If it doesn’t what does it do?
Depends how literal you want to be.
In the loose sense of, “Someone is trying to make a phone call to me and my device has registered that fact and is now alerting me in some way, whether through sound, light or movement” yes I’d still just say it’s “ringing”.
You mean what’s the vernacular?
“Ring” is a hold over word from when phones had bells that rang upon receiving a signal from an operator. Now it means anytime a phone makes a sound to indicate an incoming call.
If a sound isn’t made, you can just say “notify”, because chances are it creates a dialog, or flashes a light, or does something to notify you that someone is calling your phone.
the screen turns on
After processing the question while writing my replies in this thread, I’d say it doesn’t ring. If it vibrates then it vibrates, simple as that. If it neither rings nor vibrates but the screen turns on, then… it flashes? Not super sure about that one.
I refer to a phone notifying you of a call - with a ring or otherwise - as “going off.” However, after looking this up, that apparently means “to explode” (possibly metaphorically, depending on which source you trust).
So far, even on vibrate or silent, my phone has not done that.
I also say “your phone is going off” as it can refer to either the alarm, incoming call, or other notifications. It’s definitely an accepted alternative meaning for the phrase.
It vibrates
Well, going by these definitions:
- cause (a bell or alarm) to ring.
- (of a telephone) produce a series of resonant or vibrating sounds to signal an incoming call.
- call for service or attention by sounding a bell.
- sound (the hour, a peal, etc.) on a bell or bells.
I’d say it’s pretty clear.
no sound = no ringing.
by these means no mobile phones ring, since they have no bells anymore. and not even the fancier landlines, either.
I don’t think the bell is required, just the sound. Phone can still ring an “alarm” and produce sound. That qualifies as ringing.
(of a telephone) produce a series of resonant or vibrating sounds to signal an incoming call.
All sound is vibrating, because sound is just air vibration, therefore any audio at all produces by a telephone fits this definition. I will die on this hill.
… Or perhaps the definition is just a bit outdated, only accounting for ringtones that sound like bells which used to be a popular choice. IMHO the definition should be updated to include any sound that alerts of an incoming call.
Wait, what am I saying? Where did my hill go?!
I mean, I can live with this, so you aren’t alone on this hill.
I just spotted and fixed a typo, I hope that doesn’t change your mind.
I mean I aggree with this, nontheless my first comment (just wanted to nitpick and engage some convo with it):
IMHO the definition should be updated to include any sound that alerts of an incoming call.
Though, in my native language ‘ringing’ is kinda analogue to ‘vibrating’ and as for ‘ringing’ like the noise, we use a different word.
