Are you nuts?

[Narz]

Ever thought about the phrase "Are you nuts?". What do nuts and being crazy have to do with each other? Does anyone know the root of the expression?

Here's my therory :
I have noticed eating alot of nuts or peanut butter makes me kind of irratable and easily frustrated, thereby making me more likely to do irrational things, get in arguements, etc. Has anyone else noticed this? Perhaps this is the root of this ancient expression...

Perhaps this discussion is not as important as one about Saddam Hussein or the Euro or one's choice of government (heh heh Communism heh heh)... but then again maybe it is . If we don't even know our own language and culture how can we think ourselves capable to police the world. "Know thyself!". Hmmm, I should get back on topic, so yeah, any thoughts on my verbal dillema?

- Narz

 

[Portuguese]

I once read:
"Reason is the best distributed thing in the Universe: everybody thinks that has it all".

This resums well my thoughts...

 

[napoleon526]

Originally posted by Narz
Ever thought about the phrase "Are you nuts?". What do nuts and being crazy have to do with each other? Does anyone know the root of the expression?

Here's my therory :
I have noticed eating alot of nuts or peanut butter makes me kind of irratable and easily frustrated, thereby making me more likely to do irrational things, get in arguements, etc. Has anyone else noticed this? Perhaps this is the root of this ancient expression

I eat lots of peanut butter, and it doesn't make me irritable. In fact, just thinking about peanut butter can improve my mood tremendously. Mmmmm...peanut butter...

 

[allan2]

I no longer have that big old dictionary that gave the etymologies of words (even how different meanings came about, like that for "nuts"), so....

I'm guessing that "nut" was once an expression for the head some time ago, and I've even heard someone (old) say "Have you cracked your nut?" to mean "Are you crazy?" So maybe it has something to do with that.

Or else maybe it has to do with chattering squirrels ....

 

[stormerne]

I suspect the following progression:

17th century: "nuts to someone" - a source of pleasure or delight;
18th century: "nuts about something" - to be delighted with or "crazy" about something;
19th century: just to be crazy!

 

[ejday]

Originally posted by Narz
Ever thought about the phrase "Are you nuts?". What do nuts and being crazy have to do with each other? Does anyone know the root of the expression?

Dunno, but it's an interesting question.
***
I have noticed that people react differently to exclamations of "You're nuts!"
1) Extreme athletes just smile and nod.
2) Politicians sputter and reach for their visual aids.
3) Catchers and bicyclists tend to glance southward. Nervously.
4) I usually... ah, nevermind. Nobody ever calls me nuts.

 

[WillJ]

Originally posted by ejday
3) Catchers and bicyclists tend to glance southward. Nervously.

Originally posted by Narz
Here's my therory :
I have noticed eating alot of nuts or peanut butter makes me kind of irratable and easily frustrated, thereby making me more likely to do irrational things, get in arguements, etc. Has anyone else noticed this? Perhaps this is the root of this ancient expression...

That's what you think? Are you nuts?! At least I've never noticed that...

I have no idea about where the phrase originated from.

 

[HotDog Fish]

Maybe a long time ago there was something in the nuts, but what do I know? I've been to a psychiatrist at least 14 time over the past 10 years! But hmm...maybe it has to do with the cracking of nuts

 

[Ren]

Maybe it's to do with small brains being compared to nuts, ie. to call someone a nut means you think they're a bit silly, then if they're nuts then well...

 

[Pillager]

Oh yes.

 

[funxus]

In Swedish we have a similar expression, where we say "you nut". This means they have done or said something stupid. I thought it meant "your head is a nut". Just a few days ago I realised it meant they are a cow , since a "nut animal" is a collective name for cows and oxes. I don't know what "nut animals"are called in english, maybe that's what nuts mean??

 

[Dralix]

Originally posted by allan2
I no longer have that big old dictionary that gave the etymologies of words (even how different meanings came about, like that for "nuts"),

May I suggest the Merriam-Webster toolbar?

 

[Gastric ReFlux]

Yes I am.

In a good way most times.

In an irritable way right now cuz I haven't had a cigarette for over 5 and a half days.

So I'm not up to fretting about the origins of nuts right now. Although shelling peanuts and eating them can be a good distraction.

 

[BCLG100]

i like to think of myself as insane nuts is such an ugly word

 

[Gastric ReFlux]

Better than insane is to get yourself an officially medically-sanctioned diagnosis. Recommended ones are:

1) Bipolar disorder
2) Schizoaffective disorder
3) Generalized anxiety disorder

 

[BCLG100]

yes what is the one where you just swear at a moments notice

 

[Gastric ReFlux]

Tourette's damnit!

 

[ApocalypseKurtz]

I think Narz may be nuts. just kidding

 

[BCLG100]

ah yes thats te one fu** sh** hwo did i fu****** forget

 

[Perfection]

Maybe its from the phrase, "I tough nut to crack"

Or "The Nutcracker", that was nuts