The tag alias #71268 purse -> handbag has been rejected.

Reason: There doesn't seem to be a very defined difference between a purse and a handbag. The tags are used interchangeably, and while the internet says purses tend to be smaller, Wikipedia lists purse as a synonym of handbag.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handbag

EDIT: The tag alias purse -> handbag (forum #408333) has been rejected by @Nimphia.

While both terms can be used interchangeably to describe the same thing, "handbag" is also used to describe other types of handheld bags.
Recommend to imply instead.

thegreatwolfgang said:
While both terms can be used interchangeably to describe the same thing, "handbag" is also used to describe other types of handheld bags.
Recommend to imply instead.

The issue is all of those types of bags get tagged as purse too, because "purse" isn't a defined type of bag. The type of posts under both tags are identical.

I would know because I cleaned handbag earlier and I've been working on purse off and on. They're both used just as broadly. I have yet to find any kind of definition of a purse that is not synonymous with a handbag.

Googling "handbag vs purse", the only differences you'll find are people trying to establish their own personal distinctions that aren't used on a wide scale. You'll see people saying purses are smaller, but you'll see just as many saying they mean the same thing.

Obligatory note that purse originally meant a small bag for holding coins, but that's not the common use of the term anymore.

That's a lot of downvotes and not a single definition of what makes a purse a distinct category from a handbag.

Wikipedia: "A handbag, commonly known as a purse in North American English..."

Merriam-Webster lists them as synonyms.

Leaving them separate will accomplish nothing because taggers will continue to do what they do now: use whichever one they feel like on the exact same things. Thus meaning you have to search two separate tags to find the same things because they're scattered across both at random.

A selection of posts tagged handbag:

post #1851643 post #2545923 post #3498231 post #1879568

A selection of posts tagged purse:

post #3707297 post #1722611 post #798022 post #3180527

To be clear, I don't care which way the alias goes, either, they just need to be aliased because they're the same thing. Purse attracts people tagging olden coin purses that are just small sacks with money in them though so that's why I leaned towards handbag.

nimphia said:
That's a lot of downvotes and not a single definition of what makes a purse a distinct category from a handbag.

Wikipedia: "A handbag, commonly known as a purse in North American English..."

Merriam-Webster lists them as synonyms.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, which lists definitions under both American and British context:

• handbag [UK] - a small bag for money, keys, make-up, etc., carried especially by women (including an example image)
• handbag [US] - a bag, often with a handle or a strap going over the shoulder, used esp. by women for carrying money, keys, and small personal items such as makeup; purse
• purse [UK] - a small container for money, usually used by a woman (including an example image)
• purse [US] - a handbag (including an example image)

According to the Oxford Dictionary:

• handbag - (North American English also purse) a small bag for money, keys, etc., especially one carried by a woman (including an example image, which distinctly separates handbags and purses)
• purse - (especially British English) a small bag made of leather, plastic, etc. for carrying coins and often also paper money, cards, etc., used especially by women (including the same example image as above)

Just because American English sees them as synonymous does not mean the rest of the English-speaking world follows suit (e.g., football).

Leaving them separate will accomplish nothing because taggers will continue to do what they do now: use whichever one they feel like on the exact same things. Thus meaning you have to search two separate tags to find the same things because they're scattered across both at random.

To be clear, I don't care which way the alias goes, either, they just need to be aliased because they're the same thing. Purse attracts people tagging olden coin purses that are just small sacks with money in them though so that's why I leaned towards handbag.

The problem with scattered tagging will cease to exist when you imply purse to handbag, which will cause both taggings to fall under the same umbrella tag.

And technically, small coin purses (e.g., clutch purses) are also considered to be handbags.
Unless you mean those ancient/medieval-type coin purses which is literally just a sack and strings, then coin_pouch would be a better option.

thegreatwolfgang said:
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, which lists definitions under both American and British context:

• handbag [UK] - a small bag for money, keys, make-up, etc., carried especially by women (including an example image)
• handbag [US] - a bag, often with a handle or a strap going over the shoulder, used esp. by women for carrying money, keys, and small personal items such as makeup; purse
• purse [UK] - a small container for money, usually used by a woman (including an example image)
• purse [US] - a handbag (including an example image)

According to the Oxford Dictionary:

• handbag - (North American English also purse) a small bag for money, keys, etc., especially one carried by a woman (including an example image, which distinctly separates handbags and purses)
• purse - (especially British English) a small bag made of leather, plastic, etc. for carrying coins and often also paper money, cards, etc., used especially by women (including the same example image as above)

Just because American English sees them as synonymous does not mean the rest of the English-speaking world follows suit (e.g., football).

The problem with scattered tagging will cease to exist when you imply purse to handbag, which will cause both taggings to fall under the same umbrella tag.

And technically, small coin purses (e.g., clutch purses) are also considered to be handbags.
Unless you mean those ancient/medieval-type coin purses which is literally just a sack and strings, then coin_pouch would be a better option.

Thank you, this is very helpful. I'm not imposed to an implication in theory, but the thing is more that you're going to have very little luck defining what a purse is for tagging compared to a handbag and getting users to tag by that definition rather than just "bag held by woman = purse". That's really my larger issue with these tags, is that right now there is no difference in what people tag with them and I... Don't really see that changing?

Also, yeah, I mean those coin pouches lol

The tag alias purse -> handbag (forum #408333) has been rejected by @Nimphia.

Rejecting initial alias so we can further discuss how to deal with this.

post #1980516

I honestly don't even know where the hell to start.