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In lugnet.general, Matthew Miller writes:
> They didn't even consider that people might
> interpret the message as saying that "LEGO" without an 'S' is the correct
> plural. Instead, they're saying "LEGO", like all trademarks, is not a noun,
> it's an adjective. Please don't call our product itself "legos" (or by
> extension, "Lego"). Please call it "LEGO building blocks".
Just as a minor clarification, it's not entirely accurate to say that all
trademarks are adjectives. Kia's "Sportage" serves both as a trademark and
a noun, insofar as one doesn't say "I'm driving my Kia Sportage sport
utility vehicle." It's acceptable simply to refer to one's "Sportage" and
leave it at that. I've even heard Kia commercials that say "check out the
Kia's at your local Kia dealership."
Even LEGO, for that matter, can serve as a noun; for instance, one might
say "I collect LEGO" or "I received LEGO as a birthday gift." It *can* be
an adjective, but it isn't exclusively so. I understand your point about
market share below, but I don't think it's conclusive or absolute.
> You can bet that if Ford had such a dominant marketshare that people
> started calling all cars "fords", they'd be making a big deal about how you
> should say "Ford automobiles" or "Ford cars" or "Ford trucks" instead.
Even so, they have no objection to consumers saying "I drive a Focus"
rather than saying "I drive a Ford automobile called Focus (tm)."
Dave!
FUT .debate
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: 20 Years of TLC's Frustration with "LEGOS"
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| (...) Yes, you could say either of those things, but they wouldn't be accurate (except insofar as 'Lego' is a noun in the vernacular(1)). There is no product called "LEGO". To collect LEGO, you would have to start buying companies. I don't think (...) (23 years ago, 29-Mar-01, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
| | | Re: 20 Years of TLC's Frustration with "LEGOS"
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| (...) I think that technically, they're misusing their own trademark there. (...) Well, this is actually _exactly_ what the Susan Williams message is trying to discourage. The Lego Company doesn't want you to use their trademark as a noun. You (...) (23 years ago, 31-Mar-01, to lugnet.general)
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