On Sun, May 2, 2010 at 07:56, Jerome & Elizabeth Moos
<jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> Interesting catalog. Note that only some of the leather models carried the name "Belt". I don't think the Professional ever did. I think "Belt" was one of those words that the Japanese, for some reason, thought sounded prestigeous in English, but that actual native English speakers found odd in the context in which it was used. This sort of odd naming was common to all sorts of Japanese goods until the Japanese companies began to hire western advertising firms to help sell their goods in the export markets.
That comparison makes sense, insomuch as "Belt" is a weird name to us English speakers. But I think the explanation is that the Fujita company started out some hundred years ago making heavy-duty leather machine belts for industrial use. I don't know remember where I read that, though.
James Black
Los Angeles, CA USA