As internet domain names reach a critical point where a battle is being waged for names closed to basic dictionary words, another war of the words is emerging. This war of the words sees established enterprises trying to claim ownership over English language words that they see as part of their brand name.

In this war, the established enterprises are Apple and Facebook, each claiming to own the words pod and book respectively. While Apple dropped the name phone from its claims, it still has a long history of bullying smaller companies to drop pod from their product or company names. However, until now nobody dared to defend the English language against Apple.That is, nobody until Ana Christian representing startup company Sector Labs (and their Video Pod product) decided to drag Apple into court over pod. As both companies have filed the paperwork, the trial is due to start October 18.

The war of the books pits the famous Facebook social-networking site against Teachbook, a startup portal stading as a community for teachers. Facebook claims that the word book cannot be used with respect to naming social-networking websites. However, Facebook also has a history of bullying after muscling out travel agency Placebook from ending its name with book disregarding the fact Placebook is not a social-networking website. The famous internet social-networking portal claims that the use of book would “trade in our name or dilute our brand” (as Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt claims). This definitely begs the question whether abstract concepts as those state by mr Schnitt will be accepted as justification for usurping such a common English word. The -book face-off date has not yet been set. The full text of Facebook’s legal complaint document can be read here (PDF).