In English, I sometimes hear a phrase like green is the new black. Literally, this makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. What does it mean when someone says X is the new Y, when this makes no sense when taken literally?
Googling "is the new" gives plenty of examples:
- Risky is the new Safe
- Green is the new Red
- Healthy is the new skinny
- Comedy is the new Rock'n'Roll
- Quiet Is the New Loud
I've found definitions online for specific examples, such as the new black, but overall I don't understand what X is the new Y means, and I can't find it explained anywhere.
What does X is the new Y mean?
As far as I'm aware, this phrase exists only in English.
Best Answer
This started for referring to a new trend or fashion overtaking an old one. So for instance:
The idea would be that things you might have previously associated with being a Rock'n'Roll musician (money, fame, fans, attention) are now things that you get with comedy. So rather than aspire to be a rock star and practice an instrument, one might consider studying comedy to have that kind of success.
It's a sort of funny way of saying that, and the kind of person who "tells you what's cool and what isn't" in this way is an easy target for mockery. So the construct has been picked up in ever-more-absurd ways, as people try and twist it further.
Imagine if you and your friends are trying to make a recipe, and it called for butter and you only have olive oil. You might make the substitution, excusing it by saying "Everyone knows olive oil is the new butter". This doesn't mean that you think butter is out of style and no one "cool" uses it any more--you're making a joke by acting as if you believed that.
At this point, most all usages are for humorous effect.