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#20245 02/27/01 02:46 AM
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des Offline OP
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In England is the word "crackers" used to describe a person(or cat in the instance I am referring to) who is thought to be a little "off center"??? I knew a cat named Crackers, who had an unusual personality, to say the least!


#20246 02/27/01 03:18 AM
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Carpal Tunnel
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crazy; mad; infatuated [from cracked]


#20247 02/27/01 08:19 AM
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In this context I wonder if any of you use the expression "a cracker" for a lie?


#20248 02/27/01 08:48 AM
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Don't know about 'a cracker' used to mean a lie. If an extraordinarily strange or funny anecdote is related, one might say "That was a cracker!"
The cat being called crackers definitely means it's barmy.
I've heard 'crack' used by the Irish to mean a good time, or a good laugh, I think. The only other word I know which closely fits this meaning is an Austrian term 'Gaudi'. Or could one say 'merriment' perhaps?
'Crack' also means a blow, or wallop, which, I guess is why one says 'Give it a crack mate'.



#20249 02/27/01 09:21 AM
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>I've heard 'crack' used by the Irish to mean a good time, or a good laugh, I think.

It is pronounced "crack" but spelt "craic". People in Ireland always seem to be in search of it! Enter "craic" into Google and you may find it!


#20250 02/27/01 01:43 PM
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Also for natives of Georgia and Florida, mildly pejorative, but less so that "redneck"


#20251 02/27/01 02:15 PM
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Bill, you are bringing back things I should have thought of, of course I have heard of "Georgia Crackers" but since my mind has turned into sieve I guess that info sifted right on thru! The cat's family could have been from Georgia! I prefer to think they recognized the cat as a bit "barmy"! Not familiar with the "redneck" connotation.
And I live around a lot of them. Good ole boys!


#20252 02/27/01 02:19 PM
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natives of Georgia

The Atlanta minor league baseball team (before the Braves moved in) was known as the Crackers. The Negro Leagues team was the Black Crackers.


#20253 02/27/01 04:46 PM
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crack / good time
There is the common U.S. usage of "a cracking good time", but don't know if this is related to the Irish expression.

Incidentally, I believe that the use of the term "cracker" to denote a redneck, or uncouth person in general, is considerably more than mildly pejorative. In some circles, at least, it is as bad as the infamous "n....." word commonly used by crackers.


#20254 02/27/01 04:50 PM
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Would one of our Brit-speak friends explain about the "crackers" mentioned in English books and TV shows as a holiday accoutrement?
wow


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