Talk:go ham

Etymology

I don't see any reason to think the etymology is correct, and it's unsourced. The vast majority of "acronym decomposition" etymologies are clearly fabricated after the fact and this is a very good candidate, given that "ham" is already a word! Kylebgorman (talk) 17:10, 18 February 2021 (UTC)

At least one rando on the internet agrees with you. --75.12.81.89 03:37, 17 March 2021 (UTC)

There is absolutely zero chance it's correct. The phrase predates the song by decades. I'm removing it as patently spurious. --Jemiller226 (talk) 16:39, 17 June 2021 (UTC)

this link supports this claim that the etymology is false: https://slang.net/meaning/go_ham#:~:text=Some%20believe%20the%20ham%20in,and%20Kanye%20West%20song%20%22H.A.M.%22 104.220.249.66 04:06, 17 June 2023 (UTC)

Go berserk

See the initial section of this podcast for an AAVE speaker who uses go ham in place of either go berserk or run amok. He references Jewish dietary laws but not any sense that it might be vulgar or otherwise offensive. — LlywelynII 03:33, 2 July 2022 (UTC)

Possible link to etymology?

EtymOnline has this:

ham (v.)

"over-act in performance," 1933, from ham (n.2). Related: Hammed; hamming. As an adjective in this sense by 1935.

No direct entry on "go ham", unfortunately. 91.186.71.2 09:28, 5 January 2023 (UTC)