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From: ed@mtxinu.UUCP (Ed Gould)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Tradenames used as generic nouns
Message-ID: <328@mtxinu.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 22-Mar-85 17:03:28 EST
Article-I.D.: mtxinu.328
Posted: Fri Mar 22 17:03:28 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 26-Mar-85 06:22:24 EST
References: <246@rtech.ARPA>
Distribution: net
Organization: mt Xinu, Berkeley, CA
Lines: 23

> 	Frigidaire	- It used to be common to use this to mean
> 			  "refrigerator".

Fridgidaire diesn't seem to be used any more as a generic (although
my grandmother still uses it) but "fridge" sure is.  I suppose it
survived because it can be related back to refridgerator so easily.

> 	Linoleum	- Is this one no longer a protected tradename?
> 
> 	Formica		- or this?

I don't know about Linoleum, but I heard not too long ago that a court
ruled that formica was a generic term, using as reasoning that there
was no common knowledge of another term for the substance.  "Plastic
Laminate Counter Top" didn't satisfy the court.

> -- 
> Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
> aka Swazoo Koolak

-- 
Ed Gould		    mt Xinu, 739 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA  94710  USA
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