What the Dickens?
Today, the 7 Feb, sees the bicentenary of the birth of one of the UK’s most prolific and well known novelists: Charles Dickens. You may know him because of books you read (or are reading) at school or from one of the stage adaptations his work has spawned like ‘Oliver’ but did you also know this 19th Century writer is responsible for sayings in use today such as: ‘Charity begins at home’ and proverbs like ‘A day wasted on others is not wasted on yourself’ and the commonly known line ‘Please Sir, may I have some more?’
Strangely enough though Charles Dickens is not responsible for the exclamation ‘What the dickens!’ Used when someone is puzzled or surprised. It was actually William Shakespeare who started the use of that addage along with loads of other lines like ‘All of a sudden’ and ‘For ever and a day,’ as well as ‘hot-blooded, In a pickle’ and ‘in stitches!’
Of course not all lines spoken today derive solely from the depths of history. No doubt you’d recognise exactly who said the following: ‘I could just fancy some cheese Lad, what do you say? or ‘Cracking good job Gromit!’ and ‘I do like a bit of Gorgonzola!’ It’s Cracking Ideas ambassadors Wallace & Gromit, of course, with a specific turn of phrase unique to them!
Nowadays phrases, strap-lines and slogans are in common usage in our language all the time and are a powerful marketing tool for the companies which own them. Just think of the word ‘Simples’ and the line ‘The future’s bright’ and you’ll know the products I’m talking about straight away. But trade marks aren’t the only way intellectual property can protect the written and spoken word; copyright is a method used by story writers, musicians, script writers and all sorts of creators old and new to protect their work. To find out more about how you can use copyright and other intellectual property rights to look after your creativity check out the IPO’s website or if you want advice that’s tailor made for a younger audience then Cracking Ideas is the ideal place to start.
Have fun … get cracking on the creativity!
