The column focused on the “Hip Hip”, but what of the “Hurrah”?
I used to be married to a Danish girl and they claim that “hurrah” was a viking battle cry used when slaughtering everyone, no special “hurrah” dispensation given by race, religion, or region.
There is a different “hip” for hippies in the 1960s. It is associated with drugs and lying on one hip, like an opium smoker for example. Hippies was a derogatory label, or at least descriptive, and was not used by a person for himself/herself. As it became associated with the peace movement and flower power, “flower child” and “hippie” began to mean the same thing.
Helpful link to the column in question:
Highly improbable. Both “hip” and “hep” in the current sense are attested back as far as the first decade of the 20th century, and the root meaning appears to have been “aware”, “with it”, etc… Besides, don’t you know where all the hippies meet?
Of course, they have printed proof from the 10th-14th century that “hurrah” was a viking battle cry. I always thought it was, but proof would solidify my view. :rolleyes:
Actually, I’ve seen “Harroo!” as a Viking battle cry in a play from the 1930s (“Judgement at Chelmsford” by Charles Williams), so there’s probably some truth in it. However, that’s not the same thing as establishing that it is the origin of MnE “Hurrah”. The OED believes “Hurrah” is an alteration of “Huzza”, possibly under foreign influence, but dates both “Huzza” and “Hurrah” (not to mention “Hurray”) long, long after the Vikings.
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John W. Kennedy
“Who roar for the Sub-warden!”—Sylvie and Bruno
Not sure how that puts truth into the viking origins.
Thanks for that. I didn’t realize how far back that cry went.
South Street, South Street.