Any idiom similar to “Hunger wall”?
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Hunger Wall was a fortification project which had questionable strategical importance, but it allowed anyone to work there for food thus avoiding famine without handouts(might not be 100% historically accurate, but that's where the idiom comes from).
It is used as an euphemism for a work, which was only created for the purpose of employing people. The work itself doesn't necessarily have to to be boring or repetitive and I intentionally avoid the term "job", because it might be referring to a work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff.
Up until recently I thought this term can be used in English, but apparently it's only used in Czech language.
Is there some similar idiom which is used in English? I guess I could say something like "useless work", but I'm looking for something more fitting and a little bit more punch.
phrase-requests idiom-requests
asked May 17 at 12:38
NeplatnyUdajNeplatnyUdaj
1041
add a comment |
Hunger Wall was a fortification project which had questionable strategical importance, but it allowed anyone to work there for food thus avoiding famine without handouts(might not be 100% historically accurate, but that's where the idiom comes from).
It is used as an euphemism for a work, which was only created for the purpose of employing people. The work itself doesn't necessarily have to to be boring or repetitive and I intentionally avoid the term "job", because it might be referring to a work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff.
Up until recently I thought this term can be used in English, but apparently it's only used in Czech language.
Is there some similar idiom which is used in English? I guess I could say something like "useless work", but I'm looking for something more fitting and a little bit more punch.
phrase-requests idiom-requests
asked May 17 at 12:38
NeplatnyUdajNeplatnyUdaj
1041
4
"useless work" is often described as "make work" in English.
– Peter Jennings
May 17 at 12:53
i know of no phrases or idioms, but is a historical period of such in the US history
– lbf
May 17 at 15:00
Can the work also be of practical use even if the reason for creating it was just to provide employment?
– S Conroy
May 18 at 20:45
It’s not to provide work, it’s to provide food. I’d call it a “work for food” program—nothing specifically comparable in English.
– Xanne
May 19 at 9:45
add a comment |
Hunger Wall was a fortification project which had questionable strategical importance, but it allowed anyone to work there for food thus avoiding famine without handouts(might not be 100% historically accurate, but that's where the idiom comes from).
It is used as an euphemism for a work, which was only created for the purpose of employing people. The work itself doesn't necessarily have to to be boring or repetitive and I intentionally avoid the term "job", because it might be referring to a work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff.
Up until recently I thought this term can be used in English, but apparently it's only used in Czech language.
Is there some similar idiom which is used in English? I guess I could say something like "useless work", but I'm looking for something more fitting and a little bit more punch.
phrase-requests idiom-requests
asked May 17 at 12:38
NeplatnyUdajNeplatnyUdaj
1041
Hunger Wall was a fortification project which had questionable strategical importance, but it allowed anyone to work there for food thus avoiding famine without handouts(might not be 100% historically accurate, but that's where the idiom comes from).
It is used as an euphemism for a work, which was only created for the purpose of employing people. The work itself doesn't necessarily have to to be boring or repetitive and I intentionally avoid the term "job", because it might be referring to a work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff.
Up until recently I thought this term can be used in English, but apparently it's only used in Czech language.
Is there some similar idiom which is used in English? I guess I could say something like "useless work", but I'm looking for something more fitting and a little bit more punch.
phrase-requests idiom-requests
phrase-requests idiom-requests
asked May 17 at 12:38
NeplatnyUdajNeplatnyUdaj
1041
asked May 17 at 12:38
NeplatnyUdajNeplatnyUdaj
1041
asked May 17 at 12:38
NeplatnyUdajNeplatnyUdaj
1041
asked May 17 at 12:38
NeplatnyUdajNeplatnyUdaj
1041
asked May 17 at 12:38
NeplatnyUdajNeplatnyUdaj
1041
1041
4
"useless work" is often described as "make work" in English.
– Peter Jennings
May 17 at 12:53
i know of no phrases or idioms, but is a historical period of such in the US history
– lbf
May 17 at 15:00
Can the work also be of practical use even if the reason for creating it was just to provide employment?
– S Conroy
May 18 at 20:45
It’s not to provide work, it’s to provide food. I’d call it a “work for food” program—nothing specifically comparable in English.
– Xanne
May 19 at 9:45
add a comment |
4
"useless work" is often described as "make work" in English.
– Peter Jennings
May 17 at 12:53
i know of no phrases or idioms, but is a historical period of such in the US history
– lbf
May 17 at 15:00
Can the work also be of practical use even if the reason for creating it was just to provide employment?
– S Conroy
May 18 at 20:45
It’s not to provide work, it’s to provide food. I’d call it a “work for food” program—nothing specifically comparable in English.
– Xanne
May 19 at 9:45
4
4
"useless work" is often described as "make work" in English.
– Peter Jennings
May 17 at 12:53
"useless work" is often described as "make work" in English.
– Peter Jennings
May 17 at 12:53
i know of no phrases or idioms, but is a historical period of such in the US history
– lbf
May 17 at 15:00
i know of no phrases or idioms, but is a historical period of such in the US history
– lbf
May 17 at 15:00
Can the work also be of practical use even if the reason for creating it was just to provide employment?
– S Conroy
May 18 at 20:45
Can the work also be of practical use even if the reason for creating it was just to provide employment?
– S Conroy
May 18 at 20:45
It’s not to provide work, it’s to provide food. I’d call it a “work for food” program—nothing specifically comparable in English.
– Xanne
May 19 at 9:45
It’s not to provide work, it’s to provide food. I’d call it a “work for food” program—nothing specifically comparable in English.
– Xanne
May 19 at 9:45
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
The expression I’m familiar with is busy work:
Busy work (also referred to as make-work and busywork) can refer to activity that is undertaken to pass time and stay busy but in and of itself has no actual value.
[Wikipedia]
Although I have heard it most used for work given in a school setting, it can be used for any worthless work.
For example:
The Scientific Reason Why Your Boss Gives You Busy Work
[The CheatSheet]
edited May 17 at 16:46
Edwin Ashworth
49.8k1091157
answered May 17 at 16:17
LaurelLaurel
35.9k668124
A link from your definition leads to another one that might be useful: workfare.
– S Conroy
May 18 at 0:30
1
You've treated "make-work" and "busywork" as synonyms, but I'd argue there's a distinction. As your links indicate, "busywork" refers to pointless tasks that are given to workers who are already employed, or to students, to keep them occupied. This doesn't quite fit the idea of work that was "created only for the purpose of employing people," though it could in fact be used for "work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff." "Make-work" on the other hand, fits both situations.
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:50
add a comment |
Such schemes became popular on both sides of the Atlantic during the 1930s depression. They were a pre-Keynsian attempt at stimulating the economy, and were central to Roosevelt's New Deal, following his election in 1932.
The largest US examples were in the field of dams and irrigation such as the Tennessee Valley Authority Scheme and the Colorado River scheme. They were known collectively as Public Works Administration.
In Britain I am fairly sure they were called Public Works Projects. and mostly comprised building roads and low-cost housing (council houses).
answered May 18 at 0:01
WS2WS2
52.7k29117254
This doesn't seem like a very good answer, as public works projects aren't of questionable practical value by definition. (For example, the TVA brought electricity to many millions of people who wouldn't have had it otherwise.)
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:23
add a comment |
"Make-work project" is sometimes used in more or less the way you describe.
"The make-work project that is Canada’s 'safety profession' does only two things. First, it creates more government jobs – making another Hoover Dam out of rules and red tape. And second, it impedes the ability of competent construction professionals to carry out basic, albeit risky tasks." https://www.canadiancontractor.ca/voices/canadas-safety-profession-make-work-project/
(Of course, I'm not suggesting that Canada's safety profession doesn't provide a useful service; the point is that this writer is using the term "make-work project" to advance such a claim.)
answered May 18 at 0:38
NanigashiNanigashi
2886
add a comment |
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3 Answers
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active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
The expression I’m familiar with is busy work:
Busy work (also referred to as make-work and busywork) can refer to activity that is undertaken to pass time and stay busy but in and of itself has no actual value.
[Wikipedia]
Although I have heard it most used for work given in a school setting, it can be used for any worthless work.
For example:
The Scientific Reason Why Your Boss Gives You Busy Work
[The CheatSheet]
edited May 17 at 16:46
Edwin Ashworth
49.8k1091157
answered May 17 at 16:17
LaurelLaurel
35.9k668124
A link from your definition leads to another one that might be useful: workfare.
– S Conroy
May 18 at 0:30
1
You've treated "make-work" and "busywork" as synonyms, but I'd argue there's a distinction. As your links indicate, "busywork" refers to pointless tasks that are given to workers who are already employed, or to students, to keep them occupied. This doesn't quite fit the idea of work that was "created only for the purpose of employing people," though it could in fact be used for "work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff." "Make-work" on the other hand, fits both situations.
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:50
add a comment |
The expression I’m familiar with is busy work:
Busy work (also referred to as make-work and busywork) can refer to activity that is undertaken to pass time and stay busy but in and of itself has no actual value.
[Wikipedia]
Although I have heard it most used for work given in a school setting, it can be used for any worthless work.
For example:
The Scientific Reason Why Your Boss Gives You Busy Work
[The CheatSheet]
edited May 17 at 16:46
Edwin Ashworth
49.8k1091157
answered May 17 at 16:17
LaurelLaurel
35.9k668124
A link from your definition leads to another one that might be useful: workfare.
– S Conroy
May 18 at 0:30
1
You've treated "make-work" and "busywork" as synonyms, but I'd argue there's a distinction. As your links indicate, "busywork" refers to pointless tasks that are given to workers who are already employed, or to students, to keep them occupied. This doesn't quite fit the idea of work that was "created only for the purpose of employing people," though it could in fact be used for "work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff." "Make-work" on the other hand, fits both situations.
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:50
add a comment |
The expression I’m familiar with is busy work:
Busy work (also referred to as make-work and busywork) can refer to activity that is undertaken to pass time and stay busy but in and of itself has no actual value.
[Wikipedia]
Although I have heard it most used for work given in a school setting, it can be used for any worthless work.
For example:
The Scientific Reason Why Your Boss Gives You Busy Work
[The CheatSheet]
edited May 17 at 16:46
Edwin Ashworth
49.8k1091157
answered May 17 at 16:17
LaurelLaurel
35.9k668124
The expression I’m familiar with is busy work:
Busy work (also referred to as make-work and busywork) can refer to activity that is undertaken to pass time and stay busy but in and of itself has no actual value.
[Wikipedia]
Although I have heard it most used for work given in a school setting, it can be used for any worthless work.
For example:
The Scientific Reason Why Your Boss Gives You Busy Work
[The CheatSheet]
edited May 17 at 16:46
Edwin Ashworth
49.8k1091157
answered May 17 at 16:17
LaurelLaurel
35.9k668124
edited May 17 at 16:46
Edwin Ashworth
49.8k1091157
edited May 17 at 16:46
Edwin Ashworth
49.8k1091157
edited May 17 at 16:46
Edwin Ashworth
49.8k1091157
49.8k1091157
answered May 17 at 16:17
LaurelLaurel
35.9k668124
answered May 17 at 16:17
LaurelLaurel
35.9k668124
answered May 17 at 16:17
LaurelLaurel
35.9k668124
35.9k668124
A link from your definition leads to another one that might be useful: workfare.
– S Conroy
May 18 at 0:30
1
You've treated "make-work" and "busywork" as synonyms, but I'd argue there's a distinction. As your links indicate, "busywork" refers to pointless tasks that are given to workers who are already employed, or to students, to keep them occupied. This doesn't quite fit the idea of work that was "created only for the purpose of employing people," though it could in fact be used for "work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff." "Make-work" on the other hand, fits both situations.
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:50
add a comment |
A link from your definition leads to another one that might be useful: workfare.
– S Conroy
May 18 at 0:30
1
You've treated "make-work" and "busywork" as synonyms, but I'd argue there's a distinction. As your links indicate, "busywork" refers to pointless tasks that are given to workers who are already employed, or to students, to keep them occupied. This doesn't quite fit the idea of work that was "created only for the purpose of employing people," though it could in fact be used for "work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff." "Make-work" on the other hand, fits both situations.
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:50
A link from your definition leads to another one that might be useful: workfare.
– S Conroy
May 18 at 0:30
A link from your definition leads to another one that might be useful: workfare.
– S Conroy
May 18 at 0:30
1
1
You've treated "make-work" and "busywork" as synonyms, but I'd argue there's a distinction. As your links indicate, "busywork" refers to pointless tasks that are given to workers who are already employed, or to students, to keep them occupied. This doesn't quite fit the idea of work that was "created only for the purpose of employing people," though it could in fact be used for "work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff." "Make-work" on the other hand, fits both situations.
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:50
You've treated "make-work" and "busywork" as synonyms, but I'd argue there's a distinction. As your links indicate, "busywork" refers to pointless tasks that are given to workers who are already employed, or to students, to keep them occupied. This doesn't quite fit the idea of work that was "created only for the purpose of employing people," though it could in fact be used for "work you assign to your employees when you're in between paying customer projects and you don't want to lay off staff." "Make-work" on the other hand, fits both situations.
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:50
add a comment |
Such schemes became popular on both sides of the Atlantic during the 1930s depression. They were a pre-Keynsian attempt at stimulating the economy, and were central to Roosevelt's New Deal, following his election in 1932.
The largest US examples were in the field of dams and irrigation such as the Tennessee Valley Authority Scheme and the Colorado River scheme. They were known collectively as Public Works Administration.
In Britain I am fairly sure they were called Public Works Projects. and mostly comprised building roads and low-cost housing (council houses).
answered May 18 at 0:01
WS2WS2
52.7k29117254
This doesn't seem like a very good answer, as public works projects aren't of questionable practical value by definition. (For example, the TVA brought electricity to many millions of people who wouldn't have had it otherwise.)
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:23
add a comment |
Such schemes became popular on both sides of the Atlantic during the 1930s depression. They were a pre-Keynsian attempt at stimulating the economy, and were central to Roosevelt's New Deal, following his election in 1932.
The largest US examples were in the field of dams and irrigation such as the Tennessee Valley Authority Scheme and the Colorado River scheme. They were known collectively as Public Works Administration.
In Britain I am fairly sure they were called Public Works Projects. and mostly comprised building roads and low-cost housing (council houses).
answered May 18 at 0:01
WS2WS2
52.7k29117254
This doesn't seem like a very good answer, as public works projects aren't of questionable practical value by definition. (For example, the TVA brought electricity to many millions of people who wouldn't have had it otherwise.)
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:23
add a comment |
Such schemes became popular on both sides of the Atlantic during the 1930s depression. They were a pre-Keynsian attempt at stimulating the economy, and were central to Roosevelt's New Deal, following his election in 1932.
The largest US examples were in the field of dams and irrigation such as the Tennessee Valley Authority Scheme and the Colorado River scheme. They were known collectively as Public Works Administration.
In Britain I am fairly sure they were called Public Works Projects. and mostly comprised building roads and low-cost housing (council houses).
answered May 18 at 0:01
WS2WS2
52.7k29117254
Such schemes became popular on both sides of the Atlantic during the 1930s depression. They were a pre-Keynsian attempt at stimulating the economy, and were central to Roosevelt's New Deal, following his election in 1932.
The largest US examples were in the field of dams and irrigation such as the Tennessee Valley Authority Scheme and the Colorado River scheme. They were known collectively as Public Works Administration.
In Britain I am fairly sure they were called Public Works Projects. and mostly comprised building roads and low-cost housing (council houses).
answered May 18 at 0:01
WS2WS2
52.7k29117254
answered May 18 at 0:01
WS2WS2
52.7k29117254
answered May 18 at 0:01
WS2WS2
52.7k29117254
answered May 18 at 0:01
WS2WS2
52.7k29117254
52.7k29117254
This doesn't seem like a very good answer, as public works projects aren't of questionable practical value by definition. (For example, the TVA brought electricity to many millions of people who wouldn't have had it otherwise.)
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:23
add a comment |
This doesn't seem like a very good answer, as public works projects aren't of questionable practical value by definition. (For example, the TVA brought electricity to many millions of people who wouldn't have had it otherwise.)
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:23
This doesn't seem like a very good answer, as public works projects aren't of questionable practical value by definition. (For example, the TVA brought electricity to many millions of people who wouldn't have had it otherwise.)
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:23
This doesn't seem like a very good answer, as public works projects aren't of questionable practical value by definition. (For example, the TVA brought electricity to many millions of people who wouldn't have had it otherwise.)
– Nanigashi
May 18 at 0:23
add a comment |
"Make-work project" is sometimes used in more or less the way you describe.
"The make-work project that is Canada’s 'safety profession' does only two things. First, it creates more government jobs – making another Hoover Dam out of rules and red tape. And second, it impedes the ability of competent construction professionals to carry out basic, albeit risky tasks." https://www.canadiancontractor.ca/voices/canadas-safety-profession-make-work-project/
(Of course, I'm not suggesting that Canada's safety profession doesn't provide a useful service; the point is that this writer is using the term "make-work project" to advance such a claim.)
answered May 18 at 0:38
NanigashiNanigashi
2886
add a comment |
"Make-work project" is sometimes used in more or less the way you describe.
"The make-work project that is Canada’s 'safety profession' does only two things. First, it creates more government jobs – making another Hoover Dam out of rules and red tape. And second, it impedes the ability of competent construction professionals to carry out basic, albeit risky tasks." https://www.canadiancontractor.ca/voices/canadas-safety-profession-make-work-project/
(Of course, I'm not suggesting that Canada's safety profession doesn't provide a useful service; the point is that this writer is using the term "make-work project" to advance such a claim.)
answered May 18 at 0:38
NanigashiNanigashi
2886
add a comment |
"Make-work project" is sometimes used in more or less the way you describe.
"The make-work project that is Canada’s 'safety profession' does only two things. First, it creates more government jobs – making another Hoover Dam out of rules and red tape. And second, it impedes the ability of competent construction professionals to carry out basic, albeit risky tasks." https://www.canadiancontractor.ca/voices/canadas-safety-profession-make-work-project/
(Of course, I'm not suggesting that Canada's safety profession doesn't provide a useful service; the point is that this writer is using the term "make-work project" to advance such a claim.)
answered May 18 at 0:38
NanigashiNanigashi
2886
"Make-work project" is sometimes used in more or less the way you describe.
"The make-work project that is Canada’s 'safety profession' does only two things. First, it creates more government jobs – making another Hoover Dam out of rules and red tape. And second, it impedes the ability of competent construction professionals to carry out basic, albeit risky tasks." https://www.canadiancontractor.ca/voices/canadas-safety-profession-make-work-project/
(Of course, I'm not suggesting that Canada's safety profession doesn't provide a useful service; the point is that this writer is using the term "make-work project" to advance such a claim.)
answered May 18 at 0:38
NanigashiNanigashi
2886
answered May 18 at 0:38
NanigashiNanigashi
2886
answered May 18 at 0:38
NanigashiNanigashi
2886
answered May 18 at 0:38
NanigashiNanigashi
2886
2886
add a comment |
add a comment |
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4
"useless work" is often described as "make work" in English.
– Peter Jennings
May 17 at 12:53
i know of no phrases or idioms, but is a historical period of such in the US history
– lbf
May 17 at 15:00
Can the work also be of practical use even if the reason for creating it was just to provide employment?
– S Conroy
May 18 at 20:45
It’s not to provide work, it’s to provide food. I’d call it a “work for food” program—nothing specifically comparable in English.
– Xanne
May 19 at 9:45