crazy/insane gradation

[James Harbeck]

Although "crazy" and "insane" supposedly mean the same thing, I find
my sense that in common (metaphorical) use there is a gradation
confirmed by a quote in today's New York Times:

----
"Our forefathers in their infinite wisdom planned for crazy. But this
week we moved to insane."
KEITH WRIGHT, a Democratic assemblyman from Manhattan, on the
dysfunction of state government in Albany.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/06/nyregion/06albany.html?th&emc=th
----

James Harbeck.

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org