Do people “throw a dead cat on the table” where you live? (activity, company)
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There's a Dutch expression that is similar in meaning but it's a bit hard to translate. Literally it would be something like "to drag old cows out of the canal". It's used when someone brings up a topic that is considered unpleasant, no longer relevant, distracting - i.e. a topic that others do not want to talk about.
There is one phrase used here in Australia that I’ve always found a bit quirky. Its “to throw a dead cat on the table”.
In short, “to throw a dead cat on the table” means you’re raising an issue that’s unpleasant (dead cats do smell), can’t really be solved (the cat is dead), and would be avoided by most people (what can you do with a dead cat?). But everyone will talk about the dead cat, which means they won’t be talking about some other topic. More importantly, they wont be talking about a topic you would rather they didn’t, perhaps one you’re trying to hide.
Is this phrase used in your part of the world?
In the US, we "open cans of worms". "Open Pandoras Box", be we tend to leave the dead cats alone.
There's a Dutch expression that is similar in meaning but it's a bit hard to translate. Literally it would be something like "to drag old cows out of the canal". It's used when someone brings up a topic that is considered unpleasant, no longer relevant, distracting - i.e. a topic that others do not want to talk about.
In the US, we "open cans of worms". "Open Pandoras Box", be we tend to leave the dead cats alone.
Opening up a can of worms is a bit different though, because while doing such a thing may cause a ruckus and alot of work, it may also lead to the resolution of a previously ignored but still important issue of controversy. It also doesn't have a connotation of being done to distract from another, more important issue, although I agreed that there are strong similarities between this and the other expression mentioned.
Here in Canada, our Conservative party is doing it in the current election.
Our Prime Minister hired the Australian Lynton Crosby as his campaign manager.
And the ads now coming out are typical of campaigns run by Crosby in Australia and the UK.
The saying has entered the Canadian vernacular in this election.
He calls the strategy the "dead cat strategy". I thought it was an obscure political term, not an Australian idiom.
But yeah, "dead cat" is now starting to be used in Canada to describe a politician bringing up a divisive issue to distract from the real issues. You'll notice there's a niqab thread in the Canada section. That's the "dead cat", and the media and the people are calling it such.
Have to admit, I've only heard it used in fairly political environments.
I hang in political environments, and I've never heard it. Maybe he's alluding to the dead cat bounce? When I google dead cat on table I get UK results.
I heard this phrase all the time in our household. Thing is, it usually literally meant someone (usually dad) would throw a dead cat on the table. Never did know where he got them, just; THUMP...hey there's another dead cat. Sometimes raccoons, turtles and possums too. We usually ate our dinners in silence, with no discussions, political or otherwise.
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Originally Posted by Souriquois
Here in Canada, our Conservative party is doing it in the current election.
Our Prime Minister hired the Australian Lynton Crosby as his campaign manager.
And the ads now coming out are typical of campaigns run by Crosby in Australia and the UK.
The saying has entered the Canadian vernacular in this election.
He calls the strategy the "dead cat strategy". I thought it was an obscure political term, not an Australian idiom.
But yeah, "dead cat" is now starting to be used in Canada to describe a politician bringing up a divisive issue to distract from the real issues. You'll notice there's a niqab thread in the Canada section. That's the "dead cat", and the media and the people are calling it such.
In the US, the saying (at least in the 90s) was "throwing out red meat (to the base voters)", usually meant about right-wing demagoguery. I wish that saying didn't fade away. It's very vivid and effectively communicates what's going on.
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Never heard of that but I could easily interpret it.
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