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•4 months ago
Taking guns to America?
- belated_frog_pants ( @belated_frog_pants@beehaw.org ) 1•4 months ago
Ooooof but true
- iawia ( @iawia@feddit.nl ) 23•4 months ago
Carrying water to the sea is the Dutch version.
- Zagorath ( @Zagorath@aussie.zone ) English14•4 months ago
Coals 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•4 months ago
Australia 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•4 months ago
Australia 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•4 months ago
Same, never heard it used here, and I can’t think of any other Australian equivalents.
- Hegar ( @Hegar@kbin.social ) 3•4 months ago
Bauxite is the obvious one. Bringing bauxite to Australia. How could you forget about bauxite?
- neidu2 ( @neidu2@feddit.nl ) 6•4 months ago
Bringing sand to Sahara
- Canadian_Cabinet ( @Canadian_Cabinet@lemmy.ca ) 5•4 months ago
In 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•4 months ago
Taking weed to BC (Canada)
- intensely_human ( @intensely_human@lemm.ee ) 4•4 months ago
Bringing juggalos to SXSW
- Jourei ( @Jourei@lemm.ee ) English4•4 months ago
“Selling sand in sahara.”
- rockandsock ( @rockandsock@lemm.ee ) 3•4 months ago
Taking sand to the beach.
- SwingingTheLamp ( @SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social ) English3•4 months ago
We 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•4 months ago
Kind 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•4 months ago
Did you mean White Castle?
- Artyom ( @Artyom@lemm.ee ) 2•4 months ago
Oh shit I got confused…
In my defense, I’ve never heard of Newcastle until today.
- HatchetHaro ( @HatchetHaro@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) 3•4 months ago
That is the funniest response I’ve seen all week.
- Hugh_Jeggs ( @Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee ) 1•4 months ago
Holy shit 😬
- Devi ( @Devi@kbin.social ) 2•4 months ago
I’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•4 months ago
Throwing gas on the fire
- frightful_hobgoblin ( @frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml ) Gaeilge1•4 months ago
We 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•4 months ago
Ceann amháin eile: cloch go Conamara
- frightful_hobgoblin ( @frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml ) 1•4 months ago
When 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?