I'm trying to translate some of the signs in the anime FLCL, and I came across
this sign on the side of a train in the first episode:

ワソマソ  
出入口

The second part means "doorway", correct? But what about ワソマソ ? What does
'Wasomaso' mean? Or am I reading it wrong? Thanks for your help!
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-05-25T04:28:13.150
5622
2012-05-28T12:21:43.257
2012-05-26T02:05:04.990
921
1382
question
translation
What does ワソマソ mean?
Are you sure it wasn't
[`ワンマン`](http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%83%AF%E3%83%B3%E3%83%9E%E3%83%B3/UTF-8/), a
word which apparently would mean ["one-man operation/driver-only operation/one
person operation"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-man_operation) in this
context? (in other contexts `ワンマン` can mean "dictator" or "autocrat".)

**Edit:** Fixed definition.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-05-25T04:37:53.070
5623
2012-05-25T04:48:56.177
2012-05-25T04:48:56.177
796
796
5622
answer
This is probably `ワンマン` (note `ン` instead of `ソ`). `ワンマン` is wasei-eigo from
"one man". For example, `ワンマンショー` (one man show), or `ワンマンライブ` (meaning a live
performance with just one band, not necessarily one person).

In the context of buses, `ワンマン` means that a bus is being operated by a driver
alone, with no conductor (i.e. every bus nowadays). It used to be a rule to
have this sign if there was no conductor.

So this is not a phrase ("one man doorway"), but a two-purpose sign showing
the doorway and stating that the bus is `ワンマン`.

Of course, this being FLCL it's possible that it actually **does** say `ワソマソ`,
as a joke. A Google search reveals that it is sometimes used jokingly.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-05-25T04:50:52.623
5625
2012-05-25T05:13:37.947
2012-05-25T05:13:37.947
1272
1272
5622
answer
I have been on small trains (most recently: [Eizan
railway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eizan_Electric_Railway) in Kyoto) that
indeed bear messages along the line of 'ワンマン', followed by information on
how/where to board/alight the train (the 出入口 part).

For example, Eiden asks passengers to exit through the front door, due to the
train being 'ワンマン'.

Eiden translates `ワンマン` as `conductorless` (a somewhat ungrammatical but
easily understandable word). In absence of a conductor, the train still
usually has one person driving and/or attending to the doors and tickets.

Although all the other meanings mentioned in this thread are valid
translations of this term, given context, I think "conductorless" (or
equivalent) is the most likely one.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-05-27T04:41:07.473
5634
2012-05-28T12:21:43.257
2012-05-28T12:21:43.257
290
290
5622
answer