To LUGNET HomepageTo LUGNET News HomepageTo LUGNET Guide Homepage
 Help on Searching
 
Post new message to lugnet.off-topic.debateOpen lugnet.off-topic.debate in your NNTP NewsreaderTo LUGNET News Traffic PageSign In (Members)
 Off-Topic / Debate / 6572
6571  |  6573
Subject: 
Re: Castle Accesseries for Knight's Kingdom
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Sat, 14 Oct 2000 00:19:48 GMT
Viewed: 
540 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Timothy Carl Buchheim writes:
Dave Schuler wrote:
  I understand also the "one fish/two fish--one LEGO/two LEGO" reasoning, • but
it can hardly be denied that the English language holds some precendent for
pluralization by the addition of an "S".  If a person refers to a single • brick
as a LEGO, I think the person can be forgiven for making the mistake,
especially if he hasn't heard the TLC caution to the contrary.

This has nothing to due with the English language's rules for
pluralization.  It's a legal issue of trademark dilution.  By referring
to their products as LEGO bricks, LEGO building toys, etc., the Lego
Company is trying to avoid having their trademark turn into a generic
noun (for example, Kleenex, Band-Aid, etc. are brands of products whose
names have over time come to refer to any such product, rather than one
particular brand)

Good general example, but bad specifics, both of these product names are still
protected trademarks.

Contrast cola and aspirin, lost by The Coca Cola Company, Inc. and Bayer
Farben AG respectively, I believe.

++Lar



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Castle Accesseries for Knight's Kingdom
 
(...) Aspirin is still a trademark here (Canada) but not in the UK. It varies from country to country. Kevin ---...--- Personal Lego Web page: (URL) Park: Limited edition kit (URL) Kits & Custom Lego models: (URL) (24 years ago, 14-Oct-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Castle Accesseries for Knight's Kingdom
 
(...) This has nothing to due with the English language's rules for pluralization. It's a legal issue of trademark dilution. By referring to their products as LEGO bricks, LEGO building toys, etc., the Lego Company is trying to avoid having their (...) (24 years ago, 13-Oct-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

36 Messages in This Thread:












Entire Thread on One Page:
Nested:  All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:  All | Brief | Compact

This Message and its Replies on One Page:
Nested:  All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:  All | Brief | Compact
    

Custom Search

©2005 LUGNET. All rights reserved. - hosted by steinbruch.info GbR