Three Questions

[Rich Cohen]

Here's one (or three) for the LTG Sages.
One, what is the meaning of "numpties"?
Two, What is the singular of "numpties," if there is such a thing?
Three, What is the etymology of "numpties"?

 

[GGJaguar]

Translation needed

@Prince of Darkness ?

letstalkguild.com

 

[Rich Cohen]

Thank you, GG for the info. But, what about the etymology?

 

[Midnight Toker]

Questions three??

 

[GAD]

Google provides:

Scotland's favourite word, according to a poll by BT Openreach, is numpty. Derived from "numps", an obsolete word for a stupid person…

What is a numpty? | British identity and society | The Guardian

<b>Jenny Colgan</b> reveals Scotland's favourite word.

amp.theguardian.com

 

[davismanLV]

Therefore, if you ask another question, you'll become a NUMP!!

 

[Rich Cohen]

Google provides:

Scotland's favourite word, according to a poll by BT Openreach, is numpty. Derived from "numps", an obsolete word for a stupid person…

What is a numpty? | British identity and society | The Guardian

<b>Jenny Colgan</b> reveals Scotland's favourite word.

amp.theguardian.com

Ah, but what is the etymology of "numps"?

 

[txbumper57]

I thought it was from a song in the early 90's. "The numpty dance is your chance to do the numpt, oh oh do the numpty".

 

[GAD]

Therefore, if you ask another question, you'll become a NUMP!!

Ah, but what is the etymology of "numps"?

 

[Uke]

Ah, but what is the etymology of "numps"?

What "was" before the big bang?

 

[Uke]

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Try Googling numps derivation. I did and got: "Derived from 'numps', a 16th-century term for someone characterized as silly or stupid, it appears to be referencing the king's well-known mental condition." Stupid king.

There's more, of course, and Google is always right.

 

[Rich Cohen]

There's this: Economic Times

So — if fingers are still scratching saged heads at OED, you're in excellent company.

Try Googling numps derivation. I did and got: "Derived from 'numps', a 16th-century term for someone characterized as silly or stupid, it appears to be referencing the king's well-known mental condition."

There's more, of course, and Google is always right.

Thank you, Charlie! Spoken like a true Maniac.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

I thought I had heard that the word had its origins in Latin. Nux translates to nuts, and was derogatory slang in use by the Roman military. When Caesar expanded westward into the British Isles, conquering Caledonia, the Scots (renowned to have difficulty properly enunciating any language, let alone Latin), transliterated Nux into Numps. Numps morphed into Numpty for the lads, and Numptette for the lasses, but the latter was consider to sound too much like something the British would have taken from the French, thus it fell out of favor under Robert the Bruce.

Upon reflection, I’m pretty sure I made that up.

 

[walrus]

Another thing I would never have known if not for LTG...

 

[RBSinTo]

What "was" before the big bang?

Uke,
Time began at the instant the Big Bang occurred, so to speak of what came before it is meaningless.
It's like asking what is south of the South Pole.
RBSinTo

 

[Stuball48]

I think the late Charlie Weaver of Hollywood Squares would have had a great answer!

 

[FNG]

Uke,
Time began at the instant the Big Bang occurred, so to speak of what came before it is meaningless.
It's like asking what is south of the South Pole.
RBSinTo

The South Pole is south of the magnetic South Poke.

 

[Uke]

so to speak of what came before it is meaningless

Exactly. This applies to the "'etymology' of numps" as well. (or, maybe not !)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thank you, Charlie! Spoken like a true Maniac.

You're welcome! Here we spell it Maineiac.