# The origin of "joshin"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-joshin/270399>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 21, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-joshin/270399 "2004-10-21T13:45:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gerika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@gerika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gerika)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-joshin/270399/1 "2004-10-21T13:45:17Z")

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I’m wondering what the origin of the phrase “just joshin ya” is. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me…

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-joshin/270399/2 "2004-10-21T14:02:03Z")

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Probably it should be more accurately written with an apostrophe at the end: “joshin’” as short for “joshing” – which would be the present participle of “to josh”

[M-W.Com](http://M-W.Com) has this to say:

> [@](#):
>
> Main Entry: 1josh  
> Pronunciation: 'jäsh  
> Function: verb  
> Etymology: origin unknown  
> transitive senses : to tease good-naturedly : KID  
> intransitive senses : to engage in banter : JOKE

Perhaps some of our etymological detective Dopers might be able to dig out something more on origins of the phrase, first usage, etc.

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**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-joshin/270399/3 "2004-10-21T14:19:59Z")

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According to [The Word Detective](http://www.word-detective.com/070698.html#joshing), it’s from an old synonym for “rube” or “hick,” derived from the name Joshua, which was thought of as a rural name in the 18th century.

He also lists a couple of other possibilities which he considers unlikely, including an amusing one having to do with a man named Josh Tatum who perpetrated a scam with fake coins.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-joshin/270399/4 "2004-10-21T16:42:05Z")

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The OED says it comes from Josh Billings, a very popular American humorist. Sort of the Dave Barry of his day. But Billings started writing sketches in 1860 and the OED’s first cite is from 1845. So that can’t be right. Since “Josh Billings” was a pen name, it seems more likely that he chose “josh” because of the word.

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2004, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-joshin/270399/5 "2004-10-21T17:06:35Z")

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My WAG: a humourous substitution, joking -\> joseph king -\> joshua king -\> joshing.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-origin-of-joshin/270399/6 "2004-10-22T02:45:39Z")

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