WWTBAM Bored

The latest edition of the AP Stylebook has downgraded the words "Internet" and "Web" - henceforth they will be "internet" and "web". Also "website" will replace "Web site" and "email" will replace "e-mail".

But Kleenex is still capitalized. I was surprised by some of the other words on this list:
41 Brand Names People Use as Generic Terms

What about aspirin? I was even more surprised to learn that, per The Canadian Style, "Aspirin is trademarked (and capitalized) in Canada, but not in the United States." Also, it says capitalized, not capitalised. Apparently Canadians spell only a few words, like honour, the way the English do.

jarnon wrote: What about aspirin? I was even more surprised to learn that, per The Canadian Style, "Aspirin is trademarked (and capitalized) in Canada, but not in the United States." Also, it says capitalized, not capitalised. Apparently Canadians spell only a few words, like honour, the way the English do.

Each country's trademark law is different, just as their copyright laws are different. Bayer originally held trademarks to both aspirin and heroin but lost them both after World War I. Part of this was due to the patent on aspirin expiring, allowing others to legally manufacture it, and also to public sentiment against the German Bayer, which was accused of diverting raw materials from the U.S. for its aspirin rather than have them shipped to Britain for use in munitions (odd that the same chemicals are ingredients in both pain killers and explosives). This occurred before the U.S. entered World War I.

Somehow, I don't think Bayer loses a lot of sleep over not having a trademark on heroin any more (it was originally marketed as a non-narcotic alternative to morphine).

Yes they are. No matter what ap thinks. --Bob