tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Apr 13 11:17:17 1995
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Re: copyrights
- From: [email protected] (Craig Altenburg)
- Subject: Re: copyrights
- Date: Thu, 13 Apr 1995 14:18:51 -0400
>> What's the legal status of the Klingon language word lists as presented in
>> Okrand's TKD? May they be copied and used in other works? (For example, an
>> online dictionary or automated translation program.) I know that telephone
>> directories' contents are considered "public domain" information, and only
>> the formatting of an English-Spanish dictionary is protected by
>>copyright, but
>> what about tlhIngan Hol? Is it a "work of fiction" or what? Mr. Okrand
>>can't
>> prohibit people from USING the words, but should he have to give permission
>> for the translation lists to be copied and distributed?
>>
>> --------------------------------------------
>> Alan Anderson
>
----snip-----
>
>So, back to your question. You cannot distribute copies of the TKD, or even
>unreasonably large sections of it. That would violate the copyright.
>Paramount
>could claim that you are causing them to lose money by giving away the product
>which they have a right to sell. And they'd be right. That's the whole point
>of a copyright, to protect the owners of the copyright from distribution of
>their materials.
>
----snip-----
>
>Lawrence
>
I would love to see what a copyright lawyer has to say about this. My
understanding is that languages cannot be copyrighted. This (if true)
would mean that anyone could publish a tlhIngan Hol dictionary or works
describing tlhIngan Hol grammar. As Alan mentioned "...only the
formatting...is protected by copyright." Thus, you could publish a list
of words with their translations if you created the list yourself.
If I were planning on publish such a work "for profit" I would certainly
seek legal advice first.
Qeygh