First laser printers started selling in the 1970s

[milan2003_07]

While teaching computer science to foreign students I encountered some interesting information about the development of printers. Then I made up the following sentence:

"First laser printers started selling in the 1970s".

Is it OK to say "First ..." or is it necessary to say "the first ...."?

"The first laser printers started selling in the 1970s".

 

[Tarheel]

Try:

The first laser printers went on sale in the 1970s.

 

[milan2003_07]

OK, I will remember your option! Thanks a lot!

Is one of the original sentences grammatically incorrect?

"The first laser printers started selling in the 1970s".

You've replaced 'started selling' with 'went on sale'. Is it just another possibility?

 

[Tarheel]

Replace "laser printers" with "cars". Does "started selling" still work? (The cars don't do any selling.)

 

[milan2003_07]

Below is the reason why I've used the verb 'sell' this way:

'If something sells for a particular price, that price is paid for it'. (from the Collins Cobuild Dictionary).

There are a few examples from the entry about 'sell' from the Collins Cobuild Dictionary:

'Unmodernised property can sell for up to 40 per cent of its modernised market value'

'Grain sells at 10 times usual prices'

I've used 'sell' in a similar grammar construction.

 

[milan2003_07]

My post above doesn't mean I'm arguing. I'm just very interested in the language and word usage.

 

[Tarheel]

OK.

 

[5jj]

Replace "laser printers" with "cars". Does "started selling" still work? (The cars don't do any selling.)

Sell can be used intransitively:

to be bought in the quantities or the way specified:

sell fast/well The watches are selling well through the group's retail outlets.
sell at $10/$100, etc. The stock is currently selling at 11 times earnings estimates.
sell for $10/$100, etc. The games console will sell for $349.
The company had problems with overstocking and products that didn't sell.
The magazine is now selling 225,000 copies a week.

sell

1. to give something to someone else in return for money: 2. to be bought in…

dictionary.cambridge.org

 

[Tarheel]

"The first laser printers started selling in the 1970s".

I guess, but I'm more used to something like: "WXYZ sells for $XX."

 

[jutfrank]

To answer the original question: No, it's wrong without 'The'.

 

[tedmc]

I guess, but I'm more used to something like: "WXYZ sells for $XX."

A product can sell by itself, can't it?
I agree that "The product went on sale" sounds slightly better though.

 

[milan2003_07]

Sell can be used intransitively:

to be bought in the quantities or the way specified:

sell fast/well The watches are selling well through the group's retail outlets.
sell at $10/$100, etc. The stock is currently selling at 11 times earnings estimates.
sell for $10/$100, etc. The games console will sell for $349.
The company had problems with overstocking and products that didn't sell.
The magazine is now selling 225,000 copies a week.

sell

1. to give something to someone else in return for money: 2. to be bought in…

dictionary.cambridge.org

Yes, that is what I meant.
The usage of 'sell' intransitively.

 

[Skrej]

To answer the original question: No, it's wrong without 'The'.

Unless it's part of a sequence, but in that case there would need to be a comma after 'first'.

The first laser printers started selling in the 1970's.

First, laser printers started selling in the 70's. Then, inkjet printers later became an option in the early 80's.

 

[emsr2d2]

in the 1970's.

in the early 80's.

For the benefit of learners, note that British English does not use an apostrophe when referring to decades like this, but American English does.

Here, it's "in the 1970s" and "in the early 80s".