yahoo

[James Harbeck]

Apologies if I missed comment on this already while zipping through
back emails trying to catch up, but I find it interesting that OED's
earliest cite for the interjection (which I remember from my
childhood, as do I also remember the noun form) is 1976.

I had thought that the first place it was used as an interjection was
in Swift's own book, with Gulliver trying it on that way, but on
reference I find it not quite so:

----
I could frequently distinguish the Word Yahoo, which was repeated by
each of them several times; and altho' it was impossible for me to
conjecture what it meant; yet while the two Horses were busy in
Conversation, I endeavoured to practice this Word upon my Tongue; and
as soon as they were silent, I boldly pronounced Yahoo in a loud
Voice, imitating, at the same time, as near as I could, the Neighing
of a Horse; at which they were both visibly surprized, and the Gray
repeated the same Word twice, as if he meant to teach me the right
Accent, wherein I spoke after him as well as I could, and found
myself perceivably to improve every time, though very far from any
Degree of Perfection. Then the Bay tried me with a second Word, much
harder to be pronounced; but reducing it to the English Orthography,
may be spelt thus, Houyhnhnm. I did not succeed in this so well as
the former, but after two or three farther Trials, I had better
Fortune; and they both appeared amazed at my Capacity.
----

And Major Kong (Slim Pickens) doesn't quite seem to shout "yahoo!"
exactly as he rides the bomb down in Dr. Strangelove, though he does
come close -- judge for yourselves:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcW_Ygs6hm0&feature=related

But surely "yahoo" has been around longer than 32 years as an
interjection! Where's Barry Popik when we need him?

James Harbeck.

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