Registered VS Trademark

What is the name of your state?
California

what is the difference between registering and trademarking?

if i want to put a saying on a t-shirt should i ® or TM?

i heard that you can't trademark words/saying, only the design of it. so in that case is there any way to protect an idea that only really consists of words?

thanks!

ashcraft said:

What is the name of your state?
California

what is the difference between registering and trademarking?

if i want to put a saying on a t-shirt should i ® or TM?

i heard that you can't trademark words/saying, only the design of it. so in that case is there any way to protect an idea that only really consists of words?

thanks!

Click to expand...

**A: check out http://www.uspto.gov

if i want to put a saying on a t-shirt should i ® or TM?

You are not permitted to use ® unless your trademark is really registered. You can use TM whether or not it is registered.

i heard that you can't trademark words/saying, ...

Yes you can.

is there any way to protect an idea that only really consists of words?

You cannot trademark ideas. You can copyright expressions of ideas.

P.S. -- I read your thread "Trademarking for the clueless" in which you write: I have a "saying/slogan" i want use on t-shirts, and possibly on magnets, keychains, etc. What kind of trademark am I looking for and do I have to trademark in more than one "class"?

That is not what a trademark is, or is used for. A trademark is used to identify your business, and products or services, not to monopolize 100 common phrases/expressions on t-shirts. That would be more of a copyright, but short phrases do not meet the minimum for copyright protection.