DailyTech reported last month
that Google was concerned over the use of its trademarked name in reference to
general internet search. This concern was expressed after the word
"google" popped up in the 11th edition of the Merriam-Webster
dictionary. Now the company intends to crack down on the misuse
of its name.
What has Google upset is people who use phrases like
"I'm going to google it" or "I just googled his name on the Internet
and found what I was looking for." "We think it's important to make
the distinction between using the word 'Google' to describe using Google to
search the Internet and using the word 'google' to generally describe searching
the Internet. It has some serious trademark issues,” said a representative for
Google.
An expert in the field of linguistics is sympathetic to
Google's concerns in frustrations over the use of its name. Said Julie Coleman
from the University of Leicester, "The prestige associated with a
trademark is lost if people use it generically, so I do see Google's point.
They also do lots more than just search, so maybe they're reluctant for their
brand name to be restricted in this way." She goes on to say that despite
Google's protests, they likely won't get very far in stopping the spread of
"google" in everyday speech, "Normal people are using it in
normal conversation and in writing, and they aren't likely to face legal
proceedings."
“Resistance is futile.” There is no way possible that Google
can stop the spread of words such as “googling” or “googled” in everyday
speech. It’s already deeply rooted into our subconscious just like Kleenex or
Band-Aid. Google may be able to get dictionaries to properly note the origins
of its trademarked name (as the Oxford English Dictionary already does),
but who goes to a dictionary to look up the definition of Google? Mostly
likely, they’ll just “google it” instead.