Huzzah
Encyclopedia
Huzzah is an archaic English
interjection
of joy or approbation
. According to the Oxford English Dictionary
it is "apparently a mere exclamation". The dictionary does not mention any specific derivation. Whatever its origins, it has seen occasional literary use since at least the time of Shakespeare.
In common usage, such as cheers at sport
ing events and competitions, the speaker need not make distinction and the words are distinguished by regional dialect and accent. However there are certain circumstances where the huzzah form is preferred; for example, it is customary for rowing crews of Magdalene College, Cambridge to celebrate victories with a chant of "hip hip huzzah". Huzzah is often commonly shouted at Renaissance Festivals.
It may also be used to describe significant and positive aspects of a topic, as in, "The seminar focused on Julia Child's culinary huzzahs."
Though generally pronounced h, Alexander Pope
's An Essay on Man
(1734), line 256, rhymes the second syllable as in hooray, h.
asserts that it comes from the Mongolian
Hurree, used by Mongol armies and spread throughout the world during the Mongol Empire
of the 13th century, but he does not appear to present any supporting evidence. Weatherford says that in Mongolian Hurree is a sacred praise much like amen or hallelujah.
The OED notes that in the 17th and 18th centuries it was identified as a sailor's cheer or salute, and suggests that it was possibly related to words like heeze and hissa which are cognate
s of hoist
.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, three "huzzahs" were given by British infantry before a charge, as a way of building morale and intimidating the enemy. The book Redcoat: The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket by Richard Holmes
indicates that this was given as two short "huzzahs" followed by a third sustained one as the charge was carried out.
In keeping with British military traditions, the Fort Henry Guard
, a military re-enactment unit based at Fort Henry
in Kingston Ontario, uses "huzzah" as its customary cheer. In particular, the Guard's infantry sub-unit (the Drill Squad) ends each training day with a spirited "Huzzah Squad!".
According to Jean Paul Roux the word "Hurrah" comes from Old Turkic, in use until medieval times. In his book, History of Turks he states:
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
interjection
Interjection
In grammar, an interjection or exclamation is a word used to express an emotion or sentiment on the part of the speaker . Filled pauses such as uh, er, um are also considered interjections...
of joy or approbation
Approbation
Approbation is, in Roman Catholic canon law, an act by which a bishop or other legitimate superior grants to an ecclesiastic the actual exercise of his ministry....
. According to the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
it is "apparently a mere exclamation". The dictionary does not mention any specific derivation. Whatever its origins, it has seen occasional literary use since at least the time of Shakespeare.
Usage
Huzzah may be categorized with such interjections as hoorah and hooray. According to the OED, "In English the form hurrah is literary and dignified; hooray is usual in popular acclamation."In common usage, such as cheers at sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
ing events and competitions, the speaker need not make distinction and the words are distinguished by regional dialect and accent. However there are certain circumstances where the huzzah form is preferred; for example, it is customary for rowing crews of Magdalene College, Cambridge to celebrate victories with a chant of "hip hip huzzah". Huzzah is often commonly shouted at Renaissance Festivals.
It may also be used to describe significant and positive aspects of a topic, as in, "The seminar focused on Julia Child's culinary huzzahs."
Though generally pronounced h, Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
's An Essay on Man
An Essay on Man
An Essay on Man is a poem published by Alexander Pope in 1734. It is a rationalistic effort to use philosophy in order to "vindicate the ways of God to man" , a variation of John Milton's claim in the opening lines of Paradise Lost, that he will "justify the ways of God to man" . It is concerned...
(1734), line 256, rhymes the second syllable as in hooray, h.
Military
The origin of the word in its various forms is not clear, but it may have been influenced by war cries from various languages: the OED suggests Danish, Swedish, Dutch, Russian and Prussian words that may have played a part. Jack WeatherfordJack Weatherford
Jack Weatherford is a former professor of anthropology at Macalester College in Minnesota. He is best known for his 2004 book, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World...
asserts that it comes from the Mongolian
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
Hurree, used by Mongol armies and spread throughout the world during the Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
of the 13th century, but he does not appear to present any supporting evidence. Weatherford says that in Mongolian Hurree is a sacred praise much like amen or hallelujah.
The OED notes that in the 17th and 18th centuries it was identified as a sailor's cheer or salute, and suggests that it was possibly related to words like heeze and hissa which are cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...
s of hoist
Hoist
Hoist may refer to:*Hoist , a machine for lifting loads*hoist controller, a machine for raising and lowering goods or personnel by means of a cable*Hydraulic hooklift hoist, another machine* Hoist , another machine...
.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, three "huzzahs" were given by British infantry before a charge, as a way of building morale and intimidating the enemy. The book Redcoat: The British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket by Richard Holmes
Richard Holmes (military historian)
Brigadier Edward Richard Holmes, CBE, TD, JP , known as Richard Holmes, was a British soldier and noted military historian, particularly well-known through his many television appearances...
indicates that this was given as two short "huzzahs" followed by a third sustained one as the charge was carried out.
In keeping with British military traditions, the Fort Henry Guard
Fort Henry Guard
The Fort Henry Guard is a military reenactment organization based at Fort Henry, a national historic site in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It has recreated the British military tradition of a bygone era since its founding in 1938...
, a military re-enactment unit based at Fort Henry
Fort Henry, Ontario
Fort Henry is located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada on Point Henry, a strategic point located near the mouth of the Cataraqui River where it flows into the St. Lawrence River, at the upper end of the Thousand Islands...
in Kingston Ontario, uses "huzzah" as its customary cheer. In particular, the Guard's infantry sub-unit (the Drill Squad) ends each training day with a spirited "Huzzah Squad!".
According to Jean Paul Roux the word "Hurrah" comes from Old Turkic, in use until medieval times. In his book, History of Turks he states:
- ...For example, while attacking to their enemies, they (Turks) used to shout "Ur Ah!" which means "Come on, hit!" (In modern Turkish 'Vur Hadi!') Then this exclamation turned into "Hurrah!" in [the] West...