...Carrot and/or stick?

[tethersend]

(Have also posted in pedants' corner)

I had always understood the phrase 'carrot and stick' to refer to the dangling of a carrot attached to a stick in front of a donkey in order to make him go faster; however, its common use seems to refer to a carrot or stick, whereby said donkey is rewarded with a carrot or beaten with a stick.

AIBU?

Which is it?

Please cast your votes, it's driving me fucking mental.

Yep just checked, I can definitely dangle things from my hand using just my fingers, no stick required

How would you attach a carrot to a stick?

So you'd walk in front of the donkey for the whole journey? Doesn't that sort of defeat the point of getting the donkey to make the journey?

Much better to attach it to a stick like this

Dying to ask what you're dangling catlady.

But in answer to your question, I think string should do the trick.

But you'd still have to walk along with the donkey while holding the stick-dangling-carrot surely?

Am dangling a cat toy species, nothing exciting, DH is in a wine induced coma

You would sit on the donkey's back in my mind, surely?

Just call me speesh, it's a crap user name anyway. Wish I was in a wine-induced coma also.

You can probably get head frames from which to attach the carrot. Or you could just not have a donkey and use a tractor.

oh right, yes, very clever . In my mind I'm walking along next to my donkey. No idea why!

Surely you would sit on the donkey's back while holding a stick - teh carrot would dangle
fishing rod style in front of the donkey's nose and he would walk towards it

what a jumpeduppantryboy said except that chances are you'd be in a cart behind the donkey, or walking behind the donkey as he was pulling the load that you needed taken somewhere.

Better to be behind the donkey so you can administer either incentive more easily (or indeed shove the carrot where the sun don't shine )