Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
Only flush toilet tissues in bowl.
English answer:
Please flush only toilet tissue.
Added to glossary by
Will Matter
Mar 19, 2004 03:02
20 yrs ago
2 viewers *
English term
Only flush toilet tissues in bowl.
May offend
English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
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This phrase is taken from the restroom in a sport facility. What do you think about the word order, is it acceptable?
Responses
Responses
+6
30 mins
Will Matter
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
proofreading/editing/research/security
Native in: English 
Works in: English, Japanese to English, zzz Other zzz to English, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
32
Selected
please flush only toilet tissue.
Completely unambiguous rewording. The part about the "bowl" is redundant, it can be understood from the context and can therefore be deleted. If you feel that you must include it just add it on the end of each sample sentence given here. For example, using the example above you could say "Please flush only toilet tissue (in the bowl). You could also say "Please flush nothing but toilet tissue", "Please don't flush anything but toilet tissue/Please do not flush anything but toilet tissue", "Don't flush anything but toilet tissue", "Please do not flush anything other than toilet tissue" or even "Only flush toilet tissue, please". You can also substitute the word "paper" for "tissue" and be understood, it's just another way to say it. All of this are variants that you can use and they all essentially mean the same thing. HTH.
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Note added at 2004-03-19 04:55:57 (GMT)
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For Meatball: i wasn\'t being hostile at all, i was simply remarking on the fact that your answer and Ritas answer strongly resembled each other. No hostility or even criticism, either implied or intended, at all.
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Note added at 2004-03-19 04:55:57 (GMT)
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For Meatball: i wasn\'t being hostile at all, i was simply remarking on the fact that your answer and Ritas answer strongly resembled each other. No hostility or even criticism, either implied or intended, at all.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks"
7 mins
Margaret Schroeder
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Mexico
The right words in the right place.
Native in: English (Variants: Canadian, US)
Works in: Spanish to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
ambiguous
Like the famous "Dogs must be carried on escalator."
It is supposed to mean "Don't flush anything else than toilet tissue," but as it reads it could be interpreted as "Don't flush toilet tissue anywhere else than the bowl."
You don't ask for an improvement, but "Nothing but toilet tissue may be flushed in bowl" would remove the ambiguity. Someone else can probably suggest a better solution.
It is supposed to mean "Don't flush anything else than toilet tissue," but as it reads it could be interpreted as "Don't flush toilet tissue anywhere else than the bowl."
You don't ask for an improvement, but "Nothing but toilet tissue may be flushed in bowl" would remove the ambiguity. Someone else can probably suggest a better solution.
-1
13 mins
do not put/flush anything other than toilet paper in toilet
toilet paper and tissues are 2 different things
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Note added at 14 mins (2004-03-19 03:16:59 GMT)
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tissues are pre-cut pieces which usually come in a box, used more for nose and face
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Note added at 14 mins (2004-03-19 03:16:59 GMT)
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tissues are pre-cut pieces which usually come in a box, used more for nose and face
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
abborre
: see charmin.com, it is called toilet tissue
12 mins
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thanks Meatball
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| neutral |
Will Matter
: good answer for the part regarding word order but agree with Meatball that "paper" and "tissue" are, essentially, the same thing.
18 mins
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thanks Will
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+1
32 mins
Do not flush anything other than toilet tissue down the toilet
please see the link below for other ways of saying the same :)
I try not to use unnecessary detergents. I also don't flush anything other than toilet-tissue down the toilet. I have experience of using terry nappies instead of disposables as my younger brother was born when I was nine and they were used for him. Disposable nappies had just come in and my mother found them rather expensive but eventually gave in.
I try not to use unnecessary detergents. I also don't flush anything other than toilet-tissue down the toilet. I have experience of using terry nappies instead of disposables as my younger brother was born when I was nine and they were used for him. Disposable nappies had just come in and my mother found them rather expensive but eventually gave in.
Reference:
http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/innkeepers/pdf%5Cwith_a_smile.pdf
http://money.guardian.co.uk/ethicalliving/story/0,13437,1014995,00.html
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
RHELLER
: you used the exact sentence as mine except for one word -
10 mins
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| agree |
Sonia Gomes
20 mins
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| neutral |
Will Matter
: somewhat imitative, indeed!
21 mins
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your answer was not posted at the time so no need for hostility
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+1
8 hrs
Please flush no foreign objects down the toilet bowl except for toilet tissue/paper
...being extremely specific.
I think the shortest alternative provided so far is fine though - people usually understand how a toilet is used - most people who can read such a message in English will also be familiar with the basic limitations of toilet bowls.
I think the shortest alternative provided so far is fine though - people usually understand how a toilet is used - most people who can read such a message in English will also be familiar with the basic limitations of toilet bowls.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Will Matter
: agree all the way around, get the basic message across and common sense tells us the rest.
4 hrs
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