Fw: STORE1 vs. STORE2

[Thomas M. Paikeday]

CAUTION: The registered trademark symbol, superscript R inside a circle, is
shown as "=AE" for some technical reason in the following posting I
received. If you have the same problem, please understand. Thanks.

t.m.p.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas M. Paikeday" <thomaspaikeday at SPRINT.CA>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2003 8:37 AM
Subject: STORE1 vs. STORE2


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Thomas M. Paikeday" <thomaspaikeday at SPRINT.CA>
> Subject:      STORE1 vs. STORE2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
>
> Here's something that may interest linguists (Ron Butters, Bethany =
> Dumas, Roger Shuy, and others) who are into trademark consultancy:
>
> 1. The Beer Store=AE is essentially a place where beer is stored. But =
> its wares (as declared in its application for registration as a =
> trademark) are clothing, promotional items, and novelty wares. Its =
> services are the operation of retail stores and sale of alcoholic =
> beverages, especially beer. These, in my opinion, are accidental =
> features (based on the philosophical distinction between "substance" and =
> "accident"). "Beer store," therefore, is not "descriptive" (in trademark =
> usage) of its goods and services.
>
> 2. The Corner Store=AE is essentially a store at a corner, but its =
> declared wares are "building materials, namely, mouldings and components =
> for forming mitreless joints between mouldings." "Corner store" is not =
> descriptive of the products it sells.
>
> 3. The General Store=AE is essentially a store of general merchandise, =
> but its declared wares are computer software, catalogues, household =
> electronic appliances, and stationery. It also sells travel services, =
> catalogue marketing of consumer goods, and their delivery. This sounds =
> like a specialty store that specializes in many goods and services. =
> "General store" is not descriptive of the products and services it =
> sells.
>
> The essential meaning of a word, what is foremost in the mind of the =
> average educated user (or AEU, my term for the traditional "native =
> speaker") who knows the word, may be said to be descriptive of it. This =
> is not always the first meaning given in a dictionary. It may be the =
> first in origin if that is how a particular dictionary is organized, as =
> historical dictionaries are (OED, Webster's Third and derivatives, =
> etc.), not the first in actual use, which is the commonest acceptation =
> of a word in the speech community. This meaning is based on the =
> consensus of the people who use the language, whose representative is =
> the AEU.
>
> Thus, for the word "store," the first meaning given in the Concise =
> Oxford, 2002 (and Webster's Collegiate, 2003, etc.) namely, "a quantity =
> or supply kept for use as needed" (COD, store, n. 1), in a word, =
> "reserve" or "stock," arose in the late 15th century. There are 10 of =
> these older meanings in the OED, some labelled rare or obsolete.
>
> In current North American English, however, a store, also called "shop," =
> is "a place where things are kept for future use or sale" (COD, n. 2). =
> This meaning arose in North America in the early 18th century. This, in =
> my opinion, is the essential meaning of "store," the one that is most =
> easily recognized by the AEU, hence given as No. 1 by dictionaries such =
> as American Heritage (which follow a different drummer than Webster's =
> Third). The definition of this meaning may be said to be "descriptive" =
> of the word in trademark usage.
>
> I would appreciate your learned comments.
>
> TOM PAIKEDAY
>
> www.paikeday.net