Stranger than Fiction

Okay, now I’ve heard everything. Well, not really, but what I read in Friday’s The Advocate (my newspaper of choice) was rather difficult to believe. Then again, given the way people are in today’s world, I don’t guess I was too, too surprised. I was, though, somewhat amused, as well as bemused.  

According to Staff Writer Jason Brown, Troy Landry, star of the reality show “Swamp People,” which is filmed somewhere down here in the godawful swamps of Louisiana, has filed suit against three companies, claiming the companies are using his trademarked expressions for monetary gain (2012, p. 1B). Those expressions include “Choot Em, Tree Shaka, Tree Breaka, Mudda Fricka” (I kid you not), and “Got Gator?” Oh, and Landry has also trademarked his name.

After reading Brown’s article, I started thinking (I do that on occasion, contrary to popular belief) about what would happen if we all trademarked the expressions we used. What if, for example, I trademarked “Y’all come back now”? And what about “over yonder,” “down yonder,” “out yonder,” “in yonder,” and “up yonder”?  Oh, and let’s not forget the expression “Lord willing and the creek don’t rise”, which my daddy used to say and which I now hear myself saying, even though it’s grammatically incorrect. And I can’t leave out “He’s dug in like an Alabama tick” or, speaking of ticks, “I’m as full as a tick.” (Don’t you just love Southernisms?)

I guess my point is that if we all trademarked the expressions we used, it would certainly limit our ability to communicate. Moreover, if we all trademarked our names, then new parents would have a difficult time naming their child. I guess, though, the parents could call the child “It,” but I think that’s probably already a registered trademark.

Source: Brown, J. (2012) Swamp People star files suit. Baton Rouge, LA: The Advocate, Friday, January 6; p. 1B