There is very little difference if any, between the two words stupid and dumb, at least that’s what I ignorantly believe.
In the 16th century the word stupid was derived from the Latin stupidus or stupere to describe being amazed or stunned. In today’s colloquial language it can be used to describe special situations, professions, bosses or co-workers or somebody slow of mind, or a person considered to be of lesser intellect, to name a few. It can also describe a politician especially if he or she belongs to the party you didn’t vote for. Sometimes we use the word to negatively describe some of our assets as in the stupid car won’t start.
The word dumb comes from Old Norse dumbr and was used by Vikings to describe stunned, speechless members of the opposing forces. In today’s language, it is correctly used to describe a person borne without the ability to speak. However, it may also be used to describe a person of lesser intelligence. What? I just said that about stupid. It appears that we may have two words that at times can be used to emphasize your opinion of a politician, as in that dumb and stupid so and so, that’s not what he promised during his campaign.
Some people may confuse ignorant with dumb or stupid. Ignorant is defined as an individual with lack of education or knowledge, trying to discuss a topic that he knows nothing about, which would describe most politicians. However, the lack of education or knowledge could be the result of having made stupid or dumb decisions.
Two criminals were almost broke. So they decided to rob a bank and to do that they needed face masks. They went to a local welding shop and stole a couple of clear plexiglass face shields, and proceeded to the bank. With the face shields donned and replica handguns they entered the bank, where two of the tellers instantly recognized them. They were apprehended by the police a block away from the bank.
Another robber, probably related to the two described above, robbed a convenience store, but left his keys on the counter. He went on his Facebook page and asked whoever might have found his keys to return them to him. The police were happy to oblige.
Ole and Sven tried their hands at farming in France. They were raising pigs. When the pigs matured, they would slaughter them and sell the meat. One boar had caught their eye. He was a handsome looking specimen. However, when the gendarmes found out that they had named the boar Napoleon, they arrived at the farm to arrest Ole and Sven as they had broken the law. It is indeed illegal in France to name a pig Napoleon. But naming a sow Josephine is not a problem, go figure.
Ole and Sven were saved from the guillotine and released for good behaviour. They hitched an ocean voyage to North America. Ole had found a sweetheart, the daughter of a wealthy Rhode Island lawyer, and wanted to marry her. He went to her father to ask permission. The father, being a savvy old lawyer, had checked on Ole’s background and found that he had been imprisoned in France. The old lawyer told Ole permission was denied. He advised Ole that a law exists in Rhode Island that states any marriage where either of the parties is an idiot or a lunatic is null and void. He indicated that Ole was a lunatic for asking permission, and his daughter would have been an idiot to accept.
Ole and Sven then continued to Alabama to look for work. They had heard that the local Lutheran church was a good place to make contact with some of the local business owners that might be looking to hire. After the incident in Rhode Island, Ole decided to wear a fake moustache as a disguise. The pastor brought Ole and Sven up to the front and made them turn around facing the congregation. As soon as they turned around, the congregation erupted in laughter, as Ole’s moustache was askew. Ole was charged under the Alabama statute, wearing a fake moustache in church that caused laughter.
They were stopped by a state trooper as soon as they crossed the border into Arkansas. The trooper wanted to know why they were visiting his state, and when Ole mispronounced Arkansas he was put in handcuffs, and Sven therefore pretended to be dumb, as in not having a voice, grabbed a pen and paper. However, he misspelled Arkansas, causing the trooper to handcuff Sven as well. Between them they had broken two laws. It is illegal to mispronounce Arkansas while in Arkansas and it is illegal to misspell Arkansas while in Arkansas.
Ole and Sven were heading north after having paid their fines and released by the Arkansas state trooper. They arrived late at night in Fargo, North Dakota and bedded down on two park benches. A couple of Fargo police officers woke them up at around five in the morning, and hauled them in to the police station, where they were charged under a statute stating it is illegal to lay oneself down to sleep while wearing shoes or boots.
They paid their fines and kept on going north until they arrived in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada. Sven, riding a bicycle, was stopped by one of Edmonton’s finest while making a turn. Why? Because all bicycle riders must signal with the arm before making a turn, and a bicycle rider must keep both hands on the handlebars at all times.
