drei_lengua
Senior Member
Back on the East Coast, United States of America
English, United States
- Aug 20, 2007
- #1
Hello everyone,
The other day I heard someone say to another person "you make me crazy". I have never heard this before. I had only heard "you drive me crazy". Which one do YOU use? Maybe this is some regionalism.
I look forward to your replies.
Drei
bibliolept
Senior Member
Northern California
AE, Español
- Aug 20, 2007
- #2
Ignoring the distortion introduced by the Fine Young Cannibals' song, Google searches indicate that "drive/drives me crazy" is about five or seven times more popular than "make/makes me crazy."
nichec
Senior Member
Chinese(Taiwan)
- Aug 20, 2007
- #3
I say "You drive me crazy" or "You drive me nuts".
R
river
Senior Member
U.S. English
- Aug 20, 2007
- #4
"Make me crazy" is alive and well in the midwest. To me, "make" suggests more of forced into a state of mental instability than drive:That music makes me crazy. "Drive" suggests "irritating." Just me, perhaps.
Trisia
Senior Member
București
Romanian
- Aug 20, 2007
- #5
river said:
"Make me crazy" is alive and well in the midwest. To me, "make" suggests more of forced into a state of mental instability than drive:That music makes me crazy. "Drive" suggests "irritating." Just me, perhaps.
I thought of that, too... But I was more familiar with "you make me go crazy" - having a more or less positive meaning (whereas "drive me crazy" clearly suggests annoyance)
Or maybe I simply misunderstood you.
bibliolept
Senior Member
Northern California
AE, Español
- Aug 20, 2007
- #6
Google, again:
"make me crazy" - 239,000 hits; note that this phrase can have both "positive" and "negative" uses, just like "make me go crazy"
"make me go crazy" - 23,900 hits, coincidentally one-tenth of the hits for the other phrase.
I expected "make me crazy" would be more popular, but it's ten times more popular.
R
river
Senior Member
U.S. English
- Aug 20, 2007
- #7
Trisia said:
I thought of that, too... But I was more familiar with "you make me go crazy" - having a more or less positive meaning (whereas "drive me crazy" clearly suggests annoyance)
Or maybe I simply misunderstood you.
I wasn't clear. "Makes me crazy" has a more ominous connotation to me (Taking that medication makes him crazy) than "drives me crazy" (Kids, stop that screaming! It's driving me crazy).
bibliolept
Senior Member
Northern California
AE, Español
- Aug 20, 2007
- #8
river said:
I wasn't clear. "Makes me crazy" has a more ominous connotatin to me (Taking that medication makes him crazy) than "drives me crazy" (Kids, stop that screaming! It's driving me crazy).
"You make me crazy" can be a "good" thing as well, so to speak.
drei_lengua
Senior Member
Back on the East Coast, United States of America
English, United States
- Aug 21, 2007
- #9
Trisia said:
I thought of that, too... But I was more familiar with "you make me go crazy" - having a more or less positive meaning (whereas "drive me crazy" clearly suggests annoyance)
Or maybe I simply misunderstood you.
"you make me go crazy" has a sexual connotation and is used positively in this sense.
Drei
JamesM
Senior Member
Los Angeles, California
English, USA
- Aug 21, 2007
- #10
"You drive me crazy with desire" can also have a positive, sexual connotation. I don't think there's a specific connotation to either "drive" or "make" in this phrase.
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