ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Just received this from a friend - have no idea sadly of the Author. It is written about the UK but seems would also apply here.

Daft being an English expression meaning stupid - but you knew that didn't you?? You're not stupid



Daftland


We live in a country called Daftland
The Britain we knew is no more
Where sensible people do ludicrous things
Or risk breaking some Daftland law.
In Daftland we've police dogs with muzzles
Less the villain has cause to complain
And to steal from a shop and say 'sorry'
Means your free with no stain to your name.

You had better leave lights on in buildings
When you lock up and go home at night
'cause the burglars might hurt themselves entering
And there's no way you'll be in the right.
When speaking be wary in Daftland
As some terms that you've used all your life
Now have connotations unintended
And you'll end up in all sorts of strife.

We elect politicians in Daftland
to give us the laws of the land
Yet eight laws in ten now come from abroad
The whole thing has got out of hand.
The borders are open in Daftland
And of migrants there's no keeping track
Just a few of the thousands illegally here
Will ever be caught and sent back.

The exception to this is the hero
Who fought for this land in the war
He's old and he's sick, he might cost us a bit
So he's not welcome here any more.
When the history is written of Daftland
Historians may just recall
That the craziest people in Daftland
Were the public who put up with it all

It's getting that way Hey!

Mr Dave.

I think "daft" is one of those old sayings from the time when there was open derision of those who were unable to function quite as well as " normal " folk.

I think you will find that daft is a pronunciation derived from deaf; someone who is deafed or daft.
Profoundly deaf people have trouble speaking properly because you need to hear what you say in order to speak properly, hence I suppose their inability to speak " properly" brought on the assumption that they were less intelligent.
Former Prime Ministers, Billy McMahon and John Howard, were both mockingly imitated in their manner of speech, which in both cases was due to deafness. Maybe some things haven't changed.

We all moan about political developments. In Britain and Australia, all citizens have the opportunity to shape the political landscape by voting.
The real cause of political catastrophe in Britain and Australia, is voter ignorance, laziness and apathy.

Au contraire mon Neville - Daft was an expression used often in my home as a kid and it always related to stupidity.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Look up daft in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Daft is an Old English-derived word for silly, stupid, or mad, depending on context.

Daft people may well be deaf but deaf people aren't necessarily daft - although stupid people are everywhere and according to my old Dad there was no cure for that. I remember Mum telling us kids to go outside and play because we were sending her daft

Maureen..you and I are not contraire in this

I was not talking about the dictionary definition, which you have given , nor was I saying that deaf people are stupid.
I was talking about how a word can come to develop a meaning from prejudice.

You were? Oh of course you were Were you?

I go a bit doolally sometimes Neville the same as daft but spelt different