Why do people circle their ear with a finger to indicate some one is crazy? Who thought of this?

Answer 1

The first recorded use of the gesture goes to the credit of William Shakespeare. "His mind is astir as a tempest me thinks". The actor William Booth used the gesture while delivering this line during his performances of "Hamlet" while on tour throughout the western U.S. Another interesting fact is that his nephew was the infamous John Wilkes Booth that later shot Lincoln at the conclusion of the civil war. Kind of all fits together nicely, yes?

Answer 2

That's because crazy people never clean their ears, so you show that with the finger..

a true fact though, different cultures have different hand gestures expressing crazyness, like in italy its the tapping of the side of your hand to your forehead that says someone's crazy.

Answer 3

The motion indicates a mixed up brain.

Answer 4

It is not their ear , it is their brain they are indicating is messed up. Get it.....the circle is the messed up , dizzy part and its at their head bcuz thats where the brain is housed. (Right now I am doing it to you. LOL)

Answer 5

Well I work in a grocery store in a town that has alot of hispanics. I don't speak spanish and most of them don't speak english. I use anyway of communication I can to understand them. I make up my own sign language...I'm sure that is somehow it got started.

Answer 6

George W. Bush's pediatrician.

Answer 7

it's sign language..it indicates that someone is "mixed up in the head" as in their thought or their brains

Answer 8

This motion is to imitate a scrambled brain. Not very nice, but effective.

Answer 9

It was the same guy that thought of sticking your middle finger up to say f*** you.

Answer 10

it's supposed to mean that there is too much crazy going on in their head... not their ear....