[Me and My Kindle]

I listened to Amazon's annual shareholder's meeting today, and I noticed something when Amazon's CEO (Jeff Bezos) was talking about the Kindle.  He doesn't refer to it as "the Kindle," like I do.  He refers to it as simply "Kindle."  (For example:  " We started working on Kindle almost 7 years ago." Or "When we launched Kindle less than four years ago, we launched with only 90,000 titles.")

Does anybody else do this?  That's always sounded weird to me, and I've been calling it "the Kindle" since I got it.  Maybe a better question would be: does anybody here know anybody who actually refers to it as "Kindle" instead of "the Kindle"?

 

[Elk]

. . . does anybody here know anybody who actually refers to it as "Kindle" instead of "the Kindle"?

I do.

Like Ukraine and Corvette.

 

[Cindy Borgne]

I do both. Kindle, the Kindle and also, My Kindle. 

 

[Grigory]

does anybody here know anybody who actually refers to it as "Kindle" instead of "the Kindle"?

Actually, I don't know anybody who refers to their Kindle as "the Kindle." No offense, but it kind of sounds elitist and pompous, not to mention cheesy. Besides, in terms of grammar, it's as silly as saying "The Donald." It's just a gadget, guys! Sure, it's a great gadget, but it's not some sort of celestial artifact that can be referred to only as "The Kindle."

 

[VKScott]

Actually, I don't know anybody who refers to their Kindle as "the Kindle." No offense, but it kind of sounds elitist and pompous, not to mention cheesy. Besides, in terms of grammar, it's as silly as saying "The Donald." It's just a gadget, guys! Sure, it's a great gadget, but it's not some sort of celestial artifact that can be referred to only as "The Kindle."

I don't think the original poster meant it that way at all.

I ask my wife, "Have you seen the Kindle?" not "Have you seen Kindle?"

The second sounds like it's a pet or something.

 

[rla1996]

I don't think the original poster meant it that way at all.

I ask my wife, "Have you seen the Kindle?" not "Have you seen Kindle?"

The second sounds like it's a pet or something.

In this case I always as "Have you seen MY kindle?" I always refer to it as "My Kindle". -Just in case anyone (DH) gets any ideas about wanting to share .

 

[Ann in Arlington]

Well there's your problem: You should never have to ask "Have you seen my Kindle?" You should know where it is at all times.

As to the topic. . . .I think Bezos & co. refer to it simply as Kindle because they mean the device, the apps, the books, everything related -- their program for ebooks/ebook readers as a whole.

 

[Mike D. aka jmiked]

That's always sounded weird to me,

Don't go to the UK, then. They always talk about going to hospital (not "the" hospital), and going to university (ditto).

It may have something to do with singular forms versus plural. I haven't been able to get a good answer.

Mike

 

[VKScott]

As to the topic. . . .I think Bezos & co. refer to it simply as Kindle because they mean the device, the apps, the books, everything related -- their program for ebooks/ebook readers as a whole.

That sounds entirely too plausible. Where's your sense of conspiracy?

 

[NapCat (retired)]

....and many Kindles together would be......

                          a gaggle ?, a herd ?...a flock ?

 

[ElaineOK]

....and many Kindles together would be......

a gaggle ?, a herd ?...a flock ?

A Chapter of Kindles?

To me, the Kindle is the technology/concept. Kindle is my Kindle's name.

Elaine
Norman, OK

 

[NogDog]

....and many Kindles together would be......

a gaggle ?, a herd ?...a flock ?

Well, since it's a kindle of kittens, it would be easier to remember if we just inverted that to "a kitten of Kindles."

 

[Flash Rex]

It's kind of like when Batman gets upset: "It's not The Batman.  It's just Batman, dammit!"

 

[originalgrissel]

Don't go to the UK, then. They always talk about going to hospital (not "the" hospital), and going to university (ditto).

It may have something to do with singular forms versus plural. I haven't been able to get a good answer.

Mike

What's funny about your comment is that when I hear Britishisms like "going to hospital" or "going to University" that doesn't sound weird to me, because it sounds correct to me either way, probably from so many years of watching British TV/films & reading books written by Brits, but saying "Kindle" without a "the" before it seems grammatically off to me. I guess for me it's more than I don't say, "I set the remote down on TV" I say, I set it down on "the tv" and I don't say " the birthday party pictures are on camera" I say, they are on "the camera". So, to refer to my Kindle as simply Kindle without the qualifier of the or my before it seems like odd. But, to each his own. I think it's kind of a personal preference thing. I also think that, as someone else pointed out, Bezos may be saying Kindle, more as an all-encompassing brand name that doesn't just cover the device, but the device, apps, ebooks and all accessories.

 

[Jan Strnad]

I refer to it as the Kindle when I'm writing on the Facebook.

 

[lpking]

I refer to it as the Kindle when I'm writing on the Facebook.

Hearing it referred to frequently as "the Facebook" while watching The Social Network kicked me right out of my state of suspended disbelief every time.

 

[TraceyC/FL]

I also think that, as someone else pointed out, Bezos may be saying Kindle, more as an all-encompassing brand name that doesn't just cover the device, but the device, apps, ebooks and all accessories.

So going one step further, then why WON'T the rumored tablet be called "kindle XYZ" then? Why would THE kindle remain the kindle, when kindle is actually the brand as a whole. So then they would have a new tablet called something to market, and then be pimping an additional product for it? or wait, rumor has it it will be android so then they can say, and hey, it just happens to use our kindle for android app.... Just like all the other android tablets out there. But buy ours....

This actually makes no sense to me. They want it to stand out, they want people to think about buying their tablet first. Brand recognition means something, and the brand is kindle... That just happens to now be able to partake in the android app store on amazon and do all sorts of other cool things, but it is still a kindle.

Maybe I really shouldn't be pondering this at 3:30 in the morning?!?!?!

But hey, my daughters kindle shipped, and it should be here Friday it says... Which means I could wrap it up for her birthday on Monday!!!!

 

[Linjeakel]

I agree that talking about it as just Kindle and not the Kindle sounds odd. Apple don't talk about working on iPad but working on the iPad.

Don't go to the UK, then. They always talk about going to hospital (not "the" hospital), and going to university (ditto)....

Mike

I think you'll find it depends on the circumstances and how general or specific we need to be. We might say 'when I'm old enough I'd like to go to university'. But when talking about a specific incident or place 'I'm going over to the university to meet him'. Likewise, 'I may have to go into hospital for an operation' but 'I'm going to the hospital to visit her this afternoon'. In each case I would never leave out the 'the' in the second example.

 

[history_lover]

I agree that talking about it as just Kindle and not the Kindle sounds odd. Apple don't talk about working on iPad but working on the iPad.

I think you'll find it depends on the circumstances and how general or specific we need to be. We might say 'when I'm old enough I'd like to go to university'. But when talking about a specific incident or place 'I'm going over to the university to meet him'. Likewise, 'I may have to go into hospital for an operation' but 'I'm going to the hospital to visit her this afternoon'. In each case I would never leave out the 'the' in the second example.

I have been here for 6 years and never heard anyone say "the hospital", regardless of context. And I've been in a lot of situations where it would be used because my in-laws are elderly and regularly in and out of THE hospital My husband would regularly say to me "I'm going to hospital to visit me dad" and I'd think "there are so many things wrong with that sentence I don't even know where to begin", lol.

 

[Linjeakel]

I have been here for 6 years and never heard anyone say "the hospital", regardless of context. And I've been in a lot of situations where it would be used because my in-laws are elderly and regularly in and out of THE hospital My husband would regularly say to me "I'm going to hospital to visit me dad" and I'd think "there are so many things wrong with that sentence I don't even know where to begin", lol.

LOL - it sounds perfectly normal to me! I guess even in the same country there's no hard and fast rule. Language is such a fluid thing and thank goodness for it. As small as the world is becoming with the internet, Shaw would still recognise us as those same 'two countries separated by a common language'. I'm constantly having to do a double take on the Accessories board when people talk about putting a Kindle in their purses. I know what they mean but it sounds completely bizarre to me. LOL