July 11, 2004

4:51 PM

I just bought an overpriced piece of luggage and as a method to make sure it's easily recognizeable (like all modern luggage it's plain black fabric) and lower it's inherent value i want to place a sticker on it that says "This is not your bag" in as many languages as possible. I just don't trust babelfish not to make my bag say "bag yours not" so i'm hopeing i can steal some of that bilingual knowledge out there.
posted by NGnerd to (35 comments total)

french:

ce n'est pas votre = this is not your

sac = bag

bagage = luggage
posted by taumeson at 4:57 PM on July 11, 2004

Swedish: Det här är inte din väska.
posted by soundofsuburbia at 5:01 PM on July 11, 2004

Dies ist nicht Ihr Gepäck.
posted by kenko at 5:06 PM on July 11, 2004

thanks guys, this will also give me the excuse to go back to europe (i've always wanted to go to sweeden)
posted by NGnerd at 5:08 PM on July 11, 2004

Romanian : „Aceasta nu este geanta ta”.

Aceasta= This
nu este= is not
geanta = the bag
ta = your

This should be of real help, actually.
posted by Masi at 5:13 PM on July 11, 2004

Draw frowney faces all over it in chalk.
posted by smackfu at 5:19 PM on July 11, 2004

a?t? de? e??a? ? ts??ta sa?.

I don't know if "ts??ta" is more of "bookbag" or "pack" bag, or luggage, but I think anyone reading it would get the drift.
posted by kenko at 5:24 PM on July 11, 2004

Crap. That worked on preview. Transliterated it would be "auto' den ei'nai i tsa'nta sas". The solitary "i" is an eta, not a iota; apostrophes follow the vowels that are accented.

(Actually this is what babelfish, which is correct here, gives, so if you want to see it in Greek letters, go there.)
posted by kenko at 5:27 PM on July 11, 2004

?????????? (anata no nimotsu dewa nai)
posted by planetkyoto at 5:28 PM on July 11, 2004

I sent it to you via email.
posted by planetkyoto at 5:33 PM on July 11, 2004

obviously i need to get a better list of fonts on my computer as i'm getting some questionmarks (planetkyoto, is that japanese?, on preview thanks). Smackfu I'll also make sure to make a picture of a stick figure walking away with a bag and put big no circle around it.
posted by NGnerd at 5:34 PM on July 11, 2004

I think "This is not the bag you're looking for" would be good. Anyone here speak botchi?
posted by SPrintF at 6:18 PM on July 11, 2004

Helpful note: If you're trying to get special characters to work, type in what you want, copy what's in the box, hit "Preview", verify that it's the right thing, paste in what you copied over what's there now, and hit "Post".

At least, this is what I've read is supposed to work. I will now open myself up to ridicule by trying it: €

(Alternatively, do what Evanizer said.)
posted by gleuschk at 6:18 PM on July 11, 2004

yåy!
posted by gleuschk at 6:19 PM on July 11, 2004

??? H? ???? ?????

russian

what a funny idea!
posted by ac at 6:40 PM on July 11, 2004

????????
posted by Big Fat Tycoon at 9:12 PM on July 11, 2004

Alright, fess, up. A few of you dorks are fluent in Klingon and/or Elvish, so let's see it.

"This bag, yours it is not." -Yoda
posted by keswick at 11:06 PM on July 11, 2004

Reminds me of my projet to acquire "read the FAQ" in as many languages as possible to send to people on a message board which I moderate who ask documented questions. At the moment the list is sitting on my brother's computer in New Hampshire because I did the project over there months ago and forgot to transfer it.
posted by abcde at 11:25 PM on July 11, 2004

Esta no es SU maleta! (Español por supuesto)
posted by golo at 11:48 PM on July 11, 2004

Slovene: To ni vaša prtljaga.
posted by Ljubljana at 11:51 PM on July 11, 2004

Tagalog : Itong maleta ay hindi sa iyo
posted by invisible ink at 11:55 PM on July 11, 2004

Norwegian: Dette er ikke din bag.
posted by ed\26h at 1:13 AM on July 12, 2004

Catalan: Aquesta bossa no és seva.
posted by Zootoon at 3:13 AM on July 12, 2004

Wouldn't it be easier to just spraypaint a big, red "M P" on it? That way people would know very quickly that it's not their bag. And how often has someone else taken your bag that this is a major concern?
posted by quiet at 3:43 AM on July 12, 2004

Finnish: Tämä ei ole sinun laukkusi.
posted by severiina at 4:11 AM on July 12, 2004

Italian: non è il vostro bagaglio


I love this idea. Can I steal it? Better yet, will you make two copies of the sticker and send me one?
posted by CunningLinguist at 4:24 AM on July 12, 2004

All your bag are belong to us!

(sorry, couldn't resist)
posted by etc at 4:41 AM on July 12, 2004

mainer (formal): This ain't yuh bag, brothuh

mainer (colloquial): Ain't yoahs, bro!
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:38 AM on July 12, 2004

Dutch: Dit is niet jouw tas.
posted by milov at 6:13 AM on July 12, 2004

When putting stickers to your suitcases be careful of unintented consequences. I learned this when I was questioned by customs officers at Heathrow after putting the "Mean people suck" sticker to my suitcase.

I only learned about the Grateful Dead connection later...
posted by zeikka at 6:50 AM on July 12, 2004

For a little less formal translation in French:

"Ce n'est pas le votre"

... "This isn't yours."
posted by silusGROK at 7:18 AM on July 12, 2004

>I love this idea. Can I steal it? Better yet, will you make two copies of the sticker and send me one?

They should put this on every bag! That's a great idea!!!
posted by Capn at 8:42 AM on July 12, 2004

Hindi: yeh tumhara bag nahi hai
posted by goethean at 8:49 AM on July 12, 2004

goethean, I prefer this Hindi translation:

Bhainchod, isko haath lagaya to teri gaand maroonga.

;)
posted by madman at 11:40 AM on July 12, 2004

I just put a neon-colored cable tie through the zipper holes, and have a luggage tag on it. It is therefore both identified and secure from extremely casual pilfering.
posted by Vidiot at 2:23 PM on July 12, 2004