Is Google a proper verb?
I know it's a proper noun (the name of something). A Google search (adjective?) for the answer was unsuccessful. No one will commit that proper verbs exist.
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In grammar, the term "proper noun" refers to the names of people, places and anything that is a sole thing of it's kind such as the seasons or cardinal directions. A proper noun is spelt with a capitalized first letter: Jack and Jill Smith, Washington, Summer, North etc.
In English grammar, we do not have "proper" verbs.
What you're really asking is, "can the word [i]google[/i] be correctly used as a verb?"
The answer is yes.
Language changes all the time. Some words drop out of use and become archaic or obsolete.
New words join the language to meet new needs.
Because Google is one of the largest and most used search engines on the internet, we started using the word [i]google[/i] as a verb to refer to researching or looking up information online.
"I googled it."
"You can google it anytime you like."
"Just because he googled it doesn't mean it's true; it depends on how reliable the source of the information was."
In English grammar, we do not have "proper" verbs.
What you're really asking is, "can the word [i]google[/i] be correctly used as a verb?"
The answer is yes.
Language changes all the time. Some words drop out of use and become archaic or obsolete.
New words join the language to meet new needs.
Because Google is one of the largest and most used search engines on the internet, we started using the word [i]google[/i] as a verb to refer to researching or looking up information online.
"I googled it."
"You can google it anytime you like."
"Just because he googled it doesn't mean it's true; it depends on how reliable the source of the information was."
@ChipmunkErnie Perhaps so, yes.
But then we would have to capitalise it by writing, "I Googled it."
Looks a bit strange doesn't it?
But then we would have to capitalise it by writing, "I Googled it."
Looks a bit strange doesn't it?
@ChipmunkErnie Most languages evolve and change over time, relatively slowly over generations.
Linguists decide every year which words have become so well used and accepted that they now deserve inclusion in a dictionary.
French is an exception because it has the Academie Française which officially controls what is permissible.
Linguists decide every year which words have become so well used and accepted that they now deserve inclusion in a dictionary.
French is an exception because it has the Academie Française which officially controls what is permissible.
ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M
@hartfire Always wondered how closely the everyday French person sticks to those rules.
@ChipmunkErnie True - but we still have rules of grammar which, even though very flexible, radically affect the meanings of sentences.
The flexibility allows English to be extremely precise and nuanced in expression, or deliberately ambiguous.
During my time in France I found that the average French person quite often used a foreign term (like "le weekend") when there was no French equivalent, but more educated people avoided foreign words, except occasionally in jest.
Most French academics say they prefer writing in English because it gives them far greater width and depth of meaning. Guarding the purity of a language comes at a cost.
The flexibility allows English to be extremely precise and nuanced in expression, or deliberately ambiguous.
During my time in France I found that the average French person quite often used a foreign term (like "le weekend") when there was no French equivalent, but more educated people avoided foreign words, except occasionally in jest.
Most French academics say they prefer writing in English because it gives them far greater width and depth of meaning. Guarding the purity of a language comes at a cost.