Thursday, April 28, 2005

False Positives In The Search For Urban Etymological Origins 

An interesting and witty presentation of recent caucasian-use mass media sightings of the word crunk over at Stereogum yesterday leads to a comment-based discussion about the origins of the term. In turn, I find and post this page from Dr. Seuss' rightfully obscure 1972 work Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!



Urban Dictionary lists 144 definitions of the term crunk ranging from "to get crazy and act a fool" to "crazy and drunk; fucked up or intoxicated in some way." The Seven Lady Godivas notwithstanding, it's not likely that this was what Teddy G. had in mind when he penned this simplest of plotless kiddiebooks.

Yet, oddly, though the deliberately nonsensical Seuss-use surely predates the development of the actual term by some three decades, the modern street definitions seem to apply here. Especially if one considers the blue smoke emanating from the back of the seriously crunked-up vehicle.

posted by boyhowdy | 8:27 PM |

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Comments:

Personally, there's no better way to start my day than to wake up to a bowl of Crunk in the morning.

# posted by  Shaw Israel Izikson : 9:04 PM, April 28, 2005

 

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