Hear a genuine rebel yell - in safety

[Jonathan Lighter]

Whatevuh.  But the (surprisingly limited) first-hand sources generally describe four kinds: howls, yips, high screams, and falsetto "hi-yi"s, with the howls and yips predominating. So far I find no  "regional" characteristics, but since Lee's Army of Northern Virginia included units from all over the Confederacy, it's most unlikely that putative regional variations would be identifiable now or,  would have remained separate for long.

  Many, many, writers, North and South, prominently mention "the rebel yell," but durned few try to describe it carefully.

  But back to current "yeeha(w)."  I'll get _Red River_ today.  Also _Gone with the Wind_, just in case, and popcorn.

  JL

Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU> wrote:
  ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Charles Doyle
Subject: Re: Hear a genuine rebel yell - in safety
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Sounds more like a gelded hound than a fice!

--Charlie
_____________________________________________________

---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2006 18:18:49 -0800
>From: Jonathan Lighter
>
>Pvt. Thomas N. Alexander, CSA, formerly of the 26th North Carolina Infantry Regiment, was recorded yellin' at the age of 90 in 1935. Hear it now:
>
> http://www.26nc.org/History/RebelYell/main.htm
>
> It's a yippin' kinda yell, maybe like them fice dogs folks have been postin' about. It sure ain't no Yeeha(w) !
>
> ProQuest reveals a mention in Jan., 1865, by a Yankee, who described the rebel yell as "dog-like." Could be yippin', could be howlin'. Could be both.
>

> JL

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