# Hip, Hep, Hooray! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 1, 2001, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896 "2001-05-01T00:03:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Thursday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@Thursday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thursday)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2001, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/1 "2001-05-01T00:03:04Z")
Another possible source for the origin of “Hip” (and “Hep”, “Hippie”, etc) is given by Bill Bryson’s book “Made in America”. Apparently, there is a West African tribe that uses the word “hepicat” to mean “someone who sees”, or “who’s eyes are open”. I’m afraid I don’t have the exact wording, because the book is back in the library, but that is the gist of it. From this, I could certainly see it being used for the beat compliment “hip-cat”, or just “hip”. It’s a definition I like better than the ones given here, and Mr. Bryson is pretty good about his research, as well as being an entertaining writer. I can’t say the same about my writing, however: I’ll post again when I’ve got the book back out of it’s temporary home! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2001, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/2 "2001-05-01T00:22:15Z")
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank you for posting your comment. Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site. To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space **before** and **after** the text of the URL). Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link: [Was “hip hip hurrah” originally an anti-Semitic taunt?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_241b.html) * * * moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/3 "2001-05-01T19:39:15Z")
**Jomo Mojo** addresses the possible African connection in [this thread about today’s Staff Report](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=69476) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/4 "2001-05-02T03:12:29Z")
Edgar Allen Poe in “Bet the Devil Your Head” has one character ask another, “Are you hipped?” Therefore I submit that the the term hipped, later shortened to hip did come from opium smokers lying on there hips. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/5 "2001-05-02T03:26:25Z")
Bill Bryson is certainly a very entertaining writer – I have read all his books. However, his book on the history and usage of the English language (“The Mother Tongue” is the name of the book, IIRC) contains many dubious and highly suspect rumours, legend, and apocryphal tales. Some of his statements about word origins are just plain wrong. So, if you’ve got a more reliable source for this “hepikat” idea, I’d like to know about it, please. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/6 "2001-05-02T03:31:56Z")
Sorry, 'bout that. Wrong thread, can’t delete. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/7 "2001-05-02T15:23:19Z")
Well, I’m a day late and a dollar short once again. However our friend bibliophage has once again saved the day and pointed out the right column. Since the article to which the OP refers is a Staff Report, not a Straight Dope column, this thread is leaving the «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» forum and going to visit my colleague **C K Dexter Haven** in the «[**Comments on Staff Reports**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=6)» forum. * * * moderator, «[**Comments on Cecil’s Columns**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1)» ---
**Author:** ![Bwannabee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@Bwannabee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bwannabee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/8 "2001-05-03T00:51:50Z")
I’ve also heard that Hip comes from “Hep Cat”, which came from “Heppi Cotti” meaning “one who has opened his eyes”. If this doesn’t have some basis in truth, it’s a well distributed rumour. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/9 "2001-05-03T05:17:48Z")
**CK,** how about Robert Claiborne, _Our Marvellous Native Tongue_, TIME Books, 1983, p. 252? > [@](#): > > “hip” is from \*hipi,\*to be aware; and a _hipikat_is an aware person. (“Hip” was borrowed by many whites as “hep”; when used to blacks as a supposed demonstration of white linguistic sophistication - “I’m hip” - it might draw the ironic reply “I’m hip you’re hep.”) Claiborne gives some cites for these references: David Dalby’s essay in Thos. Kochman (ed.) _Rappin’ and Stylin’ Out_(U.Illinois, 1972), and Dillard, _Black English_(Random House, 1972). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hip-hep-hooray/63896/10 "2001-05-03T09:19:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thursday \* > Apparently, there is a West African tribe that uses the word “hepicat” to mean “someone who sees”, or “who’s eyes are open”. Not _tribe_. Language. It’s called Wolof. mangiwakh wolof tuti rek