"sike"

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On 1/17/07, David Bowie <db.list at pmpkn.net> wrote:
>
> FWIW, i find it spelled "sike" in inscriptions in my middle and high
> school yearbooks (as early as the early 80s).

Some discussion of "sike" vs. "psych" in the "'80s slang" forum on The
'80s Server:

http://www.80s.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=slang;action=display;num=1027088467

Earliest Usenet cite for retro "sike" I can find is from 1991:

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http://groups.google.com/group/alt.rap/msg/bee7d46f66aaf542
alt.rap, Apr 30 1991
I'll also like to give a handout to all of you who are down with
D.O.C, Ice T, LL Cool J, Three Times Dope, KRS-1 and BDP,
EPMD, Kwame, Third Base (Yeah that's right!), Tarrie B,
NWA, Ice Cube (Although he is a sellout!), X-Clan, Def Jeff,
Digital Underwear ( underground), and YO momma....
....sike!.
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--Ben Zimmer

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