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Karamazov
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18 Apr 2020, 4:14 am

Darmok wrote:

blooiejagwa wrote:

Darmok wrote:

As a student of language, I am trying to determine if there's a difference between a crank, a crackpot, and a loon.

A loon can be a bird
A crank can be used on old fashioned musical equipment
A crackpot is a crackpot is a crackpot is a crackpot
aka
a crackpot by any other name would be as crazy

Is every crackpot a crank? Or is every crackpot a loon? Or are loons and cranks both species of crackpots.

Loon: from lunatic, ref. to the moon & werewolf legends, someone overly affected by external events to the point of insanity.
Crank: a handle you use to start motors by spinning it round, someone who goes round and round in their own thoughts without gaining any understanding.
Crackpot: a broken container, someone who’s thoughts cannot contain reality, like a leaky bucket can’t contain water.

(Not looked this up, I’m going by the form of the words and the contexts within which I’ve seen/heard them used)

EzraS
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18 Apr 2020, 4:31 am

Darmok wrote:

blooiejagwa wrote:

Darmok wrote:

As a student of language, I am trying to determine if there's a difference between a crank, a crackpot, and a loon.

A loon can be a bird
A crank can be used on old fashioned musical equipment
A crackpot is a crackpot is a crackpot is a crackpot
aka
a crackpot by any other name would be as crazy

Is every crackpot a crank? Or is every crackpot a loon? Or are loons and cranks both species of crackpots.

Six of one and a half dozen of the other to me.

Darmok
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18 Apr 2020, 11:18 am

The question I ask myself every day.

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Darmok
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18 Apr 2020, 11:22 am

Karamazov wrote:

Loon ... someone overly affected by external events to the point of insanity

Crank ... someone who goes round and round in their own thoughts without gaining any understanding

Crackpot ... someone who’s thoughts cannot contain reality

These do seem like useful terms.

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Karamazov
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18 Apr 2020, 11:24 am

Darmok wrote:

Karamazov wrote:

These do seem like useful terms.

Indeed: the ability to insult without swearing is a great treasure. :wink:

IsabellaLinton
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18 Apr 2020, 11:41 am

The Aussie Gazpacho

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naturalplastic
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18 Apr 2020, 12:13 pm

Darmok wrote:

Shocking cultural appropriation.

Darmok
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18 Apr 2020, 11:33 pm

Me, just passing through life.

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Darmok
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19 Apr 2020, 5:33 pm

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blooiejagwa
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19 Apr 2020, 8:47 pm

Karamazov wrote:

Crank: a handle you use to start motors by spinning it round, someone who goes round and round in their own thoughts without gaining any understanding.

OMG Thanks now I have the most apt word for myself! I just thought it meant a cranky person, which can often apply too.

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Darmok
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19 Apr 2020, 11:10 pm