I was talking with a friend who mentioned “taking tea to India”. It made me wonder what the equivalents are around the world. “Taking coals to Newcastle” is the UK’s.
Empricorn ( @Empricorn@feddit.nl ) English23•1 month agoTaking guns to America?
belated_frog_pants ( @belated_frog_pants@beehaw.org ) 1•1 month agoOoooof but true
iawia ( @iawia@feddit.nl ) 23•1 month agoCarrying water to the sea is the Dutch version.
Zagorath ( @Zagorath@aussie.zone ) English14•1 month agoCoals to Newcastle works well in Australia too. (I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard that in practice though.)
AllNewTypeFace ( @AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space ) 4•1 month agoAustralia also has a Newcastle (in New South Wales, north of Sydney). Not sure if it has/had coal mines, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it did. Australians using the phrase may be referring to their Newcastle, and even unaware of the English one.
Zagorath ( @Zagorath@aussie.zone ) English9•1 month agoAustralia also has a Newcastle (in New South Wales, north of Sydney)
Yes, that’s why I mentioned it. When I said “works well in Australia”, what I meant was “in theory, the same logic you used to apply it to Newcastle-upon-Tyne could be used to apply it to Newcastle, NSW”, and not that it actually is used in Australia (I know I’ve never heard it).
Not sure if it has/had coal mines
Not just does it, but it is in fact home to Australia’s largest coal-shipping port. In fact, Port of Newcastle is, according to Wikipedia, the world’s largest coal terminal.
bestusername ( @bestusername@aussie.zone ) 3•1 month agoSame, never heard it used here, and I can’t think of any other Australian equivalents.
Hegar ( @Hegar@kbin.social ) 3•1 month agoBauxite is the obvious one. Bringing bauxite to Australia. How could you forget about bauxite?
neidu2 ( @neidu2@feddit.nl ) 6•1 month agoBringing sand to Sahara
Canadian_Cabinet ( @Canadian_Cabinet@lemmy.ca ) 5•1 month agoIn Spanish we have “llevar leña a la montaña” (take firewood to the mountain) as well as “llevar hierro a Vizcaya” which is take iron to Vizcaya, a city in Spain
Bo7a ( @Bo7a@lemmy.ca ) 4•1 month agoTaking weed to BC (Canada)
intensely_human ( @intensely_human@lemm.ee ) 4•1 month agoBringing juggalos to SXSW
Jourei ( @Jourei@lemm.ee ) English4•1 month ago“Selling sand in sahara.”
rockandsock ( @rockandsock@lemm.ee ) 3•1 month agoTaking sand to the beach.
SwingingTheLamp ( @SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social ) English3•1 month agoWe also use “taking coals to Newcastle” here in the Midwestern U.S. (Something about being descended from former British colonies…) But I’ve heard plenty of riffs on that idea, like, “bringing corn to Iowa.”
Artyom ( @Artyom@lemm.ee ) 2•1 month agoKind of an odd saying, I’m 100% sure Newcastle uses gas for their grill and not a single fast food place uses charcoal grills. If you brought coal to Newcastle, they would have no use for such a thing.
kinttach ( @kinttach@lemm.ee ) English3•1 month agoDid you mean White Castle?
Artyom ( @Artyom@lemm.ee ) 2•1 month agoOh shit I got confused…
In my defense, I’ve never heard of Newcastle until today.
HatchetHaro ( @HatchetHaro@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) 3•1 month agoThat is the funniest response I’ve seen all week.
Hugh_Jeggs ( @Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee ) 1•1 month agoHoly shit 😬
Devi ( @Devi@kbin.social ) 2•1 month agoI’m in the midlands and never heard that phrase but I have heard taking ice to the eskimos, which might be offensive now.
intensely_human ( @intensely_human@lemm.ee ) 1•1 month agoThrowing gas on the fire
frightful_hobgoblin ( @frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml ) Gaeilge1•1 month agoWe would say ag tabhairt liúdar go Toraigh (carrying coalfish (pollachius virens) to Tory Island)
Or ag cuimilt saille/blonóige de thóin na muice méithe (rubbing lard on a fat pig’s arse)
frightful_hobgoblin ( @frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml ) Gaeilge1•1 month agoCeann amháin eile: cloch go Conamara
frightful_hobgoblin ( @frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml ) 1•1 month agoWhen I first heard this phrase, Andy Cole was playing for Newcastle and it was very confusing to me wee mind… Cole’s to Newcastle what?