Is the word crazy always negative and impolite?
What is the difference between crazy, mad and stupid?
Which one can be positive?
Answer
Generally speaking crazy is used to imply a lack of control, however this is not always negative.
Crazy can be used to imply a mental condition (v. informal, potentially offensive):
Jim is crazy
(Jim is unable to control himself, possibly implying a mental illness)
Crazy can be used to mean that someone lost control of themselves:
When Dave told Jane the news, she went crazy.
(After Dave told Jane the news, she was unable to control herself)
This use is not always negative:
I am crazy with love for you
(I am unable to control myself due to the amount of love I have for you)
Jean is totally crazy for Luke
(Jean is unable to control herself (because she likes Luke so much)).
Crazy can mean that an event was out of control:
Today has been really crazy!
(Today has been really uncontrolled (or "I have had little control over the events of today"))
Finally, crazy can also mean unbelievable:
Dave is in love with Jessica? That's totally crazy!
(Dave is in love with Jessica? That's unbelievable!)
So in answer to your question, crazy is not always impolite or negative, however it is always very informal and can, on occasion, cause offense. For this reason, try to avoid using it when speaking with people you don't know well, or in formal writing and exams.
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