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Subject:Re: "The" with proper nouns From:Emily Skarzenski <71220 -dot- 341 -at- COMPUSERVE -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 24 Mar 1995 10:59:37 EST
Sonja asked:
<snip>
>>>It really gets down to if there should be a *the* before the proper noun.<<<
I used to write documentation for a company that produced hardware products,
software products, and hardware products driven by software. Our references to
their names in documentation followed this pattern:
- Hardware products and hardware/software products: use *the*
- Software products: don't use *the*
Common usage supports this:
- She used the Clapper to turn off the light. (Wouldn't be right without "the.")
- You can spell-check manuals written in WordPerfect. (Wouldn't be right *with*
"the.")
Don't know why this system seems to work, but it does.
Emily Skarzenski
Head Technical Writer
Fastech, Inc. - Broomall, PA
71220 -dot- 341 -at- compuserve -dot- com
