"Gotcha!" (or, William Safire is beyond hope)

[Barry Popik]

This Sunday in the New York Times Magazine, William Safire explains
"Gotcha!" Yes, again.
...
Safire maintains that "gotcha!" was coined in 1932 because the OED
lists that citation first. But as we all know here (and we must have
said a million times), the OED hasn't revised "gotcha!" A simple check
of any computer base at all shows "gotcha!" much, much earlier than
1932.
...
We could excuse this if this if this wasn't his job, or maybe if he's
new at his job, or maybe if he's some under-paid guy at a small town
paper--but Safire has been doing this job in the New York Times for 30
years. We could, possibly, excuse this if it's the first mistake like
this. But it's not a first mistake. He's done this many times before.
The first printed cite in an old OED entry is a "coinage" according to
Safire.
...
Could someone get him to retire? Barrett, Sheidlower, Zimmer, McKean
or anybody could write this column. Does Safire still need the money?
Does he have any assistants these days? Do they read ADS-L?
...
Anyway, here's a quick check, and a nice find of the theatrical
expression "I gotcher, Steve!" (current from about 1911-1912).
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/magazine/25wwln-safire-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin

Obviously, gotcha! — representing "(I have) got you," nearly rhyming
with hotcha, a 1930s jazz expression of enthusiastic approval — is
becoming a hot adjective. Originally spelled "Gotcher!" the compressed
phrase was coined as a triumphant exclamation in a 1932 mystery novel
by Edgar Wallace.
...
...
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(Oxford English Dictionary)
gotcha, gotcher
 a representation of the colloq. or vulgar pronunciation of (I have)
got you (see esp. GET v. 21a).
1932 E. WALLACE When Gangs came to London xxii. 197 The 'plane was
nearing the centre of Cavendish Square, when it suddenly heeled over.
Its tail went down and it fell with a crash in the centre of the
garden which occupied the middle of the square. 'Gotcher!' It was
Jiggs' triumphant voice. 1966 H. WAUGH Pure Poison (1967) xviii. 112
'Give her background a once-over on your way to Springfield... You
might try for a record of her blood type first. She claims it's O but
she doesn't carry any card.' Wilks sighed. 'I gotcha.'
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14 September 1903, Daily News, (Marshall, MI), "The Vernacular," pg. 2, col. 5:
"Yeh." Gotcher money?"
"Yeh."
"So vy. Gotcher aptite?"
"Yeh. Gotchours?"
(From the Chicago Tribune -- B.P.)
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8 January 1908, New York (NY) Journal, pg. 4:
"I've gotcher booked."
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30 September 1911, Syracuse (NY) Herald, pg. 16, col. 5:
WIllie replied: "I gotcha, Steve, I gotcha!"
...
2 December 1911, San Antonio (TX) Light), pg. 4:
YES I GOT CHA.
("Silk Hat Harry's Divorce Suit" cartoon by TAD --ed.)
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1 January 1912, Wilkes Barre (PA) Times Leader, pg. 11:
"I gotcha, Julius, but why LEAP year?"
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13 June 1912, Grand Forks (ND) Herald, pg. 8:
"I gotcher, Steve!" he exclaimed in the latest American;...
...
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(GOOGLE BOOKS)
 From Dance Hall to White Slavery: The World's Greatest Tragedy - Page 114
by John Dillon, H. W. Lytle - Prostitution - 1912 - 190 pages

"I gotcha, Steve." He grinned at "Gert" and hurried off.
...
...
(GOOGLE BOOKS)
Cobb's Anatomy - Page 125
by Irvin Shrewsbury Cobb - Body, Human - 1912 - 141 pages

... like "I gotcher Steve," and "Well, see who's here?" without a
moment's hesitation
and without having to stop and think for the right word or the right ...

...
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12 June 1929, Logansport (IN) Press, "In New York" by Gilbert Swan,
pg. 4, col. 2:
Broadway's loss is always his gain, He is one man who prsopers in the
midst of failure. For Cain's as I have had occasion to mention before,
is the place where all bad little plays go when they die--and some
good ones too! Cain's is the warehouse for theatrical failures.
...
Pat Cain is known on Broadway as a "last nighter." He's never yet
attended a first night performance but rarely has he missed a last
night. For on that last night, Cain "gets the show!" That is to say,
he gets the scenery and the stage adornments.
(...)
There was, for instance, an oft-quoted one-line criticism printed a
few seasons back. The name of the play was "Steve." And the criticism
read: "A voice from Cain's -- I gotcha Steve!"
...
This criticism has become almost a Broadway classic.

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org