Uh-huh, huh-uh

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 12:47:44 -0500, Baker, John <JMB at STRADLEY.COM> wrote:

>        For uh-oh, I can take it back to 1942, describing events of 1940:
>"The witness then testified in substance that she had been gazing in that
>direction (towards the west field) since the car began its ascent of the
>hill; that she looked back when Mr. Rubart said 'Uh Oh!' and she then saw
>the truck."  Roushar v. Dixon, 231 Iowa 993, 995, 2 N.W.2d 660, 661 (Mar.
>10, 1942).

Hard to search for "uh-oh" on newspaperarchive or other databases, since
poor scanning results in lots of false matches.  But I did find a 1930
cite:

   Van Wert (Ohio) Times Bulletin, August 19, 1930
   The Featherheads [comic strip]
   Uh-oh!

This is the title to a strip featuring Mr. Featherhead and his boss:

   Boss: Mr. Featherhead - have you got all the figures in on that Riggs
   deal?  You want to get along that job, you know...
   Boss: If we get the contract, my boy... it will be a feather in your
   cap! A fine thing for you... yes sir!
   [Mr. Featherhead beams.]
   Boss: And if we don't get it... you'll probably be fired!
   Mr. Featherhead: !

I suspect earlier cites can be found in comic strips of the '20s.


--Ben Zimmer