Smooth celling.I have always admired the linguistic standards maintained by NR. I wish therefore to raise a question about your usage of the construction "cellphone (CELLular telePHONE) The first ubiquitous wireless telephone. Originally analog, all new cellular systems are digital, which has enabled the cellphone to turn into a smartphone that has access to the Internet. " versus the original two-word "cell phone." While the "cellular telephone" root clearly needs abbreviation abbreviation, in writing, arbitrary shortening of a word, usually by cutting off letters from the end, as in U.S. and Gen. (General). Contraction serves the same purpose but is understood strictly to be the shortening of a word by cutting out letters in the middle, , it seems rather drastic to compress the two words into one. Doing so would suggest that other phone types should also be compacted to single-word status: "cordedphone," "wirelessphone," or perhaps "cordlessphone." These wouldn't work. So why does "cellphone"? Jeremy Weidenhof Houston, Tex. THE EDITORS REPLY: Cellmate cell·mate n. A person with whom one shares a cell, especially in a prison. , cellblock cell·block n. A group of cells that make up a section or unit of a prison. Noun 1. cellblock - a division of a prison (usually consisting of several cells) ward , cellphone. Sold? NATIONAL REVIEW encourages letters to the editor. Letters should be submitted by e-mail to letters@nationalreview.com or by fax to (212) 849-2835 or by mail to: Letters Editor, NATIONAL REVIEW, 215 Lexington Avenue, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , N.Y. 10016. Please include your full name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters will be edited for space and clarity. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion