language as property

[Koontz John E]

On Mon, 18 Jun 2001, ROOD DAVID S wrote:
> 	To copyright documents, or the contents of something composed of
> words, is of course a different matter, and the ethics of intellectual
> property rights are probably even more complex than the legalities.

There is a general notion that rights to song texts as perceived by Native
American communitites should be observed.  I would never publish a song
text that had not been either both (a) previous published and (b) clearly
characterized as public or belonging to a defunct organization, or,
alternatively, (a) explicitly released to me for this use and (b)
determined as well I could to be endowable by the individuals in question.


In regard to stories or other non-song texts, I would not release a
"recent" personal account due to a particular individual without the
permission of that individual or his or her principal heir(s), if
deceased.

As far as stories already published or prepared by those "long" deceased
are concerned, it might be a somewhat different case.  Historical texts
are subject to some degree of open disclosure as reportage, and myths are
often more widely distributed across groups than members of the particular
groups may realize.

Additional contraints might very well be imposed by a publisher, and a
certain amount of judgement is always called for, in any event.

JEK