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submitted 1 year ago by TheTango@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

Growing up in Canada we did not refer to tissues as tissues. We called them Kleenex. It's one of those weird Canadian-isms.

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[-] PetDinosaurs@lemmy.world 57 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's called a genericized trademark. There's plenty, including aspirin and heroin.

It's also common to call these Kleenex in the US.

Definitely seems like a strange decision.

[-] Xylinna@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

I assume velcro is another one?

Yep, that's why there's so many things called hook and loop, to avoid the trademark.

[-] thecrotch@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 year ago
[-] bisq@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

What’s the generic for linoleum? I wasn’t aware that this was a brand name

[-] cyanarchy@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 year ago

I had to look this up. The inventor never trademarked the name and it was used by a competitor almost immediately. He lost a lawsuit over linoleum becoming a generic term 14 years after it's invention. There were other brand names but linoleum became a generic term almost as soon as the product was widespread.

[-] Nurgle@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago
[-] ShakeThatYam@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I heard that in the South every carbonated beverage is a Coke. However, I don't understand how this works practically. If you wanted a Sprite, would you order a Coke-Sprite?

Also Heroin, but Bayer probably is fine with letting that trademark lapse. (Also Aspirin was a Bayer trademark).

[-] SeaJ@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's more like if someone asks if you want a soda, they would instead ask if you want a Coke. You would then ask what kind they have. If you want a specific type at a restaurant, you would just say the kind you wanted.

[-] PetDinosaurs@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

This is the best explanation of this particular phenomenon that I think I've ever heard.

[-] candybrie@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

No, you'd order a sprite. It's not like people order Soda-Sprite or Pop-Sprite. It only might get confusing for coke. And even then, usually, you can infer it they mean the general idea or, specifically, cocacola.

[-] bisq@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Is Teflon a genericized trademark? Not sure I’d there’s any diff between that and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)?

[-] JimmyChanga@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Hoover is one, where I am at least

[-] PetDinosaurs@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

Americans don't usually use Hoover to refer to a vacuum as a noun like the Brits do, though. It's sometimes used as a verb though.

[-] JimmyChanga@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Saran wrap was one from my childhood, mum still uses a lot of these, I mostly say cling film these days

[-] nogooduser@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Also sellotape instead of sticky tape.

this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2023
71 points (92.8% liked)

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