Last week the European Court ruled that the word PAKI can't be registered as a trade mark. No surprise there - EU law, like ours, says that you can't register names that are contrary to law or morality, or likely to give offence to a class of persons. For the benefit of readers in the platteland, I should perhaps point out that PAKI is not simply an illiterate form of 'pakkie'(which for the benefit of readers in Durban, I should point out is a small parcel), but a derogatory term used by some in the UK for people of Pakistani origin, although it must be said that the average user of the term is unlikely to give much thought to whether the person he's dissing (or worse still, bashing) originates from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. The European Court was not swayed by the argument that some people of Pakistani origin are quite happy to use the word themselves, and are clearly not offended by it. A bit Big Brother all this - 'We'll tell you what you find offensive.'

So political correctness does play a role in trade marks. But just how much? Years back, the UK authorities refused applications to register the names 4 POOFS & A PIANO and JESUS, on the basis that they would offend clearly definable classes of persons – an application for TINY PENIS was also refused, although the offended class of persons was not as clearly identifiable, nor, I would imagine, were many blokes scrambling to identify themselves as being part of this class. And whilst we're on the topic of smutty marks, FOOK was refused in the UK, whereas DOG's BUM was allowed in SA. But given our racial sensitivities, a racial epithet is unlikely to ever be accepted. And that's likely to be the case even if the word has other meanings or connotations. So Mr Basson, even if you feel that Checkers simply has to have a WHITEY range, I'm afraid you're not going to register it. And if your name's Swart, bear in mind that not only is your surname likely to be a problem, but so may your first name, which is almost certainly Blackie. Opening a new Indian restaurant – re-think that CURRYMUNCHERS name won't you? A trendy new cocktail bar in Hout Bay - drop the HOUTIES. A new range of chips – you can do much better than SOUTIES. What's that you say, you lot from HILLCREST ORANGE, NARTJIE, KUMQUAT YOGHURT, you're finding the name a bit unwieldy and you're thinking of slimming down to the acronym – fegeddaboutit!
So how is that we still have companies with names like Afcon and Busaf?

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