Top 3 Moronic Ad Slogans Used by English Schools (Notes from Under the Tatami Mats–52 … My Adventures in Japan)

That nonsensical word “ma-nay” might sound a little bit like the English word “money” – well, to the hard-of-hearing or to lip-readers.

You’d think that an English school would make an extra effort to ensure that the language used in their marketing campaigns was proper and understandable. But you’d be wrong. 

“Ma-nay” does not sound like “money”

And you’d be confused. Regarding #1 above, the Japanese word “mane”  can be translated as “pretense” or “mimicry.” And it’s pronounced “ma-nay,” which might sound a little bit like the English word “money” – well, it might sound that way to the hard-of-hearing or to lip-readers.    

How that is related to the study of the English language is anybody’s guess.     _{(Image source)}

Time is mimicry. WTF?

The director of the school I worked for tried to explain to me that the phrase sounded like “Time is money,” but that the Japanese could interpret it as “Time is pretense / mimicry.” He thought it was clever and witty. I thought it was nonsensical and totally bewildering.   

Nevertheless, the school adopted that incomprehensible slogan, printed it on flyers, and mailed it to thousands of homes throughout the area.

I remained bewildered.      _{(Image source)}

   Introduction to – “Notes from Under the Tatami Mats”  _{(right-click on title)}

Top 4 Types of Student Most Appreciated by English Teachers

Top 4 Reasons to Bash Japan or Otherwise Lord it Over the Nation and its People

Top 3 Rates of Interest Paid on Savings Accounts at Japanese Banks

... and more

Links to my Other Series …

      Introduction – "Intro to Vocab-ability"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Guide – "Guide to Entries"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Index– "Index" to all Chapters and Sections   _{(right-click on title)}

      Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 1"   _{(right-click on title)}
      Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 2"   _{(right-click on title)}

_{Images sourced from Google Images, unless otherwise indicated or unless my own.}