PC/computer

English translation: PC

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:PC/computer
Selected answer:PC
Entered by: Eszter Bokor

08:17 Jul 8, 2010
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Computers (general)
English term or phrase: PC/computer
My proofreader told me that no English native speaker EVER uses PC, that's simply a Germanism. She even wanted to change "tablet PC" into "tablet computer", though in my opinion that's just a term in itself:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_PC
I would like to hear your opinion on that - native speakers only please!
Eszter Bokor
Austria
Local time: 11:30
PC
Explanation:
Nonsense. Just refer your proofreader to www.pcmag.com. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if the people working at PC Magazine had to change their name of their mag to Personal Computer Magazine? :)
Selected response from:

transgeo
Local time: 11:30
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +7PC
transgeo
4 +2not usually interchangeable terms
Stephanie Ezrol
3try personal computer
Jonathan Crawford


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
try personal computer


Explanation:
sounds alright to me

Jonathan Crawford
Local time: 11:30
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +7
PC


Explanation:
Nonsense. Just refer your proofreader to www.pcmag.com. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if the people working at PC Magazine had to change their name of their mag to Personal Computer Magazine? :)

transgeo
Local time: 11:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Egil Presttun
18 mins

agree  BdiL: Attaboy!! Maurizio
1 hr

agree  Frosty
1 hr

agree  Tony M: Still very widely used, though I can't help sensing that it is getting slightly 'old hat' now, since being 'IBM PC compatible' is now no longer the major issue it once was...
3 hrs

agree  Arabic & More
3 hrs

agree  Rebecca Garber: We have 3 computers in the house, 2 pc's, 1 mac, and all laptops. However, the pc vs mac is splitting hairs for anyone not directly using the computers.
3 hrs

agree  jccantrell: Proofreader is full of soup. PC as opposed to Mac. But as Stephanie below says, depends on the audience.
7 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
pc/computer
not usually interchangeable terms


Explanation:
There are s few elements to consider in deciding to use pc or computer.

For a broad not technical audience you would probably use the term computer, not pc.

For a somewhat technically oriented audience, pc or personal computer is different from a MacIntosh, and also different from a laptop or notebook or other types of computers.

Then there is the question of space available in the text not merely the audience.

I think the following article is useful to your question, and would be useful for the complaining prooreader to see if you think it is relevant. On the question of tablet PC or tablet computer, while tablet pc sounds a bit odd to my ear it does get 12 million google hits. Tablet computer gets 991,000 google hits.

I would suggest looking at the article both for what it says and how they use the terms:

How PCs Work­

Today, when someone says PC, chances are they mean a machine running on the Microsoft Windows operating system with an x86-compatible microprocessor. While Apple Macintosh computers are technically personal computers, most people wouldn't call them PCs.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/pc.htm



Stephanie Ezrol
United States
Local time: 06:30
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young: I agree - I would only use PC when specifically distinguishing them from Apple Macs; I avoid using it in translations as a generic term for computers in general (whereas many German-speakers do), so to that extent I think the proofreader is right.
9 hrs
  -> Thanks.

agree  Anna Herbst: PC as opposed to Mac - as a general term, computer.
16 hrs
  -> Thanks Anna.
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