LANGUAGE
Scotch tape: Why do we call it that and what is the generic name for it?
There are plenty of products and services that are used in place of the verb or noun, scotch tape being the name for adhesive tape.
Apparently today is Scotch tape day, celebrating the day adhesive tape was created for the first time by Richard Gurley Drew. Drew was a 3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company) engineer who developed the first practical, transparent, pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.
Scotch tape is the brand name for a type of this transparent adhesive tape. The generic name for this type of tape is simply “adhesive tape” or “clear tape.” “Scotch” specifically refers to the brand.
The practice of using a brand name as a generic term for a product is known as proprietary eponym or genericised trademark. Why does this happen? If a particular brand is highly popular and widely used, people may start using the brand name to refer to the entire category of products. Brands that dominate the market and become household names are more susceptible to genericisation.
Other examples of genericised trademarks
As language evolves, certain brands have become so ingrained in everyday language that they take on a generic meaning. These include: Kleenex (tissue), Band-Aid (adhesive bandage), Google (search the internet).