tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Mon Feb 05 15:38:00 2007
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
Re: KLI authorized user
ja' Quvar:
> We frequently see the note "Klingon, Star Trek, and all related
> marks are Copyrights and Trademarks of Paramount Pictures. All
> Rights Reserved. Klingon Language Institute Authorized User."
>
> I just wondered, "Authorized User" of what? Only user of the word
> "Klingon" in its name, or user of the klingon language?
That legal formula states that the KLI is authorized by Paramount
Pictures to use the specified marks ("Klingon, Star Trek, and all
related marks") over which Paramount claims control. It most
obviously applies to the word "Klingon" itself. I don't believe it
applies to the language itself (languages are covered by neither
copyright nor trademark law), though I wouldn't be surprised if
Viacom's lawyers claimed that it does.
The permission from Paramount is part of the license granted to the
KLI. It has become apparent over the years that another part of the
license prohibits revealing exactly what the license says, but I know
that the KLI is explicitly permitted to promote the Klingon language
and to produce educational materials. General "merchandising" is not
among the privileges included in the license, so you won't find
official KLI T-shirts offered for sale to the general public, for
example.
-- ghunchu'wI'