCom ]

[iNub]

They must've fixed that picture. It looks normal.

What's this? An grammatical war? Do I have to break out an broken broom and shake it in a violent and threatening manner?

Didja get my joke, didja? Didja?

[CaseCom]

Originally posted by iNub:
<STRONG>They must've fixed that picture. It looks normal.</STRONG>

Yeah, they fixed it. It was featured on As the Apple Turns on Friday, and that must have gotten Apple's attention.