Splosh copyright ?

[Richard]

I was browsing through Youtube and happened on this strange clip. It is entitled 'Splosh' and I wondered if the name was copyrighted?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YBcizH_taPE

[andy250]

Bill is best to answer this,

Though as far as I am aware the name Splosh is copyright to Bill, also Buff Films, and Splosh tv.

Most people I know in the uk use the word splosh to announce that they like getting messy. I am sure its been in a crossword in something like the times!!! it was in one of the Splosh mags.

regards

Andy

[driversoft]

I'm pretty certain you can't copyright words per se - otherwise we'd be selling off the English language! To the best of my knowledge, 'splosh' is a real word (outside of the magazine context), and I can't imagine Bill claiming to have invented it. Obviously, someone else creating a wet-and-messy magazine called Splosh would be a different matter.

[TottyMcGee]

As I understand it, the verb "to splosh" (I splosh, you splosh, one sploshes, etc.) was coined by Bill to describe the kind of fun promoted by the magazine of the same name and the term stuck - the acronym WAM was coined in similar fashion by American usenet lists when the internet age rolled around, and then itself became a verb.

While the term "Splosh!" is indeed a trademark, I daresay Bill must be quite pleased at having created a little bit of the English language.

[Peter Thomas]

I'm sure splosh as a verb, was part of the English language before the magazine.

I remember being told off for "sploshing in puddles" as a kid. Takes on a different meaning if we read it in the context of this site!

[Richard]

I have been doing some (rather superficial) research into the word; within my own library it appears in the supplement to the Oxford Engish Dictionary (complete edition) dated 1987 as:
1. The dull splashing sound of the impact of a hard object striking or struck by something wet or soft; the impact itself.
Also , a quantity of liquid suddenly dashed or dropped.
2. (a) To splash (something); to cause (something) to move with a splashing sound
2. (b) To move with a splash.

It doesn't appear however in my 1981 print of Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary.

The OED gives the first reference as 1857.

So it looks as though Bill didn't coin the word after all.

If you want any more detailed information please let me know

[driversoft]

I'm sure splosh as a verb, was part of the English language before the magazine.

I remember being told off for "sploshing in puddles" as a kid. Takes on a different meaning if we read it in the context of this site!

It certainly was - though I guess Bill can at least take credit for extending the fetish lexicon, for which we're all grateful.

[Hayley]

Hi

Bill must be still recovering from a day with Gilly!

As far as I am aware Splosh! is a trademark which means it cannot be used for other similar products but is not copyrighted as a word. Remember when people like Posh Spice tried to copyright 'posh' and were told it was ridiculous?

Of course we didn't invent the word. We invented it as a description of getting messy cos a) there wasn't one at the time and b) it helped publicise the magazine. It was chosen for onomatapaic (probably spelt wrong) reasons. We wanted a name that worked all over the world and was fun rather than sexy - and it was messier than Splash! and wetter and Squish!

Since then sploshing has become a recognised term for messy activity and has appeared in at least one crossword. I am told by Bill that WAM came about cos the Americans believed that the generic title shouldn't be a trade name. Bloody stupid cos as soon as they coined it, all the companies called themselves WAM-something defeating the object! As a result of all this, it is hard to criticise people who use splosh as a term for their messy activity so long as it is not a commercial product. Then - like Toys R Us tried to do with us over our film Toes R Us - you can go in heavy!

That is how I remember it. Bill can correct tis later when he's about.

Hayley

[BillShipton]

No, that's about right, Hay.

[matt2matt2002]

Then - like Toys R Us tried to do with us over our film Toes R Us - you can go in heavy!


Hayley

Just for the record - what happened?

Did they threaten you with a soft toy?

[BillShipton]

They threatened to set Geoffrey the Giraffe on us.

No, just the usual legal letter insisting we change the name of the product. Unfortunately The Sun got tipped off and ran it as a story (they may even have tipped off the toy chain) claiming they were furious at being linked to a soft porn fetish tape. Totally untrue. They only objected to us using the letter R in that way. We thought they only had rights to the reversed R (as in their logo) but apparently the term R Us (unreversed) is their trademark too.

Our film is now called Toes aRe Us

[Peter Thomas]

We thought they only had rights to the reversed R (as in their logo) but apparently the term R Us (unreversed) is their trademark too.

What about the tile chain Tiles R Us?


Maybe they did a deal with Toys R Us...

[matt2matt2002]

As far as I am aware Splosh! is a trademark which means it cannot be used for other similar products but is not copyrighted as a word.

Got me thick 'at on tonight....
what's the difference between copyright and trademark?

[matt2matt2002]

Our film is now called Toes aRe Us

Any truth in the Sun rumor that you are doing a follow up film called
'Camel toes are us'..?

[Hayley]

What about the tile chain Tiles R Us?


Maybe they did a deal with Toys R Us...

I am not exactly a corporate lawyer but perhaps the comedy character R lets them off. And before you inundate us with local shops called Shoes R Us, Tops R Us, Personal Hygiene Products R Us etc....yes, we know. But The Sun didn't tell Toys about them.

Camel toes...hmmmm