Terminology – WOTTIES 2024 (2) Collins Dictionary WOTY shortlist

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann 

Shortlisted terms for the Word of the Year are always at least as interesting as the winner of them all. The following Collins Dictionary GIF and JPEG files each present one of the nine shortlisted terms for the 2024 Word of the Year. The terms are shown together with their Collins Dictionary definition. 

 

References
Collins Dictionary - WOTY 2024, Shortlisted words.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/woty

Collins Dictionary - The Language Lover's Blog.

https://blog.collinsdictionary.com/language-lovers/a-year-when-hedonism-and-anxiety-combine/

Terminology – WOTTIES 2024 (1) Collins Dictionary Word of the Year

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Collins Dictionary has selected the adjective ‘brat’ as the 2024 Word of the Year (WOTY). The noun ‘brat’ is hardly new, since it appears as early as the 1500s, in Songes & Sonettes, to express a child in contempt of the law, according to etymological information found in the Oxford English Dictionary. A meaning that has evidently evolved into a far more popular form of outlaw, combining rebellion, freedom, irreverence, and love. 

The term surged during a "brat summer" with the latest charli XCV, techno-pop, hit album, titled brat. Collins defines the adjective ‘brat’ as “characterized by a confident, independent and hedonistic attitude.” On the wild side of this transformed use of the term, the political slogan “Kamala is brat” also went viral.

Below, the Collins GIF file, animating the adjective ‘brat’, the Collins Dictionary, 2024 WOTY.

References

brat. Studio album produced by charli XCV et al. Released by Atlantic Records, June 7, 2024. 
Collins Dictionary - WOTY 2024.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/woty
Collins Dictionary - The Language Lover's Blog.
https://blog.collinsdictionary.com/language-lovers/a-year-when-hedonism-and-anxiety-combine/

Interlude ! Do you speak Gaultier?

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

The Jean Paul Gaultier website is running a linguistic experiment powered by AI. The experiment consists in collecting French language samples. To participate you might record yourself, and/or listen to others speaking. This is part of Jean Paul Gaultier’s commitment to diversity, in this case a celebration of linguistic diversity. 

Click on the Divine perfume bottle to participate in the study, and enjoy!

Reference

Jean Paul Gaultier (website)

https://fashion.jeanpaulgaultier.com/en-us

Oh, patents! Jean Paul Gaultier double flask

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

The Gaultier² perfume for men and women was launched in 2005, as a unisex perfume. The perfume was created by Francis Kurkidjan, the perfumer who had also created the immensely popular Jean Paul Gaultier Le mâle perfume. The Gaultier² perfume has musk, vanilla, and amber notes, with hints of sandalwood and jasmine.

In 2023, the Gaultier² perfume made a comeback by popular demand, following an online survey with customers. The comeback was orchestrated around the desire to bring back the lingering pleasure of memories associated with the Gaultier² fragrances.

The design of the Gaultier² perfume bottle was also squared, enabling the perfume to be contained in two separate bottles, connected together with magnets. The double flask design was patented in the US design patent USD593875S, titled Double flask. The patent was granted to Jean Paul Gaultier on June 9th, 2009.

Below, the patent Figure 1 showing a front perspective view of the double flask. An image of the marketed Gaultier²  perfume is also included. The image clearly depicts the two flasks connected and disconnected.

The YouTube video clip, below, shows the advertisement campaign for the Gaultier² unisex perfume, conditioned in a double flask.

References
Jean Paul Gaultier (website)
https://www.jeanpaulgaultier.com/
Francis Kurkidjan (website)
https://www.franciskurkdjian.com/us

Oh, patents! Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal!

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Scandal! Eau de Parfum by Jean Paul Gaultier was launched in 2017. The bottle, made of glass with a stopper designed as female legs, was created by Jean-Marc Galvez. The US design patent, USD856151S, titled Perfume bottle, was awarded to Jean-Marc Galvez, on August 13, 2019.

Below, the patent Figure 1.2 depicts a front view of the bottle. An image of the marketed Scandal! Eau de Parfum bottle is also included.

      

Scandal! Eau de Parfum is a floral perfume with gardenia, honey and patchouli notes, created by Daphné Bugey, Fabrice Pellegrin and Christophe Raynaud. Since the first edition of the Scandal! Eau de Parfum, conditioned in its iconic bottle and stopper, several additional fragrances have been launched, including a matching line of Scandal! fragrances for men (contained in a different bottle). The line of Scandal! fragrances for women includes: Scandal by Night! (2018), Scandal à Paris! (2019), So Scandal! (2020), and Scandal Absolu! (2024). Scandal pour homme! (for men) was launched in 2021.

Below, the advertisement YouTube video for the first, irreverent Jean Paul Gaultier Scandal! Eau de parfum for women. A clip, where “Madame la Ministre” (Madam, the Cabinet Minister) is portrayed as a divinely scandalous woman in politics.

Reference

Jean Paul Gaultier (website)

https://www.jeanpaulgaultier.com/us/en_US/

Oh, patents! Jean Paul Gaultier Classique (vintage)

 Copyright ©  Françoise Herrmann

Below, the image of a miniature, 30 ml/1 fl.oz, corseted dress-form, bottle, containing Jean Paul Gaultier Classique pure perfume extract  The  US design patent, USD375677S, titled Bottle, was granted to Jean Paul Gaultier, on November 19, 1996.  The patent Figure 6 depicts a front perspective view of the famous bottle. 

Reference

Jean Paul Gaultier Fragrances (website)

https://www.jeanpaulgaultier.com/us/en_US/fragrances

Oh, patents! Jean Paul Gaultier Le Mâle, dress form, perfume bottle

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

In 1995, Jean Paul Gaultier launched a masculine counterpart, called Le Mâle, to the feminine Classique perfume. Le Mâle perfume was contained in a male dress-form bottle, adorned with an iconic, striped, French sailor's shirt.

To cover the ornamental properties of the design, the US design patent, USD379676S, titled Bottle, was awarded to Jean Paul Gaultier, on June 3rd, 1997. To date, dozens of Jean Paul Gaultier male dress form bottles have been created, adorned with variously colored sailor's shirts, to contain an evolving line of Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances for men. A line of masculine fragrances designed to match their feminine counterparts, contained in female dress-form bottles.

Le Mâle perfume was created by a then-20-something perfumer called Francis Kurkidjan. Le Mâle is an oriental fern perfume, with a blend of lavender, mint and vanilla fragrances.

Below, the patent Figure 1, together with an image of the marketed Le Mâle Eau de Parfum, contained in a male dress form bottle, wearing a striped green and white sailor's shirt.

Reference
Jean Paul Gaultier
www.jeanpaulgualtiercom

Maison Kurkidjan

https://www.franciskurkdjian.com/us-en 

Oh, patents! Jean Paul Gaultier corseted, dress-form, perfume bottle

Copyright ©  Françoise Herrmann   

In 1993, Jean Paul Gaultier, the famous French couturier, launched his first Classique line of perfume celebrating women’s fashion. The Classique Jean Paul Gaultier perfume was contained in a corseted atomizer bottle, in the shape of a woman’s fashion dress form. Just a few years earlier, in 1990, Jean Paul Gaultier had designed Madonna’s costumes, and especially the famous cone-shaped corset, for her Blond Ambition World Tour. To date, in 2024, dozens of different Jean Paul Gaultier female perfumes have been created for the iconic, corseted, dress form bottle.

The Classique Jean Paul Gaultier perfume was created by the renown, fourth generation, French perfumer, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud. The oriental floral perfume has orange blossom, anise and rose, with pear and bergamot top notes; ginger, ylang-ylang,  tuberose and plum middle notes; and vanilla, amber, musk, cinnamon and sandalwood base notes.

The US design patent, USD349848, titled Bottle, was awarded to Jean Paul Gaultier, on August 23, 1994. Below, the patent Figure 1, showing a front perspective view of the corseted, dress form bottle, together with an image of the marketed Classique Jean Paul Gaultier perfume bottle.

References
Jean-Paul Gaultier (website)
www.jeanpaulgaultier.com
Madonna (website)
https://madonna.com/
Staff (2024). Lifetime Achievement Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud. The Fragrance Foundation.
https://fragrance.org/honoree/lifetime-achievement-perfumer-9/
Staff (Sept. 6, 2020). Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, King Midas of Perfume. Scentertainer.com
https://scentertainer.net/en/perfumer-jacques-cavallier-king-midas-of-perfumes/

SNEEX stiletto mosaic

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann 

Below, the three SNEEX stiletto models. The Blake (two-strap), The Tepper (single-strap), and The Icon (no-strap), shown in various combinations of suede, leather, and Italian mesh. New shoes designed by Sara Blakely, the well-known founder of SPANX, to provide comfort to stilettos, without compromising style. 

 

Reference
SNEEX (website)
www.sneex.com

SPANX (website)

www.spanx.com

Oh, patents! SNEEX last*

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

According to the Shoemaker Academy: 

The shoe last is the starting point of every shoe design and has been called ‘the heart of the shoe.’ […] The shape of the last determines the fit, performance, ergonomics, and style of a shoe, and is also what makes a shoe suitable for playing basketball, climbing mountains, or running a marathon. Great-looking shoe design is nothing if the last is not appropriate for the shoe’s function.

Accordingly, the SNEEX stiletto last is a patented design. The SNEEX last was awarded the US design patent USD982304S, titled Shoe last. The patent was awarded on April 4, 2023, to Sara Blakely, Jadideah Yarbrough and Sylma Colon-Otten.

Below the patent Figure 1 showing a front, left-side, perspective view of the patented shoe last, together with an image of the SNEEX last used to design SNEEX stilettos. The image of the yellow SNEEX last illustrates the gap in support on the footbed of a regular stiletto. A gap that the SNEEX stiletto design precisely fills as part of the comfort innovations of the shoe.

--------

* En français, forme de cordonnier.

References
Shoemakers Academic – What is a shoe last?
https://shoemakersacademy.com/what-is-a-shoe-last/
SNEEX (website)
www.sneex.com

Oh, patents! SNEEX stilettos

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

SNEEX stilettos are luxury high-heeled shoes that were designed as comfortable as sneakers. SNEEX stilettos were masterminded by none other than Sara Blakely, the famous founder, and manifold inventor, of SPANX clothing. In Blakely’s own terms: “We put a man on the moon. I’ve been dreaming of designing a comfortable hi-heel since wearing them.” However, like many women, she found herself having to take them off on many occasions, for various reasons.  Thus, SNEEX stilettos incorporate much comfort innovation into their fabrication, in the spirit of SPANX, which boasts an impressive patent portfolio. 

 SNEEX shoes have 3-inch stiletto heels.  They are made in Spain, of premium, supple, napa leather and suedes from Italy and France. Beyond luxury, SNEEX shoes resolve three important problems related to stilettos. First, SNEEX stilettos offer a much more spacious toe box, to resolve the problem of tightly squeezed toes. Secondly, SNEEX stilettos compensate the height of three-inch heels with a platform sole, so that SNEEX stilettos distribute weight in a proportion closer to 50% on the heel and 50% on the ball of the foot, comparable to sneakers, in contrast to an 80% - 20% distribution with traditional stilettos. Finally, SNEEX stilettos, offer no gap on the footbed for supporting the user’s foot, especially under the arch. The result is a stiletto that was designed for “walking, dancing and dreaming!” A stiletto without compromise between style and comfort.

The US design patent, USD1020201S1, titled Shoe, was awarded on April 2^nd, 2024, to Sara Blakely, Jadideah Yarbrough and Sylma  Colon-Otten. The figure drawing on the patent cover page is included below, together with images of The Blake, one of the marketed SNEEX stiletto models.

The patent figure shows right and bottom-up, perspective views of the patented shoe design. On the patent figure, the upper portions of the shoe, within dotted lines, indicate portions of the design uncovered by the patent. Thus, the patent exclusively protects the ornamental features of the SNEEX sole, for a shoe where the uppers and heel may vary. 

References
SNEEX
www.sneex.com
SPANX
www.spanx.com

International Translation Day 2024

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

September 30th is International Translators Day. A day to celebrate and raise awareness of the role that translators play “in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development”, per the United Nations Resolution 71/288. The United Nations resolution that proclaimed, on May 24th, 2017, International Translation Day on September 30th, each year.

September 30th is also the Day of the Feast of Saint Gerome in the Gregorian Calendar of Saints. Saint Gerome was the monk known to have translated the Old Testament of the Bible, to Latin directly from Hebrew. A translation of the Old Testament, known as the Vulgate, and dated circa 400 (Third century AD). The Vulgate is also known as Gutenberg’s Bible, as it was the version of the bible selected as the first book ever printed, in 1454, on Gutenberg’s press. In this capacity, the monk was officially canonized a saint in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII. Thus, in the catholic tradition, Saint Gerome became patron saint of translators, biblical scholars, librarians and encyclopedists, first celebrated each September 30th.

Scrolling forward to 2024, the International Federation of Translators selected the theme “Preserving the art of Translation”, in defense of copyrighted translations, in the age of Chat GTP version 4.0 and Large Language Model (LLM)-driven translations. Indeed, the theme makes clear that however scaffolded with machine translation, the translation of a published work, literary or other, remains a human endeavor. A human endeavor on a par with other sorts of creations that might be copyrighted, unless otherwise specified as machine-generated, and un-reviewed.

On a different note, on International Translation Day 2024, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) emphasized translation and interpretation of indigenous languages, as a prerequisite to shifting the dynamics of power, development and recognition in the world. Indeed, far too much indigenous knowledge and know-how is plainly robbed from indigenous people and communities, simply because it is untranslated, or untranscribed in the case of oral traditions.

As a result, the problem of copyrights put forward by the International Federation of Translators was compounded. Not only should the translator’s work be recognized in the publication sphere, but the task of translating indigenous languages must be commissioned. A task that will make it possible, in turn, for the actual content and source of the translations to also become recognized, especially when it is the original intellectual property of indigenous communities.

Thus, International Translators Day 2024 took on a more political stance. A political stance in defense of indigenous languages, and the translator's work, which has the potential to bring about greater justice, and a better distribution of power in the world.

References

IFT – International Federation of Translators.

https://en.fit-ift.org/ 

UNESCO – International Translation Day.

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/exploring-multifaceted-aspects-humanity-international-translation-day 

UN – International Translation Day 2024.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-translation-day 

UN Resolution 71/288

https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n17/149/29/pdf/n1714929.pdf

Oh, patents! KIZIK flex-foam, collapsable heel

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Just the foam-flex, collapsable heel, portion of the Roamer sole is also patented. A patented design that allows for different shoe uppers to fit on the sole, and in cooperation with the collapsable heel. The US design patent, USD980596SI, titled Sole for footwear, was awarded on March 14, 2023.

Above, the patent Figure 1, showing a side perspective of the sole footware. The dotted lines on everything, but the flex-heel portion of the sole, clearly indicate those parts of the sole and shoe, that are excluded from coverage. The image of a men's marketed KIZIK Glacier Roamer, different from the marketed KIZIK Mars Roamer, is also included above.

Below, a Youtube video marketing the flex-foam, collapsable heel, KIZIK Roamers.

Reference

KIZIK (website)

www.kizik.com

Oh, patents! Kizik Mars Roamer

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

If you could ever roam the red planet, you might enjoy the feeling of walking on marshmallows with Kizik Mars Roamers. Kizik Mars Roamers are the latest, foam-flex, no-hands, collapsable-heel, slip-on shoes. The ornamental aspects of the Mars Roamers are patented. The US design patent, USD1029459S1, titled Shoe was awarded on June 4, 2024. 

Below, the patent Figure 1 shows a side perspective view of the shoe. An image of the marketed Kizik Mars Roamer, in the color Moon Dust, is also included. 

 

Below, a YouTube video advertising for the Kizik Mars Roamer. 

Reference

Kizik (website)

www.kizik.com

Oh, patents! Kiziks lattice heel design (2)

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Another US design patent, USD1038607S1, titled footwear, was awarded for a more crisscrossed design of the Kizik,  compressible lattice, spring-back heel technology. This design, comprising increased crisscrossing, designated the Internal Cage™,  is actually hidden inside the heel portion of the corresponding Kizik footwear models. The patent was awarded on August 14, 2024. 

Below, the patent Figure 1 depicts a left view of the latticed heel structure for footwear, together with an image of an embodiment of the hidden technology, for the marketed Kizik Lima model, in the color grey for men. The dotted lines on the Figure 1 drawing indicate the portion of the design that is unprotected by the patent. As a result, the protected design might be used on a variety of models with different uppers.

Reference
KIZIK (website)
www.kizik.com

Oh, patents! Kiziks lattice heel design (1)

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

The compressible lattice heel, spring back invention, invoked in the  Kiziks no-hands slip-on footwear, has also received several US design patents. The US design patent USD943946S1, titled Lattice structure for footwear, was awarded on February 22, 2022.

Below, the patent Figure 1 depicts a side perspective view of the lattice structure for footwear, together with an image of an embodiment of the technology, found on the marketed Kizik Athens shoe model (in surf and lime colors for women). The dotted lines on the Figure 1 drawing indicate the portion of the design unprotected by the design patent. Thus, the rest of the footwear might vary as specified elsewhere in the description of the invention. 

References

KIZIK (website)

www.kizik.com