Why aren't Japanese car's lettering Japanese?
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Atlanta, GA
Why aren't Japanese car's lettering Japanese?
This still confuses me..
Go to any Japanese car makers site - everything is Japanese except the model names. Why?
Why isn't "TOYOTA ARISTO" writtin in Japanese characters on the trunk - as opposed to english. Its a JAPANESE car, sold in JAPAN. Does everyone there read English? Why even have the Language.
I understand English is the unviersal business language. I can even see using a nice little "H" emblem or a symbol like Mazdas toilet bowl or the Lexus "L". But why isn't the trunk lined in Japanese characters reading "Skyline".
Go to any Japanese car makers site - everything is Japanese except the model names. Why?
Why isn't "TOYOTA ARISTO" writtin in Japanese characters on the trunk - as opposed to english. Its a JAPANESE car, sold in JAPAN. Does everyone there read English? Why even have the Language.
I understand English is the unviersal business language. I can even see using a nice little "H" emblem or a symbol like Mazdas toilet bowl or the Lexus "L". But why isn't the trunk lined in Japanese characters reading "Skyline".
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Atlanta, GA
Originally Posted by beanolo,Sep 21 2007, 01:16 PM
So that way the ricers know which emblem they are buying when they buy JDM stuff.
That aside - why do ya'll think this is? It would bug me if Dodge Caravan was written in Spanish or Japanese on back - being sold and driven in America.
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From: Queen City, NC
I think that some of these cars are sold in other markets than Japan, even if its notthe US. English is the most predominant language in the world of commerce and those who buy cars, so maybe its just easier to make one badge in English rather than country specific badges in every language.
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From: SJC
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From: Sun★Works
more than likely there are no konji to express the maker and or line name of any given car.
take skyline: it can be broken into two root words Sky and Line but the use of those konji together may not make sense to the japanese reader. you cannot make up new konji because you would then have to teach the entire worlds population the new symbol. it would be like English speaking people adding a new letter to the alphabet.
Japanese do not have spelled out language like we do. Their system is based on simple symbols and intricate symbols depending on what kind of writing the producer is trying to accomplish.
beyond that. A skyline over here may be simply an R3-whatever over there or named something completely different alltogether.
Badging in english characters appeals to more of a world market. Except us JDM whores, nobody outside of Nippon would buy a car with japanese writing on it. Hell we still have people hating all over rice-burners now and the cars are badged in english...imagine how bad it would be if there was konji all over asian cars?
take skyline: it can be broken into two root words Sky and Line but the use of those konji together may not make sense to the japanese reader. you cannot make up new konji because you would then have to teach the entire worlds population the new symbol. it would be like English speaking people adding a new letter to the alphabet.
Japanese do not have spelled out language like we do. Their system is based on simple symbols and intricate symbols depending on what kind of writing the producer is trying to accomplish.
beyond that. A skyline over here may be simply an R3-whatever over there or named something completely different alltogether.
Badging in english characters appeals to more of a world market. Except us JDM whores, nobody outside of Nippon would buy a car with japanese writing on it. Hell we still have people hating all over rice-burners now and the cars are badged in english...imagine how bad it would be if there was konji all over asian cars?
