How did the phrase "I have no idea about..." evolve into "I don't know from..."?

Answer 1

I THINK it's an extension of the expression "I don't know him from Adam" to mean that you don't know who someone is.

Or "I don't know a transmission from a muffler." as a way of saying you are clueless about cars.

Then people have lopped off the whole expression, leaving the truncated "I don't know from" -- sort of an abbreviated version.

I think.

Answer 2

I think its two different ways to say same thing..........But when u say i don't know, its more firm that you really don't know...and when u use I have no idea, you are being polite to admit that you don't know. Or may be I am wrong and I have no idea and I dont know what you are asking.

Answer 3

Both questions were always posed but the latter is now the more common used phased question.

Answer 4

I guess I'm un-evolved, because I still use "I have no idea about..." more than "I don't know" (and I never have used "I don't know from").

Answer 5

Huh? I have no idea what you are talking about and I don't know what you are talking about or why you care.

Answer 6

I would be willing to bet it came from Yiddish.

Answer 7

................... every one has some or an idea of something ........................... whereas , 'I don't know' is correct form of the whole idea ........of what you want to say ................. like you don't know what made that person smile at you ................... like if you did you had an idea ,....... which you don't ,.......... as you don't know the reason of the smile ............................. do you get some idea ................... or you don't know ........

Answer 8

I GOT NO IDEA..........