Earlier quoted context omitted.
Technically you will be using the Objective-C compiler, so it is still Objective-C even if the syntax looks like C. The same applies if you would be using the C subset of a C++ compiler.
This is in the original context of how all systems will be written in "GC enabled system programming languages". If the language is not GC enabled due to missing a runtime or w/e then the technicality isn't relevant.
I am old enough to remember the days when UNIX and C were funny research projects. Look at them now.
So I leave you with a list of research projects for the boring days, when you don't have anything to read.
http://www-spin.cs.washington.edu/
http://www.oberon.ethz.ch/archives/systemsarchive/native_new
http://www.ocp.inf.ethz.ch/wiki/Documentation/Front
http://programatica.cs.pdx.edu/House/
http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/singularity/