#81634
09/24/2002 7:48 AM
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3 |
Hello!
I'm desperate to find this out for a competition at work...
Has anyone ever heard of any fruit that is sometimes called a "black-coated worker"?
I've tried everywhere I can think of to come up with this but with no success.
I'm guessing it could be a blackcurrant, but who knows?
It's probably UK idiom but not one I'm familiar with.
Anyone? :)
G
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#81635
09/24/2002 10:50 AM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
Never heard of it. Have you tried plugging it into a search box (google or other) and see what you find?
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#81636
09/24/2002 11:11 AM
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692 |
That's a new term to me too, although it may well originate in the UK. I'm puzzled by the term "black-coated" - doesn't seem to fit the blackcurrent somehow, made me think of prunes (they have a reputation for working!), but I'm somewhat colour blind and someone just told me that prunes are purple, not black as I always thought. So I, at least, have learned something!
dxb.
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#81637
09/24/2002 12:12 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
dxb: Prunes do look black. I think you may be onto something, but probably googling will be the best bet.
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#81638
09/24/2002 12:14 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
I got no hits googling:
"black-coated worker" fruit
I also got no hits googling:
"black-coated fruit"
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#81639
09/24/2002 12:53 PM
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3 |
I know - it's got me completely stumped.
I've tried about half-a-dozen search engines, online dictionaries, real-live paper dictionaries, but nothing even came close.
Weird...
I'm beginning to think they've completely made it up!
Perhaps the question was supposed to be "In *my house* what fruit are called blak-coated workers...?"
:)
If I ever find out the answer, I'll be sure to let y'all know!
G
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#81640
09/24/2002 1:06 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Dear Ny:
Thanks for letting us know.
I think dxb's answer that a prune is a black-coated worker makes an awful lot of sense. Dried prunes really do look black and their skins can peel off like a coat, and, as dxb pointed out, there is "work" they do.
Best regards,
WW
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#81642
09/24/2002 1:19 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
And great research, Faldage!
And, if wwh is reading this thread, check out Faldage's site! You'll enjoy reading the terms there.
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#81643
09/24/2002 2:15 PM
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 3 |
Fantastic! Thanks a million.
That's an amazing piece of detective work there - how did you come to end up on a site of naval slang? Was it just serendipity or an informed guess?
Thanks to everyone for their input, much appreciated.
G
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#81644
09/24/2002 2:30 PM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
I googled "black-coated worker". The first couple of sites were about the clerical workers (including one in Russian, AKA pycckuu) but the ninth hit was the Bingo.
Gonna split the prize with us?
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#81646
09/24/2002 2:58 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
Also, coal miners. 
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#81647
09/24/2002 3:19 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
You feeling like chopped liver yet, Faldage?
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#81648
09/24/2002 3:23 PM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
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#81649
09/24/2002 3:23 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
In reply to:
Also, coal miners.
Since the question was about fruits, Juan, do you mean to imply that coal miners are fruits? 
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