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Using the word forteana in a book title.

Spudrick68

Justified & Ancient
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
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I am currently writing e books on the paranormal and unexplained. I never mention anything about it on here because that is part of my business and this is my pleasure, and I never mix the two. The question I have is; is it acceptable to use the word forteana in a book title or would that incur copyright protection?

Thank you in advance. :D
 
My (avowedly non-legal) opinion is that it would be fine. Think of the shelf upon shelf of books with words like Freudian / Victoriana / Nietzschean etc in the title.

Also, the term was probably (please somebody correct me if I'm wrong) coined well after Fort's hay-day (and probably after his death) by persons other than himself. I can't, therefore, imagine anyone holding a copyright over it.

A useful double-check might be to search for other titles that include the word: it wouldn't be a guarantee, but it would be a firm indicator.
 
Thank you for your help. I would not wish to mislead people into thinking what I had written had anything to do with the Fortean Times. I shall take your advice and have a look around.
 
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