Why Japanese want to learn English. ~ NanoThoughts 1.0

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Why Japanese want to learn English.

or at least, what the copyeditors want them to think.
Found via boingboing, go to the link for more reasons.
neomarxisme: March 2005 Archives: "This ad for the Gaba language school asks Japanese people to fill in the blank: 'If I could speak English, I would...' Ads with quotes from 'real people' in Japan are often written by copywriters, but even if these aren't actual answers, the responses provide a glimpse into the process of a Japanese company selling English to possible customers. (Click on ad to see a larger picture.

Here is a translation of the first several responses:

I would live in Hawaii with lots of dogs.
I would go by myself to buy in London antique shops.
I would eat all the desserts in the world!
I would go to [my company]'s foreign office and become project leader.
I would buy the materials for aroma therapy and mix them myself.
I would open a shiatsu massage parlor in Hollywood for celebrities.
I would lecture the loud foreigners on the train.
I would raise my children in America: one artist, one computer programmer.
I would go work in a foreign marketing firm.
I would start a dental office for foreigners.
I would run a surf shop in the Gold Coast.
I would live in a house where I could wake up and dive right into the pool.
I would want to increase my income by 100x.
I would publish a weekly manga magazine in the English language world. "

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Although I have heard rumours of people being into it, I don't think a surf shop in Chicago is really a good idea. Then again, if anybody can make it work, it's the Japanese.