# On the origins of Hip **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [October 10, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-origins-of-hip/375988 "2006-10-10T23:05:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Viking\_Biochemist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/dfb087/32.png) [@Viking\_Biochemist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Viking_Biochemist)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-origins-of-hip/375988/1 "2006-10-10T23:05:56Z")
On the origin of the hip/hipness/hippie terminology: Sorry I don’t have the reference with me at the moment, some friend has run off with my copy of the book - Bill Bryson, in _Made in America_, has a chapter on the contributions made to American english by African migration and the slave trade, a contribution which has been sadly underrated for some time. One item he notes is the west African term “hepikat”, meaning one who has his eyes open, or is very in tune with his surroundings. This morphed to hipcat, which was shortened to hip, then modified to hippie. Apparently the transition is fairly well documented. Mind you, this has absolutely nothing to do with the “hip hip hooray” business. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-origins-of-hip/375988/2 "2006-10-10T23:49:23Z")
\ Welcome, **Viking\_Biochemist**! I’ve taken the liberty of editing your post title and putting the link down here: > **[Was “hip hip hurrah” originally an anti-Semitic taunt?](https://www.straightdope.com/21341918/was-hip-hip-hurrah-originally-an-anti-semitic-taunt)** You’re apparently aware of vBcode, and it works everywhere but in the title bar. No big deal. Glad to have you aboard. Rico For the SDMB. \ ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-origins-of-hip/375988/3 "2006-10-11T00:10:05Z")
[QUOTE=Viking\_Biochemist] \ One item he notes is the west African term “hepikat”, meaning one who has his eyes open, or is very in tune with his surroundings. This morphed to hipcat, which was shortened to hip, then modified to hippie. Apparently the transition is fairly well documented. \ [/QUOTE] [The word Detective](http://www.word-detective.com/061405.html#hip) tells it a little differently, but still mentions a link to an african term - but also stating that there are some linguistic problems with the link. > [@](#): > > One of the more intriguing (and currently popular) theories is that “hip” harks back to the word “hipi,” meaning “to open one’s eyes” in Wolof, a West African language, and was brought into American English by slaves from West Africa. Unfortunately, there are some fairly serious linguistic problems with this theory, and most etymologists rate it as unlikely. So the jury is still out on “hip.” ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2006, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-origins-of-hip/375988/4 "2006-10-11T11:20:24Z")
[QUOTE=Viking\_Biochemist] On the origin of the hip/hipness/hippie terminology: Sorry I don’t have the reference with me at the moment, some friend has run off with my copy of the book - Bill Bryson, in _Made in America_, has a chapter on the contributions made to American english by African migration and the slave trade, [/quote] There’s your first problem, trusting Bill Bryson. He ain’t a linguist and his book(s) are full of inaccuracies. > [@](#): > > One item he notes is the west African term “hepikat”, meaning one who has his eyes open, or is very in tune with his surroundings. This morphed to hipcat, which was shortened to hip, then modified to hippie. Apparently the transition is fairly well documented. The origins of the terms are “unknown.” And that means that serious scholars have tried to find all kinds of links, but nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-origins-of-hip/375988/5 "2006-10-11T12:06:40Z")
Welcome, **Viking\_Biochemist**! We’re glad you’re here! Stay awhile! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-origins-of-hip/375988/6 "2006-10-11T14:08:56Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] There’s your first problem, trusting Bill Bryson. He ain’t a linguist and his book(s) are full of inaccuracies. [/QUOTE] Bryson is an extremely entertaining writer, a wonderful stylist and a great yarn-spinning raconteur. But a researcher, he ain’t. I’ve read most everything he’s written, but I keep the salt handy.