A horse of another colour

[canadalynx]

Hello.

How popular is the expression 'a horse of another colour' these days?
I have the impression it is used primarily in American English?
Do you use it?

 

[emsr2d2]

How popular is the expression 'a horse of another colour' [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] these days? I have the impression it is used primarily in American English? Do you use it?

I don't think I've heard it in BrE. However, as always, please give us a complete sentence containing the phrase. Ideally, give us the sentence in which you saw it, prompting you to post this question.

 

[canadalynx]

Okay.

I saw it in one of the online dictionaries and I got curious.

 

[GoesStation]

I've only heard it as a horse of a different color. I don't hear it very often.

Most Americans above age forty or so are familiar with it from this scene:

 

[probus]

I've only heard it as a horse of a different color

Same here. I've never heard it as another. My parents used to say "horse of a different color" but I haven't heard it in years.

Of course, horses have faded from our lives. I was born in 1946 and remember that the milkman, the bread-man, the iceman and the rag and bones man all used horse-drawn carts. But my sister, born in 1949, has no memory of horses in the streets.

 

[canadalynx]

Thanks for the responses.

Perhaps this expression has become outmoded.

 

[Tdol]

It's new to my BrE ears.

 

[canadalynx]

Okay. I understand it is a North American expression.

Let say there are several eateries in a city doing the same cuisine and there is one that is exceptionally outstanding in my opinion.
In a conversation among friends, is it alright to say "B Restaurant is a horse of a different color. Their food is just out of this world!"

 

[GoesStation]

Let say there are several eateries in a city doing the same cuisine and there is one that is exceptionally outstanding in my opinion.
In a conversation among friends, is it alright to say "B Restaurant is a horse of a different color. Their food is just out of this world!"

That's not how the expression is used.

 

[canadalynx]

Even if I think that restaurant is one of a kind as a whole in comparaison to the other restaurants in the same city?

Does the expression in question can only be used to mean « that’s a different story », « a different kettle of fish » , or even « that’s another issue »?

 

[Tarheel]

What if I think that restaurant is one of a kind as a whole in comparison to the other restaurants in the same city?

Can the expression in question only be used to mean « that’s a different story », « a different kettle of fish » , or even « that’s another issue »?

I think it's used to mean it's something new and unexpected.

 

[jutfrank]

Can the expression in question [STRIKE]can[/STRIKE] only be used ...

 

[canadalynx]

I think it's used to mean it's something new and unexpected.

Based on this link https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/horse+of+another+color, it is not used in that way.
The usage has evolved?

 

[canadalynx]

Can the expression in question [STRIKE]can[/STRIKE] only be used ...

We don't put 'does" in front of this sentence to form a question when there is a modal verb 'can' ?

 

[Tdol]

We don't; we use can we.

 

[jutfrank]

We don't put 'does" in front of this sentence to form a question when there is a modal verb 'can' ?

No! That's a very basic and glaring mistake. I'm surprised that you don't know this, given the high level of your English. If I were you, I'd try to nip this particular mistake in the bud before it becomes completely fossilised.

 

[Tarheel]

Based on this link https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/horse+of+another+color, it is not used in that way.
The usage has evolved?

That's a statement with a question mark at the end. Besides, I said, "I think ...."

:-|

 

[Tarheel]

We don't put 'does" in front of this sentence to form a question when there is a modal verb 'can' ?

That's a statement with a question mark at the end.
:-|

 

[Tdol]

And we sometimes don't put question marks at the end of what are grammatically questions, often requests:

Could you kindly pass me the salt [?/.]