Why is losing one's temper sometimes called 'Having a barney'?

Stew

I've only ever heard the expression 'having a barney' in the sense of having an argument or a fight. I've heard it suggested that this is rhyming slang (Barney Rubble - trouble) but I think the expresion is older than the Flintstones. Are you thinking of the expression 'having a paddy', meaning having an uncontrolled temper tantrum? I don't know the origin of that one, though I suspect it could be an English slur on the Irish. Jun 05 03, 1:37 PM

gmackematix

No, I meant the 'barney' one but thanks for correcting my definition. It was just a lapse in thought on my part. Jun 05 03, 1:55 PM

Stew	I tried a couple of the slang dictionaries turned up by googling. Some favour the Barney Rubble/Trouble rhyming derivation, but one site which tries to come up with wider possibilities is this one: http://phrases.shu.ac.uk/bulletin_board/13/messages/932.html Jun 05 03, 2:20 PM

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