Talk:a new broom sweeps clean

…but an old broom knows the corners
Regarding the old saying, "A new broom sweeps clean," my grandmother (1892 - 1971) went told that always added, "Yes, a new broom sweeps clean, but the old one knows the corners." Is anyone else familiar with that extension or is it something she made up. Any comments would be appreciated.


 * 'A new brush sweeps clean' means that someone with a new perspective can make great changes. However, the full version is 'a new brush sweeps clean, but an old brush knows the corners', which warns that experience is also a valuable thing. Sometimes 'broom' is used instead of 'brush'. from usingenglish.com

I guess it's a Jamaican thing, check out reggae music, plenty of reggae songs have the new broom old broom lyric


 * ✅ Added as a related term. Equinox ◑ 13:19, 18 September 2014 (UTC)

Some 4 decades ago, when I used to be an active Trivia Quizzer, this was one of the questions asked in a contest. The contest was held in the YMCA in Chennai, India (then Madras). The Quiz Master was a certain "Johnson" - a white haired retired gentleman in 1980 or so - who relied only on his own memory. He had asked us this question as a "Complete this quotation" and quoted "a new broom sweeps clean...". I had not heard that before and I passed that question. Now, I use that constantly as I find that the age bias against older people is rather blatant and obvious. U0107 USA (talk) 03:27, 5 March 2018 (UTC)

English
An essay on a new broom sweeps clean 129.205.124.109 19:00, 17 May 2022 (UTC)