לא למאכל

English translation: Not for consumption

16:25 Mar 2, 2006
Hebrew to English translations [PRO]
Environment & Ecology / dangerous substances
Hebrew term or phrase: לא למאכל
You've got a warning label on a bottle of a dangerous substance that must not be consumed / ingested. How would you say the warning לא למאכל in English?
Lior Bar-On
Local time: 00:16
English translation:Not for consumption
Explanation:
Baduk 100%. Sometimes also 'Not for human consumption'.

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Note added at 16 hrs (2006-03-03 09:23:05 GMT)
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I think (?!) Jannie means that the Hebrew should be interpreted as saying 'This bottle should not be used to store foodstuffs'. Well, no. The asker states clearly: a bottle of a dangerous substance that must not be consumed. The stuff already in the bottle should not be consumed.
Perhaps the word 'ma'akhal' is the one causing the difficulty for Jannie. Here it does not mean 'a (particular) food', i.e. מאכל/מאכלים - it means the action of eating. The equiv. Eng is 'This stuff is not for eating', i.e. 'Not for consumption' as I stated above, this being the idiomatic phrase used on labels written in English.

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Note added at 18 hrs (2006-03-03 10:40:49 GMT)
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not FOR consumption=lo LE-ma'akhal.
lo akhIL=not edibLE.
Mirror constructions!
Selected response from:

Eynati
Grading comment
Cheers.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2Not for consumption
Eynati
5 +1Not to be taken internally
Suzan Chin
5 -1inedible
Akiva Brest (X)
5 -1Not edible
Raphy ELDAD
3 -1Not for foodstuff
Jannie Weigel


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Not to be taken internally


Explanation:
Not to be taken internally.



Suzan Chin
United States
Local time: 18:16
Native speaker of: Native in HebrewHebrew

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Eynati: Yes ... maybe. But that tends to be for creams and salves that are medicinal but only for external use.
29 mins

agree  Jason Knight: warning labels are usually written a particular way, it is more than likely 'Do Not Consume' or 'Not to be Injested'
6 days
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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
inedible


Explanation:
edible - אכיל - למאכל
inedible - לא אכיל - לא למאכל

Akiva Brest (X)
Israel
Local time: 00:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in HebrewHebrew

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Suzan Chin: You won't find "inedible" on a warning label.
1 min

agree  Michel A.: That's it ;-)
1 min

disagree  Eynati: Absolutely no way.
8 mins
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Not for foodstuff


Explanation:
Usually this warning may be found on the package itself and not on the sticker/label. And usually the bottle will be plastic, not a glass.
So I suppose it notifies about the use of the bottle - מאכל means food and if bottle is re-used it shouldn't be for food.
Warnings about the content of the bottle looks different.
I think so.

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Note added at 4 hrs (2006-03-02 21:09:51 GMT)
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To Eynati: Idiomatic would be - Harmful if swallowed.
But לא למאכל refers not to the content, but to the bottle itself.

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Note added at 15 hrs (2006-03-03 08:11:35 GMT)
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Non food grade (non-food-grade)

Jannie Weigel
Israel
Local time: 00:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Eynati: See correct construction in my answer.
1 hr
  -> Ohh... I didn't expect you to twist my words. I never said 'the bottle itself that shouldn't be eaten', I said it shouldn't be used for food storage. If you can see the difference...
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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Not for consumption


Explanation:
Baduk 100%. Sometimes also 'Not for human consumption'.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 16 hrs (2006-03-03 09:23:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I think (?!) Jannie means that the Hebrew should be interpreted as saying 'This bottle should not be used to store foodstuffs'. Well, no. The asker states clearly: a bottle of a dangerous substance that must not be consumed. The stuff already in the bottle should not be consumed.
Perhaps the word 'ma'akhal' is the one causing the difficulty for Jannie. Here it does not mean 'a (particular) food', i.e. מאכל/מאכלים - it means the action of eating. The equiv. Eng is 'This stuff is not for eating', i.e. 'Not for consumption' as I stated above, this being the idiomatic phrase used on labels written in English.

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Note added at 18 hrs (2006-03-03 10:40:49 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

not FOR consumption=lo LE-ma'akhal.
lo akhIL=not edibLE.
Mirror constructions!

Eynati
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Cheers.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  tania nogueira
1 hr
  -> Thanks

agree  Sue Goldian
3 hrs
  -> Thanks.

agree  Gad Harel
14 hrs
  -> Thanks

disagree  Jannie Weigel: This is for 'לא לאכילה', 'לא אכיל'
15 hrs
  -> See above.
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1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Not edible


Explanation:
"Not edible" should be the exact and correct translation for לא למאכל as it is used in different products that may NOT be eaten.
Sorry for my late answer, but I am not asking for any credit

Raphy ELDAD
Local time: 00:16
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in HebrewHebrew

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Eynati: Not edible = lo akhil. Quite a different thing.
6 hrs
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