Say Google to All That
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Lauren Barack -- School Library Journal, 9/1/2006
To google or not to Google? That may no longer be a question writers can ask given the search engine's recent spate of letters warning users not to corrupt their trademarked name by wielding it as a generic verb.
"Our brand is very important to us, and as I'm sure you'll understand, we want to make sure that when people use 'Google,' they are referring to the services our company provides and not to Internet searching in general," reads the letter Google recently sent to various media organizations, reportedly including the Washington Post. Google declined to say which companies had received its letter.
The move may follow the recent addition of "Google" as a verb in both the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary. Both definitions, however, make it clear that the word only refers to a search on Google itself—and not its competitors such as Yahoo or MSN.
Just in case media groups still didn't follow, Google attached a study guide to its letter to help them understand how to use the word correctly. Let's review.
An appropriate use? "I ran a Google search to check out that guy from the party," reads the guide. Inappropriate? "I googled that hottie." Notice the difference?
For those who need extra help, the Mountain View, CA-based company is offering tutorials to those who write them at trademarks@google.com. That's probably easier than googling for an answer.
