Literal Translation: Not Always the Best Idea

The following phrases were translated into five foreign languages and back into English by a computer:

• "I'm a little tea pot, short and stout" --- "They are a small POTENTIOMETER, short circuits and a beer of malzes of the tea."
• "A cookie is just a cookie, but Fig Newtons are fruit and cake" --- "biskuit has expert of biskuit, but Newton von Fig is fruit and hardens."
• "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore" --- "If the moon fixes its eye like the great vector of Fleischpie of the vector of Pizzapie, is the lover."

English signs spotted in foreign countries:

• Tokyo hotel: "It is forbidden to steal hotel towels please. If you are not a person to do such a thing is please not read this notice."
• Car rental brochure in Tokyo: "When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage then tootle him with vigor."
• Dry cleaning store in Tokyo: "Drop your pants here for best results."
• Detour sign in Japan: "STOP! Drive sideways."
• Athens hotel: "If you consider our help impolite, you should see the manager."
• Athens hotel: "Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 am daily."
• Copenhagen airport: "We take your bags and send them in all directions."