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FRAN
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:38 pm
Post subject: Going bananas |
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FRAN wrote:
Does anyone know (or can anyone suggest) a plausible history for this
phrase ... meaning:
"getting into a state of high excitement"
or
"getting extremely angry".
Fran
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Charles Riggs
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 2:55 pm
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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On 20 Aug 2005 00:38:39 -0700, "FRAN" <fran_beta@hotmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: | FRAN wrote:
Does anyone know (or can anyone suggest) a plausible history for this
phrase ... meaning:
"getting into a state of high excitement"
|
Women in the habit of using bananas as didoes often find themselves in
a state of high excitement while in the practice. That is the origin
of the phrase, yes siree.
| Quote: | or
"getting extremely angry".
|
You need to be careful not to use an overly ripe one, sure.
--
Charles Riggs |
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Robert Lieblich
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2005 6:02 pm
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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FRAN wrote:
| Quote: |
FRAN wrote:
Does anyone know (or can anyone suggest) a plausible history for this
phrase ... meaning:
"getting into a state of high excitement"
or
"getting extremely angry".
|
The Web was no help. I'd guess it's a derivative of "going ape,"
which means much the same thing. Think of a monkey dashing around in
its environment at full speed.
--
Bob Lieblich
Free-associating
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Edwin I
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 8:32 pm
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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"Charles Riggs" <chriggs@eircom.net> wrote in message
news:0vrdg1t4h68rn0h6p6ggol82rgociicegg@4ax.com...
| Quote: | On 20 Aug 2005 00:38:39 -0700, "FRAN" <fran_beta@hotmail.com> wrote:
FRAN wrote:
Does anyone know (or can anyone suggest) a plausible history for this
phrase ... meaning:
"getting into a state of high excitement"
Women in the habit of using bananas as didoes often find themselves in
a state of high excitement while in the practice. That is the origin
of the phrase, yes sire
|
What's are "didoes?"
:)
| Quote: | or
"getting extremely angry".
You need to be careful not to use an overly ripe one, sure.
--
Charles Riggs |
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Spehro Pefhany
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 12:29 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 14:32:39 GMT, the renowned "Edwin I"
<e.ellinwoodspamnomore@verizon.S.P.A.M.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
"Charles Riggs" <chriggs@eircom.net> wrote in message
news:0vrdg1t4h68rn0h6p6ggol82rgociicegg@4ax.com...
On 20 Aug 2005 00:38:39 -0700, "FRAN" <fran_beta@hotmail.com> wrote:
FRAN wrote:
Does anyone know (or can anyone suggest) a plausible history for this
phrase ... meaning:
"getting into a state of high excitement"
Women in the habit of using bananas as didoes often find themselves in
a state of high excitement while in the practice. That is the origin
of the phrase, yes sire
What's are "didoes?"
|
Obviously, a typo for "diodes". AC-DC and all that.
Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com |
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Charles Riggs
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 3:15 pm
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 14:32:39 GMT, "Edwin I"
<e.ellinwoodspamnomore@verizon.S.P.A.M.net> wrote:
| Quote: |
"Charles Riggs" <chriggs@eircom.net> wrote in message
news:0vrdg1t4h68rn0h6p6ggol82rgociicegg@4ax.com...
On 20 Aug 2005 00:38:39 -0700, "FRAN" <fran_beta@hotmail.com> wrote:
FRAN wrote:
Does anyone know (or can anyone suggest) a plausible history for this
phrase ... meaning:
"getting into a state of high excitement"
Women in the habit of using bananas as didoes often find themselves in
a state of high excitement while in the practice. That is the origin
of the phrase, yes sire
What's are "didoes?"
|
Dildoes without the phallic l (Hi, Maria!): my bad.
| Quote: | or
"getting extremely angry".
You need to be careful not to use an overly ripe one, sure.
-- |
Charles Riggs |
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Areff
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:12 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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["Followup-To:" header set to alt.usage.english.]
Tony Cooper wrote:
| Quote: | At his age, it takes longer to bleed the lizard and
he may get tired of standing on his tip-toes.
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Incidentally, in my dialect that's "... on his tippy-toes", at least in
informal usage. |
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Maria Conlon
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 1:45 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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Charles Riggs wrote:
| Quote: | Edwin I wrote:
Charles Riggs wrote:
Women in the habit of using bananas as didoes often find themselves
in a state of high excitement while in the practice. That is the
origin of the phrase, yes sire
What's are "didoes?"
:)
Dildoes without the phallic l (Hi, Maria!): my bad.
|
What it is about the "phallic l" that brings me to mind?
Be careful what you say if you answer that. Oh, and as for a certain
body part of yours not functioning properly(mentioned in another
thread), are we to presume that said body part's cooperation,
kitchen-sink-wise, is the problem?
Maria Conlon |
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Tony Cooper
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 3:13 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 19:45:47 GMT, "Maria Conlon"
<maria.c-b@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
| Quote: | Charles Riggs wrote:
Edwin I wrote:
Charles Riggs wrote:
Women in the habit of using bananas as didoes often find themselves
in a state of high excitement while in the practice. That is the
origin of the phrase, yes sire
What's are "didoes?"
:)
Dildoes without the phallic l (Hi, Maria!): my bad.
What it is about the "phallic l" that brings me to mind?
Be careful what you say if you answer that. Oh, and as for a certain
body part of yours not functioning properly(mentioned in another
thread), are we to presume that said body part's cooperation,
kitchen-sink-wise, is the problem?
|
The kitchen sink in his new place may be a few inches higher than the
old place's sink. At his age, it takes longer to bleed the lizard and
he may get tired of standing on his tip-toes.
--
Tony Cooper
Orlando FL |
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Paul Wolff
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:18 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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In message <p84ng1l89tt86f792ohsf0d7mgdoa5q553@4ax.com>, Tony Cooper
<tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> writes
| Quote: | On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 19:45:47 GMT, "Maria Conlon"
maria.c-b@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Oh, and as for a certain
body part of yours not functioning properly(mentioned in another
thread), are we to presume that said body part's cooperation,
kitchen-sink-wise, is the problem?
The kitchen sink in his new place may be a few inches higher than the
old place's sink. At his age, it takes longer to bleed the lizard and
he may get tired of standing on his tip-toes.
Cooperation of the first water. |
--
Paul
In bocca al Lupo! |
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Ben Zimmer
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 7:00 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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Evan Kirshenbaum wrote:
| Quote: |
"Go bananas", in the sense of "crazy, mad, wild (with excitement,
anger, frustration, etc.)" is dated to ca 1968:
1968-70 _Current Slang_ (Univ. S. Dakota) III.-IV. 6 _Bananas_,
adj., excited and upset; 'wild'. College students, both
sexes, Kentucky.--I'd say it, but everyone would just go
_bananas_.
|
The Historical Dictionary of American Slang dates the "crazy" sense back
to 1957:
1957 A. Capp, in _S.F. News_ (Mar. 30) 11: They say you're bananas!!
| Quote: | but there's an earlier bracket quote, which means that they aren't
convinced that it's quite the same sense:
1935 A. J. POLLOCK _Underworld Speaks_ 53/1 _He's bananas_, he's
sexually perverted; a degenerate.
|
HDAS defines the earlier sense as "homosexual", with a 1933 first cite:
1933 Ersine _Prison Slang_ 15: _Bananas, adj._ Homosexual, _queer_. |
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Evan Kirshenbaum
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 7:00 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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Robert Lieblich <robert.lieblich@verizon.net> writes:
| Quote: | FRAN wrote:
FRAN wrote:
Does anyone know (or can anyone suggest) a plausible history for this
phrase ... meaning:
"getting into a state of high excitement"
or
"getting extremely angry".
The Web was no help. I'd guess it's a derivative of "going ape,"
which means much the same thing. Think of a monkey dashing around in
its environment at full speed.
|
That was my guess. The OED cites "go ape" to 1955:
1955 _Amer. Speech_ XXX. 117 [Air Force slang] _Go ape_; _go ape
shit_, _v._ _phr._, react in an irrational manner; go into a
frenzy.
"Go bananas", in the sense of "crazy, mad, wild (with excitement,
anger, frustration, etc.)" is dated to ca 1968:
1968-70 _Current Slang_ (Univ. S. Dakota) III.-IV. 6 _Bananas_,
adj., excited and upset; 'wild'. College students, both
sexes, Kentucky.--I'd say it, but everyone would just go
_bananas_.
but there's an earlier bracket quote, which means that they aren't
convinced that it's quite the same sense:
1935 A. J. POLLOCK _Underworld Speaks_ 53/1 _He's bananas_, he's
sexually perverted; a degenerate.
I had thought that it was older, but the first mentions in the _LA
Times_ appear to be from 1968:
On the day they were monitored, only Michael Jackson (KABC) and
Gil Henry (KLAC) retained their composure under strenuous attack.
The rest went bananas. [4/21/1968]
(From an article on the incivility on radio call-in shows. Plus ça
change.)
--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
HP Laboratories |ActiveX is pretty harmless anyway.
1501 Page Mill Road, 1U, MS 1141 |It can't affect you unless you
Palo Alto, CA 94304 |install Windows, and who would be
|foolish enough to do that?
kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com | Peter Moylan
(650)857-7572
http://www.kirshenbaum.net/ |
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Evan Kirshenbaum
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 7:01 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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"Edwin I" <e.ellinwoodspamnomore@verizon.S.P.A.M.net> writes:
| Quote: | "Charles Riggs" <chriggs@eircom.net> wrote
Women in the habit of using bananas as didoes often find themselves
in a state of high excitement while in the practice. That is the
origin of the phrase, yes sire
What's are "didoes?"
|
The OED defines "dido" as
A prank, a caper; a disturbance, 'row', 'shindy'; esp. in phr. to
cut (up) didoes.
and cites it to 1807. Obviously Charles is refering to leaving banana
peels for people to slip on.
--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
HP Laboratories |Marge: You liked Rashomon.
1501 Page Mill Road, 1U, MS 1141 |Homer: That's not how *I* remember
Palo Alto, CA 94304 | it.
kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com
(650)857-7572
http://www.kirshenbaum.net/ |
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Areff
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 8:01 am
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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["Followup-To:" header set to alt.usage.english.]
Ben Zimmer wrote:
| Quote: | The Historical Dictionary of American Slang dates the "crazy" sense back
to 1957:
1957 A. Capp, in _S.F. News_ (Mar. 30) 11: They say you're bananas!!
but there's an earlier bracket quote, which means that they aren't
convinced that it's quite the same sense:
1935 A. J. POLLOCK _Underworld Speaks_ 53/1 _He's bananas_, he's
sexually perverted; a degenerate.
|
For what it's worth, "bananas" was used to mean "nonsense" or "that's
crazy" in the lyrics of the song "Bananas" by Bennie Benjamin and George
Weiss. I'm not sure when this was written, but I have a recording of it
being performed by Machito & His Afro-Cubans from 1954. Here are the
lyrics (from memory):
When a high-pressure salesman starts to talk
Of the big deal he'll get you in New York
Or that oil well that's gushing to the sky
Merely smile and politely just reply
Bananas (Please buy a bunch)
Buy a bunch
Bananas
Bananas
Buy a bunch today
If you're with a romantic fellow who
Uses one hand for driving, one for you
I predict this event will come to pass
He'll get stuck and he'll say he's out of gas
Bananas (Please buy a bunch)
Buy a bunch
Bananas
Bananas
Buy a bunch today
Bananas bananas
Why don't you buy a bunch today
Bananas bananas
You ought to try a bunch today
Bananas bananas
Buy a bunch
Today! |
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Charles Riggs
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 4:00 pm
Post subject: Re: Going bananas |
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On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 21:13:10 GMT, Tony Cooper
<tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> wrote:
| Quote: | On Tue, 23 Aug 2005 19:45:47 GMT, "Maria Conlon"
maria.c-b@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Charles Riggs wrote:
Edwin I wrote:
Charles Riggs wrote:
Women in the habit of using bananas as didoes often find themselves
in a state of high excitement while in the practice. That is the
origin of the phrase, yes sire
What's are "didoes?"
:)
Dildoes without the phallic l (Hi, Maria!): my bad.
What it is about the "phallic l" that brings me to mind?
Be careful what you say if you answer that. Oh, and as for a certain
body part of yours not functioning properly(mentioned in another
thread), are we to presume that said body part's cooperation,
kitchen-sink-wise, is the problem?
The kitchen sink in his new place may be a few inches higher than the
old place's sink. At his age, it takes longer to bleed the lizard and
he may get tired of standing on his tip-toes.
|
True, but it is less tiring than running up the stairs to use the
toilet, an appliance nearly essential for one operation but wasteful
of water and totally unnecessary for another, assuming a lack of
guests in the house. I can't understand how some people remain
unconvinced by these facts. Or maybe they're like closet Baptists who
don't admit to some of their practices.
--
Charles Riggs |
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