Can you "copyright" or "trademark" a saying?

[onelimited]

What is the name of your state? MN

I was wondering, if i came up with a saying..."Beethoven of Rap"

Can you copyright that? Or someone do something whereas people will have to pay me to use that phrase?

I thought you cant but someone is telling me I can.

Thoughts please?

 

[FlyingRon]

You can't copyright it.

If you use it in commerce it may become a trademark.

 

[onelimited]

Thanks FlyingRon, I appreciate it.

So you are saying, if I want to use it as a slogan, it can be trademarked?

Is this the site I need to go to?

http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm

I would like to trademark the saying immediately, so do I just contact them?

The phrase isnt that exact saying, but similar...

Thanks

 

[seniorjudge]

File for the trademark and see what happens.

Copyright is a whole 'nother critter.

 

[divgradcurl]

I would like to trademark the saying immediately, so do I just contact them?

You can file for a trademark immediately, but you don't acquire any rights to enforce the trademark until you use the mark in commerce. You need to use the saying consistently to identify your product or service to acquire enforceable rights.

EDIT: Further, you can acquire rights to the phrase without registration of the trademark, although a registration gives you more protections and more options to enforce the mark.