Subject:
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Re: How to properly call "the Birck" was Re: Can some do this or tell me of who is this?
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lugnet.lego.direct
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Date:
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Sun, 21 Jul 2002 23:43:06 GMT
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Huw Millington writes:
> > What is the differnece between lego, Lego, LEGO, legos, Legos, and LEGOS?
>
> Easy, it's always upper case and never has an s on the end.
<lil' snippage>
I have a few comments to add to this thread, but first let me make clear
that I am not a lawyer and will not be held responsible for any actions you
take based on what I say...
Back in the early 1980's (perhaps before that too), the brochures listing
sets available in the U.S. often ended with a note on this subject signed by
a Susan Williams (whom I think was a public relations director or such at
Lego Systems, but there has since been speculation whether there ever was
such a person or if it was just a name to make the note friendlier...but I
digress). The following is one such note from page 23 of the 1985 Brochure:
> Begin Quote<
Dear Parents and Children
LEGO® is a brand name that is very special to all of us in the LEGO Group
Companies. We would sincerely appreciate your help in keeping it special by
referring to our bricks as "LEGO Bricks or Toys" and not just "LEGOS". By
doing so, you will be helping to protect and preserve a brand name that
stands for quality the world over.
> End Quote>
First of all, if anyone is confused, what was then called the "LEGO Group
Companies" is now the world wide entity called The Lego Company, or here on
Lugnet just TLC. Lego Systems, Inc. (which I mentioned above) is the
company based in Enfield, Connecticut, U.S. that manufactures and
distributes most of the Lego in North America. Lego Systems is a part of
the greater Lego Company, but should not be confused with such.
But the question at hand is what is proper to use in written and oral
communication. Should it be lego, Lego, or LEGO? Should it have an ® ? If
discussing the plural, should it be legos, Legos, LEGOs, or LEGOS?
The first part is clear. TLC and its affiliates have legally registered the
trademark of their name and logos (that's logos, not legos). Here in the
U.S., and presumably in other countries who share trade treaties, a
trademark must always be shown with the TM (if it is unregistered with the
government) or with the ® symbol (if it is registered). Therefore, the ®
should follow the use of any Lego trademark to make clear that you as the
author are not claiming such as your own. Furthermore, in most situations,
TLC can legally require that you make clear who the true owner of the
trademarks is. (Thus, the disclaimers that appear on so many fan generated
websites.)
However, here on Lugnet, or in spoken word, it seems to me that it would get
rather cumbersome for us to add such disclaimers to each and every message
we ever shared. I think simply by finding ones way to the message boards
here, a reader most likely has already passed through virtual places were
such disclaimers have been publicly posted. Thus, most of us don't declare
who owns the trademark every time we post here. By this line of thinking,
it might seem reasonable to go further and omit the ® from such posts also.
I am unsure if that is legal, but clearly very few posts include the symbol.
Is posting in a forum such as this like the spoken word? When we speak, we
do not use the ®, for it is not in our vocabulary. Yet, perhaps that is why
we don't use the ® except for formal writing, since it does not easily
appear on the keyboard...
Back to the question, there is next the issue of which letters in the word
Lego should be CAPITOLIZED. The following is a link to a copy editor's
website I stumbled on several months ago. I believe this Bill Walsh guy
works for the Washington Post, or some such publication, so his experience
(perhaps authority?) should speak louder than mine.
http://www.theslot.com/webnames.html
I recommend reading his whole article, or even some of his others, but
here's a relevent bit for this topic:
> Begin Quote<
In the old days, battles on this front usually involved companies that
insisted on being identified in all caps. The uppercase treatment, after
all, makes something STAND OUT. But there weren't as many battles as there
are today, because copy editors and even writers knew that logos are logos
and English is English. "You want all caps?" an ink-stained wretch with a
green eyeshade might have asked. "Go buy an ad!"
> End Quote<
The point is that if Lego is a brand name (as indicated in Sue Williams
letter), that makes the *word* Lego a proper noun. Read any of a hundred
English manuals of style and they will tell you such a proper noun gets one
capitol letter, only one, and that one is the first. ALL CAPS are used for
acronyms where each letter stands for something (such as USA or NELUG) or if
you are yelling at someone by e-mail. Otherwise, avoid them unless you are
drawing a logo rather than writing.
(That last point of course is something TLC might not want me to share,
because it means writting Lego is more correct than writing LEGO. I hope me
posting that doesn't impact their review of my latest resume...)
Enough on that.
Back to the second part of the question: How is the plural written?
Well, if Lego is the brand, then is there a plural? Think about other
products. If you have more than one Lincoln Log, do you call them
"Lincolns"? If you have more than one Tinker Toy, do you call them
"Tinkers? Actually in those cases, the manufacturer is probably a different
name all together (I forget now). But lets say they are made by Mattel or
Hasbro, do you call numerous of their toys "Mattels" or "Hasbros"?
No you don't. But these examples can be countered: What about Budweiser.
That's a brand name. But if you order one at a bar, do you ask for a
"Budweiser Beer"? If you have a buddy with you do you order two "Budweiser
Beers or Drinks"? Nope. So why would you ever say the full phrase "Lego
Bricks or Toys"?
Okay Okay. Maybe I opened a can of worms here. Now that I've pointed out
some facts, and perhaps referred you to some related articles, let me share
how I use the terms...
In formal writing, my own website, etc., I include the ®. In the past I
inconsistanly wrote LEGO in all caps. Since reading that article (which did
convince me and my English Major background), I always use the one cap Lego.
In informal forums where most (if not all) readers are a part of this hobby
(i.e. Lugnet), I assume the ® is implied and usually just write Lego. More
often though, since even the word Lego is also assumed in this forum, I will
refer to themes, sub-themes, bricks, pieces, elements, or even the specific
elements at hand. Here, I don't need to write, "Lego 2X2 Plate." Because
you all know I'm talking about Lego, I just say, "2X2 Plate." The use of
more specific terms eliminates the use of the word Lego, and thus there is
no need to worry about how to write the plural either way.
In spoken language things get different. Since I was an impressionable
child back when Susan Williams was asking for help in preserving the brand
name, I did in fact pick up the habit of saying "I collect Lego Toys", or "I
built a castle out of Lego Bricks." Just the other day I called to request
a song on a local radio station and had to explain I was "having a beer and
playing with Lego Toys." Though, I didn't name the beer brand.
But, still, when discussing my collection in more detail but with non-Lego
fans, it is inevitable that they will use the term Legos. I do not take
offense to this and in fact occasionally slip and use the term myself when
in their company. I guess it is like picking up a slang word if you spend
time with those who use it. So, in speech, that is how I see the plural
"Legos." It is a slang term used more so by non-AFOLs.
Meanwhile, I will end where I began this (now lengthy) rambling: Remember
those notes from Susan Williams about preserving the brand name and all?
Why have they not appeared in the brochures and catalogues of the 1990's and
beyond? A whole generation of children have grown up with these toys having
never read or been influenced by those notes. If a brand or trademark is
something that the owner must work to protect (lest it lose value or
significance), then one might argue the decision to no longer advertise such
notes is a willing choice by TLC to not enforce the old rule of not calling
them "Legos"...
A few thoughts from...
-Hendo-Man
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