Is this an English saying???

Native Korean   Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:40 am GMT
"Milk delivers are healthier than the ones who drink milk."

I was taught that it is a western proverb(saying).
If so, is this an English proverb?

Native English speakers, do you think the sentence makes sense?
Have you ever heard of that(similar) expression?

"Milk delivers are healthier than the ones who drink milk."
Please correct this proverb, if it seems awkward.
Matt, UK   Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:24 pm GMT
"Milk delivers are healthier than the ones who drink milk."

I have never heard of this proverb before. Also, it would make more sense if it read:

"Milk deliverers are healthier than the ones who drink milk."
furrykef   Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:26 pm GMT
I've never heard anything like this, nor do I really know what it should mean...
Native Korean   Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:39 pm GMT
Well, if you deliver milk every morning, you'll get exercise naturally and you can be an early-bird type of person as well.
I think the sentence emphasizes the importance of waking up early and getting an exercise.

"The man who delivers milk everyday is healthier than the one who drinks it everyday."
My textbook says it's an western proverb, but I guess it's not from English. =p

Anyway, do you still have a hard time to get the meaning of the sentence?
"The man who delivers milk everyday is healthier than the one who drinks it everyday."
Matt   Thu Jun 07, 2007 2:06 pm GMT
Anyway, do you still have a hard time to get the meaning of the sentence?
"The man who delivers milk everyday is healthier than the one who drinks it everyday."

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I understand it, but as I said, I've never heard anyone use it in England.
Uriel   Fri Jun 08, 2007 5:19 am GMT
It doesn't make sense, and I 've certainly never heard that expression.
furrykef   Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:53 pm GMT
I think it makes sense after Native Korean explained it, but I wouldn't understand the meaning without the explanation.

By the way, in the original post, "milk delivers" should be "milkmen". "Milk deliverers" (the additional -er is necessary to indicate "one who delivers") would be understood, but "milkman" is the universal term.

There has been a trend towards avoiding names of professions ending with -man: policeman becomes police officer; fireman becomes firefighter... less often, mailman becomes letter carrier. But I don't think there is a generally-accepted corresponding term for milkman.

- Kef
Dave Duhbrains   Sat Jun 09, 2007 4:29 pm GMT
Do they have milkmen in other countries? (we do in Britain). I've never heard that proverb used in Britain.
furrykef   Sat Jun 09, 2007 4:47 pm GMT
We used to have them in America, but as far as I know, they're generally nowhere to be found anymore. I would watch old Looney Tunes cartoons and see milkmen there, and the idea always has struck me as a little strange. It made sense before refrigeration was common, of course, but I didn't think about that at the time.

- Kef
Native Korean   Sat Jun 09, 2007 5:23 pm GMT
We do have milkmen here in South Korea.