Neologisms successfully spread by marketers (again)

[Baker, John]

        My understanding is that "escalator" was a registered trademark
and was invalidated in 1950, in the case of Haughton Elevator Co. v.
Seeberger, 85 U.S.P.Q. 80 (1950), which I have not actually seen.  It is
often cited as an example of a trademark that has become generic;
"aspirin" and "linoleum" are other familiar examples.  A 1905 case
remarks that the term "escalator" was coined by Charles Seeberger, who
was one of the inventors of the device.  Oddly, none of the cases,
whether before or after 1950, seem to capitalize the term.


John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Michael H Covarrubias
Sent: Sunday, October 22, 2006 6:51 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Neologisms successfully spread by marketers (again)

**In a message dated 10/21/06 11:35:09 AM, RonButters at AOL.COM writes:

> Also, the literature on American
> trademarks usually lists escalator
> as a generic term, not a brand
> name, though it may once have been a TM.

----------------------

The Otis Elevator Company was the original builder.  I'm not sure that
'escalator' was ever capitalized, but even if it never was a brand name
it certainly went from proprietary into general use.

It was of course too ambitious a claim I made, that nobody can even
"think" of another word for the escalator.  I'm sure someone can think
of one.  Most assuredly so if we allow compounds or phrases.  The OED
provides an early citation from 1990:

"N.Y. Jrnl. 25 Nov. 59/2 The escalator..is a movable stairway built by
the Otis Elevator Company for the use of passengers of the Manhattan
Elevated Railway."

What I love about this word is how productive it became -- having once
been so specific.  'Escalate' 'escalation' 'escalating'
'escalatory'...all formed by the complete inclusion of the word --
divorced from its tether to Otis -- into everyday use.

It's even gone so far as to tend to latch on to a new context -- the
growing or escalating tensions and trends of conflicts and weaponry.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Michael H. Covarrubias
   Department of English
   Purdue University

   215 Heavilon Hall
   500 Oval Dr
   W Lafayette, IN 47907
   Office: 765-494-3721

   mcovarru at purdue.edu

   wishydig.blogspot.com

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org