Thought experiment
The British Sign Language symbol for "Prototype" was explicitly invented, on the BBC's payroll, for an episode of Doctor Who. It has since entered common usage among the Deaf population to mean Prototype. Previously, a Deaf, or hearing, signer who wanted to sign Prototype had to sign P-R-O-T-O-T-Y-P-E.
Do the BBC or Doctor Who have any claim to the copyright of this sign? I know they wouldn't try, but imagine they were Paramount. What then?
Biting the hand that feeds IT
