Trope names are likely not copyrightable (unless for some very specific names, which does not apply to Burning the Past / Burn the Past / Let the Past Burn). It is trope descriptions and examples that cannot be copied from TVTropes.

@Kjnoren

I tried to launch a trope and that got shot down because the naming was very similar to a trope on TVT, so, unless the rules were changed since then, tropes can't really have the same name, otherwise, we get dinged.

And, as far as examples go, they can if says examples are yours and yours alone or ones you have permission to use.

The actual written policies (which nobody but me seems to care about, it seems sometimes) for this wiki say: "The names of the tropes used in a work (or a list of works that make use of a trope) are raw data, and thus not subject to copyright."

Now, this does not really say anything directly about new trope names, but here I'm picking up some of my copyright knowledge. Names (labels) are not generally copyrightable. To be copyrightable, it needs to reach the level of being a "work". Some (very few) trope names might reach that level, but I doubt they are many or any at all.

I think we should go with what the mods of Tropedia say

So what did they say, and where, and was it supported by policy?

@Kjnoren , what Janna (when they used to be a mod), told me was that the tropes can't have the same names or close enough to the tropes as they are on TVtropes.

For some more context, a trope I tried to launch was called "Parent Title Characterization" and the one on TV was called "Parental Title Characterization", and it got shot down down on those grounds of the name being too similar.

Because TVT is run by heels, I won't fault 'em for that, tho, I think if the trope was named "What to Call Your Parents" or somethin' like that, it prolly wouldn't have got shot down.

Related to this topic, there's reason why "Disabled by the Adaptation'' is called "Adaptational Disabilities" and "Adaptational Nice Guy" is called "Adaptational Niceness" on Tropedia (or, for that matter, All the Tropes).

Now, as for policy, that might've been policy as far as the True Tropes go but on Tropedia, it was likely always the case that the trope could exist but not by the same name and the exact same description. Speaking of Policy, the mods do get whatever final say they have.

To answer Op's question, yes, you can launch that trope on here because that trope doesn't exist on TV-tropes.

Let's ignore copyright policies (which aren't up to date when it comes to online matters) for a moment and actually talk about licensing.

As we already know, TVT doesn't have the same licensing as All the Tropes and Tropedia and TVT's licensing post-2012 is a reason why certain things are done differently on other of those.

To cycle back into copyright, because TV-Tropes was the origin wiki, they could get All the Tropes and Tropedia potentially shut-down because that's typically how copyright protections tend to go.

To further simplify, it's why Yu-Gi-Oh! cards have a "spirit" card vs Magic card because of Magic the Gathering being here first—That same principle applies to TVT vs All the Tropes and Tropedia.

TVT's admins and moderators are already not fond of the idea of their site being forked, so why give 'em rocks to throw at our haven's windows?

Regardless, I think, at the end of the day, we should listen more so to the mods of this wiki because they're the ones in charge and followin' what they say is keeping our haven from being shut down.

Again, because the trope that OP is proposing is original and not on TVT, they can propose said trope. As for similar tropes, the writings and titles have to be better original to this wiki and ATT's, especially because of licensing.

First, I have nowhere talked about using the same trope descriptions or exactly the same example texts as TVTropes. That's covered by our extant policies and by copyright laws already, and so should be original to Tropedia (or copied from ATT with attribution).

Second, licensing in this context is all based on copyright. The copyright provide the legal protection and teeth to the licensor. Without copyright the license simply does not matter, because everyone is allowed to copy and use it. Since copyright doesn't apply to names, then we are free to choose any name we want, no matter if TVTropes already uses it or not (and vice versa).

Your card game example may be due to two reasons. One might be to simply choose a different word simply in order to differentiate the games. Another is that Magic the Gathering registered "Magic" as a trademark. Trademarks can then be licensed, just as copyrighted works, but I see little risk of TVTropes starting to trademark random trope names.

I'm happy to listen to (and disagree) with the admins, but then they first need to a) say something, b) work to maintain and evolve the policies here, c) if needed provide actual sensible or legal reasons for policies.

I still think we should just go with what the moderators say and they get the final say at the end of the day. Either way, OP can launch that trope on this wiki.

Urm, @Kjnoren , didn't you get some pages deleted?