Information flowing through the coconut wire

Grapevine or Coconut Wire

I heard it through the coconut wire.

In the US, people refer to hearing things through the grapevine.

But in Costa Rica and other Latin American cultures, the phrase they use that has the same meaning is I heard it through the coconut wire.

It reminds me of the popular song back in 1968 by Marvin Gaye called, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine. "

At the local farmer's market here in Costa Rica, there is always one or more vendors with an enormous pile of coconuts. They will take a machete, cut the top off, and stick a straw in it. The cost is about a US dollar. It's much cheaper than buying a bottle of water, a cup of coffee, or a soft drink.

Just like in the picture at the top of the page, it's common to see people sitting or walking around with a coconut that has a straw sticking out of it. They're usually gossiping and laughing.

Maybe that's how the phrase "coconut wire" originated.

Coconuts are like bananas here—they're dirt-cheap.

The meanings of comments and phrases can vary among different cultures.

The words grapevine and coconut wire have the same meaning, but you have to be careful what you say sometimes. Here's an example:

One of my friends was visiting her daughter, and she was helping her clean and straighten up the house. She asked her daughter whether she had any newspapers. Her daughter said, "I don't use newspapers now. I use my laptop for everything, and it works even better."

Her daughter wasn't happy the next day when she saw her laptop at the bottom of the birdcage.

Bottom line: Not understanding the slang phrases in different cultures can cause problems, but sometimes the results can be comical. You have to learn as you go and keep a sense of humor.