tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon May 01 15:27:37 2006

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Re: Hamlet

Shane MiQogh ([email protected])



Steven Boozer <[email protected]> wrote:  Voragh:
> >Makes sense as this was *not* published by Pocket Books, but by the Klingon
> >Language Institute (which is licensed by Paramount).

Andrey:
>Huh? The Klingon Language Institute is licensed by Paramount. What
>does that mean?

I'm not sure of the details (ask Lawrence), but I imagine that it's 
official permission to publish and sell Star Trek related items. I don't 
know if the KLI had to pay for this licence or give Paramount a 
percentage. Since the KLI is a not for profit organization, it may just be 
a matter of acknowledging Paramount's trademarks to keep the lawyers 
happy. Yes, the words "Klingon", "Star Trek", etc. are copyrighted and are 
trademarks - that's {malja' per} in Klingon - of Paramount Pictures.

Look at the SkyBox cards. ("SkyBox International was a company that made 
trading cards. Along with the baseball and auto racing and other sports 
cards they published, they also had several series of Star Trek trading 
cards. [...] They produced a set of cards for each of the first six seasons 
of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and each set had a number of "special" 
cards. Three of the special cards in each set contain Klingon text and an 
English translation; the cards give credit to Marc Okrand for the Klingon." 
[ghunchu'wI']). I'm told that versions of following bilingual copyright 
notice is printed on each card or their containers:

TM, (R) (c) je tera' DIS wa'-Hut-Hut-vagh Paramount Pictures.
Hoch SeH. Paramount Pictures malja' permey bIH Star Trek pong'e'
Deghmey'e' je. bIH lo' SkyBox International, Inc. 'e' chaw'.

TM, (R) c.1995 Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. "Star
Trek" and related marks are trademarks of Paramount Pictures.
SkyBox International, Inc. Authorized user.

IOW SkyBox International Inc. is licensed by Paramount to sell Star Trek 
merchandise.

>So if I use Klingon, write, read, mention it, Paramount could get
>upset? What's the copyright deal\limit?

Of course not. But try manufacturing and selling significant amounts of 
Klingon-related merchandise and you may attract the attention of 
Paramount's lawyers, who have shut down unauthorized vendors for trademark 
infringement. Just ask martial artist Chet Brown who made the mistake of 
selling his "Secret Fighting Arts of the Warrior Race" (a beautifully done 
bat'leth manual) online and at conventions without a licence IIRC. He 
didn't have the wherewithal to hire lawyers and fight Paramount in court 
and he eventually agreed to recall and destroy all unsold copies.



-- 
Steven L. Boozer
Cataloging Department [email protected]
University of Chicago Library (773) 702-8726




The copywrite runs out one day, just hope and pray for that day to come soon that they don't renew it.
		
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