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Why do we shorten copyright?

Copyright is an important concept that protects the legal rights of creators and publishers. However, the full term “copyright” can be cumbersome to say and type repeatedly. This has led to the emergence of shortened versions of the word that are more convenient and efficient.

What is copyright?

Copyright refers to the legal rights that creators have over their literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works. It gives them the exclusive right to reproduce, publish, sell or distribute their work. Copyright arises automatically once a work is created, and does not require official registration. However, registration provides additional legal benefits.

The standard copyright term in the United States is the life of the author plus 70 years. For works made for hire by companies/employers, copyright lasts 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever expires first.

Reasons for shortening copyright

There are several reasons why shortened versions of the word copyright emerged:

  • Length – The full word “copyright” contains 8 syllables and 10 characters. This makes it longer to say and type compared to common English words.
  • Frequency of use – Copyright is referred to very frequently in creative fields, legal documents, publishing, etc. The word appears multiple times on websites, books, articles, music credits, art prints and more. A shorter version improves efficiency.
  • Convenience – Shortened slang words are commonly used in informal writing and speech to convey ideas more conveniently. For copyright, shortened versions provide convenience and simplicity.
  • Easier pronunciation – Some find the syllables in “copyright” clumsy to smoothly pronounce in speech. Shorter versions have simpler pronunciation.

In fields heavily involved with copyright like music, writing, publishing and art, using the full word repeatedly can become tedious and unwieldy. Hence, shortened synonyms gained popularity.

Common shortened versions

Here are some common abbreviated versions of copyright:

Shortened Version Length
© 1 character
Copr. 5 characters
Copyrighted 11 characters
Copyright 10 characters
C.O. 4 characters
©opyright 9 characters
Copyr. 6 characters

The © symbol is by far the most popular abbreviated form used to indicate copyright. It serves as a universal symbol representing the copyright status of a work. Using this single character saves significant time and effort.

Some other common shortenings include “Copr.” and “Copyrighted” which clearly convey the meaning while being faster to write. Novel abbreviated versions like “C.O.” and “©opyright” also exist.

Reasons for using © symbol

Here are some key reasons the © symbol is the most popular shorthand for copyright:

  • Extreme brevity – At just one ASCII character, © can shorten 10 characters down to 1!
  • Unmistakable meaning – The © mark has become universally associated with copyright through decades of consistent worldwide use.
  • Legal validity – The © symbol carries the same legal weight and validity for asserting copyright ownership as writing “Copyright”.
  • Language & format agnostic – © has the same meaning whether used in English, Spanish, French or any language. It also works for any format like print, online, handwritten, etc.
  • Ease of typing – The © symbol is present on most keyboards and devices today, making it very easy to type.

In short, the © mark allows efficiently conveying copyright status in just one character, without losing legal standing or causing confusion about meaning.

Example uses of © symbol

Here are some common examples of how the © symbol is used:

  • In books – “Harry Potter© J. K. Rowling”
  • In music – “Song title © 2019 Band Name”
  • In articles – “Article name © John Smith”
  • In logos – Disney’s logo with © Disney
  • In movies – “© Dreamworks Animation”
  • In website footers – “© 2022 Website Name”

The © mark precedes the copyright owner’s name. It indicates that the copyright of the succeeding work is owned exclusively by them.

Evolution of the © symbol

The © symbol evolved across centuries before being adopted formally for copyright notices:

  • 1600s – Used as an abbreviation for Latin word “cum” meaning “with”
  • 18th century – Used in printing press enumerations as shorthand for “caps”
  • Late 18th century – Began appearing in magazine mastheads denoting copyright
  • 19th century – Widely used by publishers and stationers as copyright symbol
  • 1984 – © symbol legally codified for copyright notices in the Universal Copyright Convention

The symbol’s concise graphical form made it well-suited as a shorthand for legalistic terms like copyright. Its widespread use over centuries eventually led to its official recognition.

Legal aspects of the © symbol

Use of the © mark is governed by the following legal conventions:

  • Berne Convention – Established © as visually representing copyright.
  • UCC – Universal Copyright Convention legally codified use of © for copyright notices globally.
  • US Copyright Law – Notes © mark will have the same effect as “Copyright”
  • WIPO Copyright Treaty – Confirms © as having equal legal significance as copyright notices.

Thus, the © symbol has exactly the same legal validity for copyright as the full word “copyright”. Placing it conveys ownership and protection as effectively.

How to type the © symbol

The © symbol can be easily typed using the following methods:

Method Steps
Windows keyboard Hold ALT key and type 0169 on the number pad
Mac keyboard Hold Option key and type G
Chromebook Search character picker for © symbol
Android/iOS Long press C key and select © from popup
HTML code Enter © or © in HTML

These methods allow easy insertion of © in documents, websites, social media posts and elsewhere online. The HTML codes work for encoding in web pages and sites.

Limitations of the © symbol

Despite being widely used, the © mark has certain limitations:

  • Does not cover trademark rights – Separate TM and ® symbols are needed.
  • Only shows existence of copyright – Does not specify ownership or work details.
  • Provides limited legal protection – Full copyright notices are still recommended for stronger protection.
  • Can cause ambiguity alone – © should be used along with copyright owner’s name for clarity.

The © symbol serves well as shorthand but needs supplementary information for unambiguous copyright statements. Proper copyright notices should also be included in works for comprehensive protection.

Conclusion

In conclusion, shortened versions of copyright emerged because the full word is lengthy and cumbersome to use repeatedly. The © symbol is now ubiquitously used worldwide given its extreme brevity and legal validity for asserting copyright ownership. However, supplemental details are still required for comprehensive copyright notices.