Comments on: Use The Colour Red, Get Sued By Royal Mail

By: Matt Chandler

Matt Chandler — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:23:55 +0000

I know this is WAY, WAY after the event, but I just Google Searched this issue and this thread came up. It’s interesting, cause I was looking at some official documentation from Royal Mail and saw that statement, and just wondered how can they get away with saying the Colour Red is a trademark, when actually it is only a specific colour in conjunction with the Cruciform. They leave it very unambiguous for the “average” reader (which I am…!)

By: Lloyd

Lloyd — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:26:22 +0000

Cormac, Thanks for the comment. This is my point exactly: because we don’t readily use the serial comma in Britain, confusion like this is rife. Let me explain... In this case the phrase “the Cruciform and the colour red” simply doesn’t ’sound right’ so therefore many people assume they are two separate items… “the Cruciform, and the colour red” (if using serial commas). Correctly, it should read “the red Cruciform” if it were referring to a cruciform that was red, thus the assumption seems correct that it is referring to two separate items. I’m just saying, if the serial comma were readily used in Britain, confusion like this wouldn't occur. Yeah, I should’ve made this a bit clearer originally, but hey… I’m only nearly perfect!

By: Cormac

Cormac — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 10:54:00 +0000

Tell me sir,
where is this ‘serial comma‘ you speak of?
My eyes may deceive me, but I can only see one comma which is not before an AND or OR.

By: Boing Boing

Boing Boing — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 08:44:43 +0000

UK Minister detained at Dulles airpor…

Lloyd sez, “The BBC today details how Shahid Malik – a Muslim Member of Parliament and the UK’s current International Development Minister – was detained at Dulles Airport (Washington DC) hours after taking part in talks on tackling terrorism. He sai…