Regards to my Hoosier relatives,
Jerry Carbiener
Minden, NV
-----Original Message-----
From: Dorothy Paul <Dorothy.M.Paul.1(a)nd.edu>
To: INSTJOSE-L(a)rootsweb.com <INSTJOSE-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Date: Monday, March 11, 2002 1:14 PM
Subject: [INSTJOSE] "Origin of the word "Hoosier."
I came across this and thought it was interesting.... I don't
think I
have ever heard of the poem that he refers to...
Hope you find this interesting,
Dorothy
Proud to be a Hoosier & American!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Indiana Magazine of History
Vol. IX; March, 1913; No.1
P.27(reprinted, Charles M. Walker, in The Indianapolis News, January 4,
"Origin of the word "Hoosier."
And first as to the word "Hoosier," which is now universally recognized as
the synonym of Indianian. "Words are things," and without doubt this word
has had a certain subtle influence in the development of Indiana
character. Its origin is unknown. It first appeared in print as applied
to the people of Indiana about 1830, though no reason has ever been
discovered why it should have been applied to them more than to the pioneer
settlers of any other Western State. Most of the early attempts to trace
its origin or etymology, including those adopted by some of the compilers
of dictionaries, were too ridiculous for serious consideration. It
certainly did not originate in Indiana, nor was it first applied to the
people of this State.
It is, doubtless, of old English origin, and was used in some parts of the
South at the early day, locally and colloquially, to designate an uncouth,
boorish person. In this sense it may possibly have been derived from
"Hosier," which in old English, was sometimes synonymous with a low, vulgar
fellow. In 1574, an English author wrote of "vulgar, obscure persons, like
hosiers and tanners," and Jonathan Swift, in 1731, wrote: "You are as
arrant a cockney as any hosier in Cheapside." This suggestion as to the
origin of the word is purely conjectural, but is more reasonable than some
of those adopted by lexicographers.
This much is certain: The word is of English origin, was used in the South
at any early day to designate an uncouth, boorish person and was originally
applied to the people of Indiana in derision or ridicule. It came to
Indiana from the South, as did also many of the pioneer settlers of the
State. As far as known, its first appearance in print was in a poem
entitled "The Hoosier's Nest," published in 1830. John Finley, the author
of the poem, was a clever versifier of the period, and used the term
"Hoosier" in a friendly sense He was a Virginian by birth, had lived in
Indiana only seven years when the poem was published, and may have brought
the word with him from Virginia. ...."
I'm on the Net:
http://www.nd.edu/~dpaul
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