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submitted 10 months 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 61 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months 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 20 points 10 months 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 10 months ago
[-] Nurgle@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago
[-] bisq@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

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

[-] cyanarchy@sh.itjust.works 5 points 10 months 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.

[-] ShakeThatYam@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months 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 13 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months 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 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

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

[-] candybrie@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months 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 10 months ago

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

[-] JimmyChanga@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Hoover is one, where I am at least

[-] PetDinosaurs@lemmy.world 13 points 10 months 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 10 months 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 10 months ago

Also sellotape instead of sticky tape.

[-] Fredselfish@lemmy.world 36 points 10 months ago

Guess you will just have to use another type of Kleenex then.

But speaking of that did you know Dumpster is a brand name? It one those things we call it that but that is a company brand.

[-] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago

I'm too lazy to check if what you say is true, but damn, I never knew that one if so.

[-] King3d@lemmy.world 23 points 10 months ago

Trademarked by Dempster Brothers, Inc. in 1963, dumpster is originally a portmanteau of the word dump and the last name Dempster.

[-] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

Well then, I'm gonna have to fun fact some friends on that one.

[-] mycatiskai@lemmy.one 29 points 10 months ago

I really left to wonder whether the unique complexity is that they can't produce it for cheap enough and would rather not produce it at all rather than not make as much money as they did the year before.

Companies would probably prefer to lose business completely than not make as much money as they could.

[-] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 1 points 10 months ago

That's a possibility but another is that they would have to operate at a loss, which I would understand shutting down since they wouldn't make any profit at all.

[-] Hyacathusarullistad@kbin.social 9 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Well shit. This is a problem for me, since the Kleenex brand is the only one with a lotioned variety that stores in my neck of the woods seem to carry. My seasonal allergies get so bad that normal/un-lotioned tissues leave my nose rubbed raw, even if I'm medicated.

[-] blaine@kbin.social 3 points 10 months ago

Thanks to the N7 logo next to your name, I read this comment in Commander Shepard's voice. "Kleenex brand - now with LOTION! - is the only tissue on the Citadel that I'll trust my nose to!"

[-] Hyacathusarullistad@kbin.social 3 points 10 months ago

It genuinely is my favourite facial tissue on the Citadel.

this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2023
77 points (93.3% liked)

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