Apple released a new iPod touch this week. An example of their new prints ads for this device is shown below:

Now I, and many others, found something grating about this ad. It’s the use of the word “funnest”. Is that even a word? It certainly sounds odd and unpleasant when you say it.

In fact, in typing the word in Apple’s own OS X, the spell checker puts a red line under it to say it isn’t spelt correctly, and suggests replacing it with “funniest”. Not quite the print ad I’d want for my new product.

So, what does OS X’s Dictionary actually say about it? Well, it doesn’t have an entry in search for “funnest”, but under “fun” it mentions it as follows:

Lucky Apple ads aren’t “formal written English”. :-(

Horrible ads Apple. Though not as horrible as Microsoft’s new Seinfeld ads.