GlossaryGuide

“For purposes of section 411 [of the 1976 Act], a work is a ‘United States work’ only if— in the case of a published work, the work is first published— (A) in the United States; (B) simultaneously in the United States and another treaty party or parties, whose law grants a term of copyright protection… Continue reading United States work

For purposes of copyright registration, “unclaimable material” includes (i) previously published material; (ii) previously registered material; (iii) material that is in the public domain; and/or (iv) copyrightable material that is not owned by the claimant named in the application. If a work contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should exclude that material… Continue reading Unclaimable material

“A ‘treaty party’ is a country or intergovernmental organization other than the United States that is a party to an international agreement.”

A rendering of a work of authorship from one language into another, such as a work that has been translated from English into Spanish, from German into English, or from Hindi into Malayalam.

A brief statement in an application for registration that explains how the claimant obtained ownership of the copyright.

“A ‘transfer of copyright ownership’ is an assignment, mortgage, exclusive license, or any other conveyance, alienation, or hypothecation of a copyright or of any of the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright, whether or not it is limited in time or place of effect, but not including a nonexclusive license.”

“A sworn certification is an affidavit under the official seal of any officer authorized to administer oaths within the United States, or if the original is located outside of the United States, under the official seal of any diplomatic or consular officer of the United States or of a person authorized to administer oaths whose… Continue reading Sworn certification

A special type of registration that may be used “to correct an error in a copyright registration or to amplify the information given in a registration.”

A Latin phrase meaning “of its own kind.” In the context of the copyright law, it refers to classes of works protected under the statute that do not fall within existing categories of legal protection, such as mask works and vessel designs.

A right to use certain works if certain statutory requirements are met as required by the Copyright Law.