The quick answer is that yes, of course, an etymological dictionary can be copyrighted. Almost anything original that anyone writes (including my words right now) can be copyrighted.
Are dictionary copyrighted?
Briefly, there is a low threshold for copyright eligibility. Dictionary definitions are fixed in a tangible form and they are-at times arguably-original. If an idea simply cannot be expressed in another way, its expression is not copyrightable.
Is Oxford dictionary copyrighted?
All modern dictionaries such as the Oxford English Dictionary are copyright.
Is the Merriam Webster dictionary copyrighted?
A MERRIAM-WEBSTER, MERRIAM-WEBSTER, COLLEGIATE, WEBSTER’S COLLEGIATE, WEBSTER’S UNABRIDGED, WEBSTER’S THIRD NEW INTERNATIONAL AND DESIGN, MERRIAM-WEBSTER’S COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY AND DESIGN, and CIRCLE WITH NW MONOGRAM AND WEBSTER’S, are trademarks of Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Is a dictionary fair use?
Judge Indira Talwani, who addressed the four fair use factors out of the traditional order, held that the textbook dictionary was not a fair use: Nature of the Work. Although the dictionary was based in fact, the definitions chosen by Merriam Webster were the result of a creative process.
Is a dictionary a legal document?
In legalese, a dictionary is a “secondary authority” in a case. Just as a congressional hearing could be used to better understand the intent of a specific law, a law dictionary can be consulted to enhance the meaning of a general word like malice or lawful.
Which words are not protected by copyright?
Not Protected by Copyright:
Titles, names, short phrases and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering or coloring; mere listings of ingredients or contents.
Are dictionaries copyrighted material?
Yes. The unique and original parts YOU include in each definition can be protected. But those elements that are considered to be in the public domain, like the words themselves, are not in copyright. ONLY your original example sentences and definition, provided it is new and unique from other dictionaries.
Can I use the Oxford English Dictionary for free?
Access the new OED Online free and from home using your local library’s subscription.
Can English words be copyrighted?
For an original work to be copyrighted, it has to be in tangible form.32 This means that any speech, discoveries, musical scores, or ideas have to be written down in physical form in order to be protected by copyright.
Which dictionary is public domain?
The Century Dictionary, 1911 is a public domain dictionary available as DJVU from www.global-language.com.
Is Webster’s dictionary public domain?
The Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (editor Noah Porter, Springfield, MA: C. & G. Merriam Co., 1913), from which copyright has lapsed and is now in the public domain, has been digitized in 1996 by MICRA, Inc.
Is the Oxford Dictionary a valid source?
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely accepted as the most complete record of the English language ever assembled. Unlike typical language dictionaries, which only define words in terms of their current uses and meanings, the OED is a historical dictionary.
Is there a legal dictionary?
A legal dictionary contains the definitions of legal terms taken from a variety of sources. They are the first place you should look when you do not understand what a legal term means. The two most commonly used legal dictionaries are Black’s Law Dictionary and Ballentine’s Law Dictionary.
Do I need a legal dictionary?
A good legal dictionary should be standard for every first year law student. Legal dictionaries are helpful to understand what the lawyers call “terms of art.” These are often ordinary words or phrases that carry special connotations in the legal context.
Is the dictionary a valid source?
In most cases you should avoid using dictionaries and encyclopedias as cited sources in your papers.
What makes a dictionary official?
Short answer: Lexicographers typically wait to add a word to our dictionary until they’ve determined that it has met these criteria: It has relatively widespread use. It has a widely agreed-upon meaning. It seems to have staying power—meaning it’s likely to be used for a long time.
What is the official legal dictionary?
Black’s Law Dictionary is the most commonly used law dictionary in the United States.
Can you plagiarize a dictionary definition?
If you put the definition in quotes and name the dictionary, it is not plagiarism. However, if you incorporate the word-for-word definition in a sentence and don’t acknowledge it in any way, then it is.
What are 3 things you Cannot copyright?
5 Things You Can’t Copyright
- Ideas, Methods, or Systems. Ideas, methods, and systems are not covered by copyright protection.
- Commonly Known Information. This category includes items that are considered common property and with no known authorship.
- Choreographic Works.
- Names, Titles, Short Phrases, or Expressions.
- Fashion.
What are 4 things copyright does not protect?
Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.